Enniscorthy Golf Club "Country Golf That Is Designed To Please"

In 2007 and 2008, Kevin Markham, born and educated in Ireland, travelled around Ireland in a camper van, playing and reviewing every 18 hole golf course - all 349 of them. The results now appear in a book (Hooked: An Amateur's Guide to the Golf Courses of Ireland) published by Collins Press in May 2009 [ISBN-13: 9781905172948]. You can visit his blog at http://golfcoursesireland.blogspot.com
Enniscorthy is one of those 349 courses that Kevin has written about and with his kind permission, below is an extract from his critic on our course and club. I consider it a most favourable and positive view  of our club and course. And though I took exception to his comment that "there is no scenery to speak of" he rightly justified it by his comparison to some of the most beautiful courses on this Emerald Isle that he has played; an accomplishment that most of us can only imagine.

Country Golf That Is Designed To Please...
 Definitely one of those friendly, country golf courses that you find all over Ireland and always a pleasure to play. Predominantly straight holes that are completely natural, with generous fairways and easy rough - ideal for golfers of all abilities. Holes are well divided as the course starts lazily across a flat landscape (opening five holes). It then shifts to a more entertaining design, with some steep drops/climbs giving holes some thrill. The 7th hits down to a flat fairway and then the 8th comes back up (see photos).

7th Fairway

Approach to the 8th

This is repeated on the tempting par 5 11th, where the fairway drops and swings left just at the point it disappears. If you feel particularly brave you can aim right at the corner (OoB left) and hope to catch the steep slope. This will add another 80 yards to your drive and make the green easily reachable in two. The 16th completes the set and is the prettiest hole on the course; the tee box sits nicely in the mature trees with a straight fairway below. Again, OoB lines the left with heavy trees right. It is a short hole and one where you'll want to nail your drive. The green, like several here, has fast slopes. There is plenty of variety at Enniscorthy, which means an array of challenges. But most of all, the straightforward design ensures plenty of enjoyment. The best holes at the 8th, 9th, 11th, 15th, 16th and 17th, and when you walk off the 18th, you will be pleasantly surprised at how much fun you have had. Interestingly, the long par 5s run consecutively on both nines (the 4th and 5th; the 10th and 11th) and head in opposite directions. There is no scenery to speak of, but it is a nice relaxing setting. This is what golf is all about, including the lively clubhouse.

Favourite and Toughest Hole
Par 4 8th. 347m. An innocuous-looking drive, but keep it to the right for a realistic chance of reaching the green in two. A big uphill draw is required to hit a very well protected green. If you fade the ball, enjoy the enormous bunker.

All in all his impressions were favourable I think you'll agree.