Thurles Golf Club
Our Course
Great golf courses are hallowed ground for those who love the game. Thurles Golf Club is steeped in history, not only for its reputation of being one of the best parkland golf courses in Ireland, but also for the contribution to the game of golf that so many of the club members have made during its 100 years.
This testing par 72 course offers a most enjoyable golfing experience to players of all standards.
While the status of the inward 9 holes is renowned in golfing circles, the outward 9 underwent a major re-development in 2006-07 with a view to enhancing an old classic.
The development is best characterised by the introduction of tee complexes and undulating greens, built to USGA standard, the incorporation of additional land with a view to providing additional length to the course, the introduction of water features (off-set beautifully by natural stone bridges) on 4 of the holes, and the planting of over 300 trees.
As the outward 9 holes mature, they will no doubt enhance an old classic.
OUT OF BOUNDS
- Beyond any boundary wall or fence of the course, except behind the 8th green and on the 9th hole where the penalty area extends to infinity
- Inside clubhouse enclosure and yard
- Any part of the first nine when playing the second nine,
and vice-versa
- On or over path at rear of 18th green and clubhouse surrounds
- Left of 14th and 15th as defined by stakes
MOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Marker posts.
IMMOVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS
Relief without penalty per Rule 16.1.
Gravel paths, tee display signs, fixed sprinkler heads, yardage discs, wooden steps and drain grids.
Bridges: If a ball lies on a bridge it must be played as it lies or dropped under penalty (Rule 17.1)
Staked Trees
If a player’s ball lies anywhere on the course other than in a penalty area and a staked tree or its supports interferes with the player’s stance or area of intended swing, the player must take relief under Rule 16.1
YELLOW PENALTY AREAS– (Rule 17.1d): All areas defined by yellow posts.
RED PENALTY AREAS – (Rule 17.1d): All areas defined by red posts.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR – (Rule 16.1); Marked “G.U.R” or by white lines.
ETIQUETTE
AVOID SLOW PLAY;
IN STROKEPLAY PLAY ‘READY GOLF’
REPAIR PITCH MARKS ON GREENS;
REPLACE AND PRESS DOWN DIVOTS;
RAKE BUNKERS – LEAVE RAKE IN BUNKER.
Click here to download guide as a PDF
- 1st HOLE – Par 5
Accuracy, not length, is the key for the successful playing of this hole.
Go for the green in two shots at your peril. Avoid the left hand side at all costs. Position your second shot to suit the pin position. An undulating green rewards accurate pitch shots which might best be played from full shot distance.
- 2nd HOLE – Par 4
Position your drive on the left side of fairway. Short left is the safe position for your second shot. Difficult par four. Bogey is not a bad score here. Long hitters keep tight to the right.
- 3rd HOLE 138 – Par 3
Beautiful scenic par three
Be careful to observe the wind direction before you go to the tee. A shot with plenty of backspin will be an advantage. Play an extra club if the pin is on the right half of the green.
- 4th HOLE 367 – Par 4
Play a lay-up shot off the tee to be short of water which is 230 yards away. A difficult 2nd shot awaits against the prevailing wind to a well-guarded green. Use a club more than it seems. Left of the green is the safe option.
- 5th HOLE – Par 3
Excellent uphill par three to a testing green
A spine runs through the middle of the green. To avoid three putting make sure to be on the correct side of the green. Putting can be fun on this undulating green.
- 6th HOLE – Par 4
Short but very tricky par four
Optimum line for your drive is over the big beech tree in front of the tee. An extremely demanding pitch shot awaits to a shallow green guarded by bunkers front and back. Clean grooves on your club are essential for this difficult shot!
- 7th HOLE – Par 4
Tough par four
Drive should be slightly left for the longer hitters. The second shot to a slightly elevated green is longer than it seems.
- 8th HOLE – Par 5
Long par five with two options off the tee
The left side option is shorter but bunkers at 220 yards must be carried and the out of bounds fence is uncomfortably close. The more conservative option is to drive right of the bunkers towards the old quarry. For safety position the second shot short and right for a straight forward pitch along the length of the narrow green. Water guards the left and a large bunker the right of this green. Only the brave and the brilliant will attempt to reach this hole in two shots.
