Before the Road to Oman heads to Ireland for the Volopa Irish Challenge next week, we asked Gavin Moynihan what to expect when we play the course he is attached to, Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort.
The 21 year old, who is a two-time Irish Amateur Champion, is looking forward to returning to a venue he knows well and here he shares his expertise ahead of the European Challenge Tour’s second staging of the competition in Carlow.
The course
“If you hit a driver dead straight and manage to keep the ball on the fairway then it is a course that is there for the taking.
“The greens are very tough so if you can take a driver and leave yourself with a wedge in you will give yourself a much better chance.
“In my view the greens are the toughest we play all year on the Challenge Tour – they are so fast and can break suddenly from right to left – and the rough is also very thick. But if you manage to hit it straight off the tee then you can do well.”
Key holes
“The toughest holes are two and three which are both long par fours. With the second it is 460 yards and plays uphill into the wind.
“It can be so hard and you often feel good to come away with par. Hole three is tricky because you have to be spot on with your distance control.
“I like hole 11 which is a beautiful 190-yard par three with a semi-island green, while ten is also a nice hole as it is a short par five where you are able to lay-up.”
Magic moments
“I have hit some really good shots when playing at Mount Wolseley – including the longest drive I have ever hit.
“It was a huge drive on the 17thwhich went 380 yards down wind. I only had 80 yards to the pin!
“At last year’s competition I also lipped out for a hole-in-one after hitting a five iron on the ninth hole. Hopefully I can go one step better this year.”
The venue
“It is a really nice parkland course which I think all the boys who played last year really enjoyed.
“The Irish love their golf so I expect to see some more good crowds – especially if the weather is nice. For anyone who hasn’t played Mount Wolseley before I would say it is a great, great track!”
