Baltray to be extended 100 yards for Open
The huge number who believe the championship should always take place on a links have been delighted with the move to Baltray, a lay-out representing all that is good about golf by the sea.
When the wind blows, it can be a fearsome proposition, yet, like all links, it is vulnerable when the weather is calm and placid.
Probyn will once again be tournament director and, after visiting Baltray over the weekend, approved the building of five new tees, at the 1st, 4th, 10th, 15th and 17th, which will extend the course from its present 6,954 yards by about another 100.
In other words, nothing too drastic but enough to make the professionals think, especially when the wind whips in from the nearby Irish Sea. It's great news for Irish golf that we have been able to come up with another links following in the footsteps of Portmarnock, Royal Co Down, Royal Portrush, Royal Dublin and Ballybunion to host the national championship. Full marks to Nissan Ireland chief Gerard O'Toole for sticking to his promise after last year's event that he would return to a links in 2004.
"The Irish Open is the biggest thing in this part of the country since the Pope's visit", enthuses Michael Delaney, secretary/manager at Co Louth. "All the members are delighted and I haven't heard one word of complaint. We have had so many major tournaments here over the years, both men's and women's, but nothing of course to match an Irish Open. "
Adherents of the Baltray course, situated some five kilometres from Drogheda on the Boyne estuary, were put off for many years by the view that infrastructurally it wouldn't be capable of dealing with the traffic and the numbers who flock to a modern-day Irish Open. However, the new motorway stretching from Dublin Airport all the way to Dundalk dealt with much of that problem while quite sensibly it was agreed that if you could get 30,000 into places like The K-Club, Druid's Glen and Mount Juliet, you could do likewise at Baltray.
Regular visitors to Baltray have often marvelled at the vast amount of space on which the course stands 120 acres are normally more than enough to contain 18 holes with something to spare. There are 188 acres at Baltray so getting people around won't be the slightest problem, if you exclude the area round the 3rd tee, 8th green, 12th tee and 11th green, where Michael Delaney accepts there could be a bit of a bottleneck.
Indeed, such is the space available that there are two practice grounds at Baltray. The area nearest the clubhouse will be used for the tented village and the media centre. The range to the right of the 2nd tee will be roped off and will accommodate as many players as will assemble there at any one time without any difficulty.
Low numbers have not been unusual at Baltray. Eamon Darcy shot 63 here in an IPGA Championship and Kenneth Kearney and Noel Fox did likewise in an East of Ireland Championship. The par fives are by no means monsters. The 3rd at 548 yards is the longest and the 2nd at 485 and the 18th at 507 will be definite birdies probabilities for the pros. But the 11th will play as a par four and, even with the prevailing wind as a help, will provide many headaches.
David Probyn visualises the fairways being 24 yards in width, about two yards less than is normally the case at Baltray, which means there will be no tricking up of the course in this respect, although you can expect to see some fierce rough in strategic areas. Without it, Baltray, like all links, would be pretty much unprotected.
The great Irish amateur Joe Carr is revered in these parts having won the annual East of Ireland 12 times. It doesn't mean, however, that they can't poke a bit of fun at even the most famous of their champions and they delight in relating the story about how Joe played a friendly fourball there a few years ago without much distinction.
His young caddy wasn't at all impressed and, having visited parts of the course he never knew existed, asked his boss if he had ever played in the East of Ireland Championship.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I have", Carr replied.
"And did you ever do any good here?" came the next question.
"I won it 12 times", Joe declared, hoping he might have the last word.
"Well," concluded the youngster, "the standard must have been much worse in your day."
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