Played twice - very tough conditions on day 1 (45mph gusts, light rain), less so on day 2 (25mph gusts, mainly dry). Even in the worst conditions the course was playable, even off the ’slate’ tees - wide fairways, massively undulating, huge and complex greens, not overbunkered, but bunkers/waste areas always strategically sited.

Several terrific features - the steep approach to a green that falls away on the ‘gettable’ (downwind) par 5 6th hole as one particular example. The uphill landing area (into the gale) on the 460 yard 9th, making the second shot semi-blind and leaving a long approach to an elongated offset green, sloping right to left, guarded by a huge swale front right and steep run offs left and rear. On the back nine the 12th stands out - a very long, uphill into wind par 5, with a wickedly sloping green and a tough bunker at 100 yards out. The view from the 14th tee is probably one of the best in Ireland, or anywhere and the dramatic, steeply downhill par 5 16th emphasises how tough it is to hold a links green with a downwind approach shot!

I was less excited by the short 15th (130 yards, steeply uphill, into wind), and the gatherings areas short of 17 and behind 18 were so popular that the ground was badly torn up, by no doubt fruitless efforts with lob wedges….both might be better as waste bunkers, aided by a rake.