Fintona Golf Club

Our friends John Flannagan and Don McConnell invited us to join their society outing to Fintona last Thursday and we thought it would be a good opportunity to tick off another course (and be in with a chance of a visitor’s prize!).

Weather-wise we got very lucky. The forecast was doom and gloom and whilst it was cloudy and the rain threatened, it never materialised. It even brightened up quite a bit towards the end and everyone finished in lovely sunshine.

Fintona is a 9 hole parkland course in Co. Tyrone and according to the Captains board in the clubhouse it has been around for a long time – since somewhere around the late 1890s – and I think this makes it one of the oldest, if not THE oldest, courses we’ve played.

We were first out with Don and Alastair Hamilton and we streaked ahead of the field (which admittedly comprised of a number of older gentlemen).

What Fintona has going for it is its setting. The scenery and layout of the course were excellent – some of the tee box positions for the second nine really did add an extra depth to the course, giving you a totally different view and angle on things. For a short course it has plenty of variety: the river comes into play at the 1st, 4th and 9th greens so you need to be sure of your distances as there isn’t much room for error; the view down the 9th fairway to the green and clubhouse is as nice as any; a par 5 first time round becomes a par 4 the second time.

Sadly, the condition of the course was disappointing (but by no means horrendous). The fairways were pretty shaggy, the greens were hairy and slow and the course looked a little bit neglected here and there. If they could tighten these bits up it would be a top class little course.

Thomas says:
I enjoyed playing this course – and that’s not because I won the society’s visitors prize! I played quite well (think I had 34 points, 89 shots) and there’s plenty of room to have a go with most of your drives. I particularly liked the position of the 12th tee box – it’s down near the river (which runs the length of the hole down the left side) and there’s a pretty narrow exit between trees. Needless to say I left my drive about 20 yard short of the green (it’s a short hole). It’s reminiscent of Bright Castle’s 12th tee box (though that hole is considerably longer).

I would have preferred the grass on both the fairways and the greens to be a lot shorter, but apart from that it was a fine little course.

Clive says
We have been aiming to play Fintona for some time and it was good to get there at last. It’s 80 miles from the house but quite easy to get to off the M1 motorway. Thomas and I were the guests of the Carryduff Parish church golf society invited by John and Don.

I agree with Thomas’ comments on the course. Its main attraction are those holed where you have to lay up and be careful or a little bit mad and have a go. I’ll remember this course for the long chip over the river at the 10th which Thomas sank for a birdie. It’s always great to see one of these shots go in – but better if it’s your shot! The 4th (and 11th) is a long par 3 over the river and into a narrow entrance – as good a par three as we have played. The finishing hole is lovely – I played it well the first time and not so well the next time round.

The people at Fintona are great and the food is fine – so try out this 9 hole course on your way perhaps up to Donegal or the north west. Marks out of ten for me – say 7 or 7 and a half.