Mount Irvine Golf Course Don't waste your money!

[JGCooke]

I have just returned from an excellent holiday in Tobago. Unfortunately I agreed to play golf at Mount Irvine. It is a tragedy that the Owners have allowed what could be a fantatic course to fall into such disrepair. The reception is untidy, the buggies unserviced and unreliable, the greens are infested with a weed which prevents any real skill on the greens, the bunkers are mostly filled with long weed and contain little sand and the fairways are more like rough although placing is permitted. I also think there is a real danger of being hit by a falling coconut !
Tobago Plantations is not the course Mount Irvine could be but at least the course is manicured and you can have a proper round of golf.

[Bren Tierney]

For what it's worth, the PGA course at the Tobago Hilton looked to be in mustard order when we stayed there a couple of years ago: busy, buggies looked clean and well serviced, no problem getting a caddy and the course itself looked to be, well, of PGA standard!

I'm not a golfer myself, indeed I'm with Mark Twain: "It's a good walk, ruined...", but each to their own. Hope this helps.

Bren.

[Katie]

yes the golf course at the hilton looks lovely. even though the firthest i've got to playing golf is a hittin a couple of golf balls in the driving range

[Scott Waite]

I played the Mount Irvine course last week (May 2004) and it was good condition. They are in the process of refilling the bunkers with sand but apart from that everything was fine.

[J. Tomasulo]

Coming from a Professional Golfer, Mt. Irvine golf course is a tragedy. It was once considered one of the best courses in the world.

I do agree with jgcooke on what he said. The greens were probably the worst I've ever seen.

I will say one thing. If you are a golfer, I do recommend playing this course at least once. This is a course that the best players in world at that time played. We're talking Snead, Palmer, Jack etc...

I do think the course layout is amazing and it was worth the day I spent there.

The first hole is a 460yd down hill off the tee to an uphill approach. Tough as nails.

Goodl luck

[Paul J Corney]

Good to see our resident My Tobago Golf Professional is still posting - lets hope he keeps us abreast with his progress on the Canadian tour.

I totally concur with the comments ref the greens - my experience - it was a throwback to those old "Shell wonderful world of golf" programmes where to hole a long put you had to take a full swing! As our own courses benefit from improved agronomy and equipment so we expect those courses we venture to afar to do the same - unfortunately as yet the work that was being started last year at Mt Irvine does not seem to have borne fruit.

As I said in a review http://www.mytobago.info/golf03.php on the main website, "Serious golfers wishing to devote a week (or two) exclusively to the pursuit of 18 or 36 holes a day will feel constricted by the lack of an alternative venue to the Plantations."

So the likely players at Mt Irvine will be couples and friendly fourballs who want to enjoy the company and the stunning views and layout.

Go with limited aspirations and you won't be dissapointed!

[David Bloomfield]

Has anyone played or heard anything on the Mount Irvine golf course since the last post by Paul in March?

I am staying in Mount Irvine for 2 weeks in August and am taking my clubs. It's a bit closer to my price range than the Plantations course!

[Steve Wooler]

Hi David

Without question of doubt, Mt Irvine is a shadow of the wonderful course it once was and the owner should be ashamed of himself for such neglect.

Having said that, when I was over in February, the course was looking better than I have seen in 10-15 years. A wet winter has done wonders and everywhere was lush green. They were laying new white river sand in the bunkers and the it gave me hope for the course. I spoke to several people who played there and they all enjoyed it.

It has been a very, very wet winter so that promises well for you when you go in August. Whilst we can all go on for ages about the condition of the course compared to what it once was, or in comparison to the Tobago Plantations course, the truth is that all evidence is that Mt Irvine plays well and most golfers will enjoy it.

[David Bloomfield]

Thanks Steve,

I think i might spoil myself (well, i am on holiday) and try the Plantations course too.

I normally pay around £25 for a round in Surrey. $80 is about twice that so i'm expecting good things.

I just hope Tobago has rained itself out. Is it right that August is the beginning of the rainy season

[Sharon E]

Having just returned (sadly) from Tobago I went back to look at the Mount Irvine where we used to stay in the late 70's. We stopped staying there in late 80's due to the fact it was getting very tired and rundown . However what a suprise new refurbishment have been done and are still being done and the old Manager Carlos Dillon has been reappointed to bring the hotel back to what it used to be, so as they say watch this space if he returns the hotel to the standard of the late 70's I will certainly be going back to stay there it has always been my favorite hotel on the island. The golf course is being worked on but like so many things it will take time to return it to its formal glory.