I love the Ryder Cup. It’s the best tournament in golf. So for me, the Twenty Ten course was just a must to visit. It’s the history, the chance to walk where legends have, where memories are made.

Inevitably I spent some time in the clubhouse. On arrival you are assigned a locker. I was fortunate to be next to Tigers. You are asked to go out half an hour early where complimentary balls are supplied on the range and a lovely bag tag supplied.

Behind the first tee is a Ryder Cup sign. Sadly it appears dishevelled. In truth it set the tone for the course. It’s May now and to see a sign offering golfers the chance to lift and clean their ball on the fairway is concerning.

The first few holes where pleasant with a fun par 3 3rd hole into a wind. I was fortunate to be level par after 5. The 5th offered a difficult challenge and knowing how to play it would be such an advantage. As it was I hit it exactly where I didn’t want to be only to find it was in the perfect spot. The 6th then played around a lake before a very uninspiring 7th and 8th followed. The par 5 9th was a good hole before again a dull par 3 10th. A good par 5 followed before a savage 12th that gave no indication one might run out of fairway. 13 was again quite a boring par 3 albeit with some water before a nice 14th up the hill. The 15th offered a tactical shot off the tee whereby I hit a 5 iron before going into the green with a 7 iron. 16 and 17 offered very little before the finishing par 5 feature hole 18th.

The course was alright. It had some nice holes. For me it shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as the Belfry of Glenagles though. I think the main issue for me was simply the condition wasn’t good. It looked unkept, uncared for. On two holes plaques featured on the tee. They looked like they had been abused, These are golfing moments we all remember. They needed a good clean! The tees had no definition, they looked overgrown in areas. The fairways weren’t good. At times we didn’t know the difference between that and the rough. I found the greens horrendously slow and the aprons, well, they didn’t exist. Maybe it was just a bad time to go there? I’d like to hope so. This is a Ryder Cup venue… it should be guarded and treasured.