- 9th HOLE -Par 4
Challenging picturesque par four along the banks of the Suir
An undulating fairway leads to a narrow left sloping green perched on the side of the river. Courage and skill will be rewarded on this excellent golf hole.
- 10th HOLE – Par 4
Difficult par four
A demanding second shot to the right hand side of the green requires that you hit enough club! A bogey is not bad here.
- 11th HOLE – Par 3
Spectacular, difficult par three
Playing your tee shot short of the green can yield dividends. Missing the green pin high almost inevitably leads to a bogey. Observe interesting ruins called “Jacks House” on route to the green.
- 12th HOLE – Par 4
Short par four that demands quality shots
Tee shot favours a slight fade of approximately 220 yards around the trees on the right to land short of punitive fairway bunkers. The approach shot is deceptive. Use one more iron than you think you need.
- 13th HOLE – Par 5
Long par five
Keep away from the left hand side. A well placed iron for your second shot is often advised. An extremely narrow green demands that you must not miss it on the wrong side, particularly the left. The green slopes from front to back.
- 14th HOLE – Par 3
Demanding par three to a narrow green
Do not miss it at the wrong side. Be careful of your alignment on your tee shot.
- 15th HOLE – Par 4
The longer hitters will attempt to shorten the dog-leg by driving over the trees on the left. A straight drive will run out of fairway at approximately 220 yards. The narrow bunkered green ensures that nothing but an approach from the centre of the fairway is rewarded.
- 16th HOLE – Par 4
Again accuracy is at a premium on this hole
The green is long and narrow. A quick check on the pin position as you pass the green when playing the thirteenth hole is often of value.
- 17th HOLE – Par 4
A long demanding par four
For most golfers two woods are required to reach the green. Keep slightly left off the tee. The green slopes from front to back so be careful of your club selection for your second shot in firm conditions.
- 18th HOLE – Par 5
The N63 guards the left hand side of this short but tricky par five
A very accurate tee shot and second shot is required. Players with a good score often choose the safer route of driving down the tenth fairway. This leaves a very demanding second shot. The positioning of your second shot is crucial. A third shot coming from anywhere on the right of the green must clear the bunker and land on the down-sloping green. Not a shot for the faint hearted.
Blue: 6661 – Par 72/SSS 72 White: 6411 – Par 72/SSS 71
Yellow: 6097 – Par 72/SSS 70 Red: 5506 – Par 73/SSS 73
Surrounded by beautiful countryside and breathtaking scenery, the golf course is both challenging and creative. The 18 holes are set amongst mature undulating parkland, made even more testing with the recent introduction of water features and The River Suir into the course. Each hole presents the unwitting golfer with its own clever challenge, while the greens require accurate club selection and shot judgement.
Course Development
While the status of the inward 9 holes is renowned in golfing circles, the outward 9 underwent a major re-development in 2006-07 with a view to enhancing an old classic.
Every effort has been made to ensure the re-routing of the new outward 9 holes best-fits the site’s natural features (scenery and foliage). Central to the development is that the par 5s are now played in opposite directions, as are the par 3s, ensuring a fair test of golf is guaranteed no matter which direction the wind is coming from.
The development is best characterised by the introduction of tee complexes and undulating greens (built to USGA standard), the incorporation of additional land with a view to providing additional length to the course, the introduction of water features (off-set beautifully by natural stone bridges) on 4 of the holes, the planting of over 300 trees and the use of natural terrain.
As the outward 9 holes mature, they will no doubt enhance an old classic.
Practice Facilities
The practice facilities at Thurles Golf Club include 2 practice greens, “The Orchard”, where one can practice all aspects of the short game (pitching, chipping, bunker play), and a more extensive practice area where one can practice all aspects of the long game (driving, mid-long irons).
Maintaining the Course
Thurles Golf Club is committed to maintaining the Golf Course in the best possible condition, and we would ask all golfers to help in that regard by adhering to the 3Rs Principle, namely:
- Repair Pitch Marks
- Replace Divots
- Rake Bunkers
