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This is the last major stop on the calendar for next year.

Even talking about it gives me the end-of-the-summer melancholy that comes with knowing the best of the golf is over and autumn is on its way.

Another course I love dearly as a big Shane Lowry fan, we return to Royal Portrush for the first time since 2019. This is the only course in northern Ireland to host an open (also here in 1951); the other 150 tournaments have been held in England (52) and Scotland (98).

December Newsletter Schedule

• Today: The Open, Royal Portrush, July 17-20th

• Dec 24th: Tackling the TGL

• Dec 31st: The Sentry and New Years Resolutions

• Check out our looks at the Masters, PGA Championship, and the U.S. Open

For a final time before the holidays, our man, Ron Klos, has put together an early preview of the course that will host the 153rd Open Championship:

Free to read for anyone:

Royal Portrush

In 1951, Royal Portrush first hosted the Open Championship, the oldest of golf’s major championships; it was the first Open tournament not held on the island of Great Britain. The Open returned in Portrush in 2019 where Ireland’s own Shane Lowry emerged victorious, winning his maiden title by six shots over England’s Tommy Fleetwood.

The course is full of spectacular dunes, dramatic elevation changes, and demanding holes. The course plays exactly like a traditional links track with excellent views of the coast throughout. Royal Portrush is also a very playable course. While there are a couple of blind shots, the course is mostly all in front of you. Wayward drives will be punished but not as much as some other links courses. The rough is penal and the effects of the wind can wreck a scorecard.

The fairways nestle in natural valleys between the towering sand dunes. The small greens blend perfectly into the landscape, one of Colt’s masterstrokes. The greens are mostly protected by natural grassy hummocks rather than sand bunkers

In preparation for the 2019 Open, architect Martin Ebert shifted numerous holes to make the course stronger. He added new seventh and eighth holes, fashioned from land on the club’s Valley Course to replace the weaker 17th and 18th holes. Ebert retained Harry Colt’s original greens which are considered among the best putting surfaces in the world.

There are several signature holes on both the front and back nine. The fourth hole is a long par four that measures 480 yards from the championship tees, with out-of-bounds to the right and thick rough on the left. There are several bunkers in the undulating fairway and the green is placed between two small sand hills.

The fifth hole is a relatively short downhill par four with a dogleg to the right. It has no bunkers but a heavily undulating green perched on the edge of a large drop down to the beach and has views across the White Rocks beach, and the Dunluce Castle after which the course was named.

The sixteenth hole, named Calamity Corner is a long 236-yard, uphill par three. It is played to a green over a huge ravine short and right, with mounds and hollows to the back and left of the green.

Read the whole thing. It’s free to all:

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Golf? Tonight?

For some reason, this hasn’t been publicized as much as it should be for a Tuesday night, even with nothing but the Frisco Bowl to go up against. I’m probably going to tune in a bit. If the trash-talking is anything like Bryson busted out the other day, it could be a decent watch.

News and Notes

We are NOT that far away from a real live 2025 PGA golf tournament. The Sentry tees off on January 2nd.

I don’t really know who this kid is, but I suppose I’d better pay attention.

Finally, the schedule is out for next year, and the fall will get a little lighter. Maybe something will happen between now and September, but currently, I think the fall swing may be seven events rather than the normal eight.

As always, bet responsibly, have fun, and enjoy the start of the holiday season!

Don’t forget, it’s getting early late, and this will be one of your last chances to get in on the Rebet offer. You can STILL get a full-year sub to Betsperts Golf for just $10!

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