davidehickey

I have played Ballykisteen quite a bit and have always enjoyed it. It's a really fun course with in one hand some holes very scorable while on the other some you will be delighted to make bogey and run to the next. They have recently changed the course layout.
best holes include the short par 4 11th/old 8th down hill and then your approach over a lake to a green protected at the back by 2 huge bunkers. a poor tee shot leaves you a very nervous second. The par 3 6th is a beautiful hole, long hole but from big height above the green. water at the back and all to the right and OB and a bunker left make it a daunting tee shot.
the index 1 and 2 are definitely merited here with index 1 now the second hole on the new layout. play it like a par 5. The woods on the right mean a scratch. tough approach with water all at the back and right. index 2 is now the 14th hole and it is a monster 90 degree dog leg with a bunker on each side of the angle. trying to cut the dogleg and taking a risk is nearly your only way of making par.
drawbacks include the 13th hole /the old first which has a ridiculous net cage on the tee box to protect the busy limerick to waterford road to the right. it encroaches so far out that nearly every tee shot I've seen there is pulled way left. it ruins what is a really nice hole with one of the best approach shots of the day over a lake and stream to a large sloped green. they had this as a temporary par 3 of about 170 yards a few years ago and i preferred it to the current set up.
greens are always great and fairways usually very nice. it was very wet the previous days before and while parts were soft, the course held up very well.
The course is part of the Ballykisteen hotel which has good locker rooms, and a decent bar and restaurant for afterward.
pro shop staff are normally helpful and friendly although the last time i played there, was through a golf now deal and they sort of made us feel like we were getting away with murder after having got a great hot deal on the website. I think we got it for 12 euro each on a Saturday. not the welcome you expect.