Wicklow, Ireland

Kippure Estate DGC

3.175(based on 3 reviews)
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4 0
rhatton1
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.1 years 48 played 46 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Disc Golf in the Wicklow Mountains 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 24, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Great Baskets
- Signage is really good - I like the tips idea and will be stealing this for some of my own signs :)
- Just a stunning location
- Great use of elevation
- The uphill shots are irritatingly difficult to judge distance, in a good way. I'm going back tomorrow to try to get it right a second time round

Cons:

- Only 9 holes
- Single tees currently although more are planned
- Teeing areas are normal ground and rough
- Big branch is currently down and blocking an otherwise lovely hole in the trees on hole 6, still playable but this ruins the feel a bit on what would otherwise be a lovely hole.
- I have been eaten alive by horseflies - bring bug spray and anithistamine, these things swell up like crazy when they get you, I'm currently doing a passable impression of the elephant man.

Other Thoughts:

On a design trip elsewhere in the Emerald Isle I had the chance to play here with Ken Jarvis the designer which was a treat in itself (he's a former world record distance holder and he can still chuck a disc a decent distance!)

The drive up is gorgeous, I struggled to keep my eyes on the road. The Liffey river flows alongside you and is so so pretty.

Once you get to the Estate you're met by some beautiful mature ancient woodland and the course winding up the hill across the road.

The gate has been replaced temporarily so we had to climb over the fence to get in and do watch out for stray bits of barbed wire in the undergrowth (generally this is in places mere mortals could never dream of throwing too, but playing with Ken opens up a world of other locations!)

The sheep will be around, they do a good job keeping most of the fairways clear. Watch out for the bracken patches, it's thick in there. Try to keep a good eye on your discs especially on the three downhill bombs, 3, 5 and 9, most of the bracken patches again are in places that most mortals won't reach but if you are heading that way pick a tree in the distance to mark your spot as you'll struggle to find them.

There's a pleasant lack of nettles on the course, it is however made up for by an unpleasant amount of horseflies. I really really hate horseflies.

If you are in Ireland you must get along to play here and if you can get in contact with Ken through the Disc Golf Ireland facebook group and have an opportunity to play with him all the better.

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5 0
Beerdid1
Experience: 120 played 7 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Go Out of Your Way to Play 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a relatively open and forgiving course. The designer did their best to create a few challenging holes by incorporating trees (holes 4 & 6) and a stone wall (4). What the course lacks in technical holes, it makes up with good use of the elevations which, when coupled with wind, make this course a fun round. The gorgeous vista of the Wicklow mountains and surrounding area from Tee #5, which is located the base of typical Irish ruins at the highest point of the course, is worthy of your time. Take some pictures. Sheep on the course complete the Irish experience and if you find yourself cleaning your disc of sheep dung, get your revenge by ordering a slow roasted shank of lamb. Hole 6 makes use of a small stand of trees for the only truly technical shot, a RHBH short hyzer through mature trees. Hole 8 is sort of technical - it is really only an uphill shot with the basket hidden by some brush. Hole 5, mentioned before, is a long bomb downhill with some risk if disc loss in the heather close behind the basket. #9 too is a bit of a stretch for some arms (my noodle arm to be exact).

If your concerned about what discs to bring, take a putter, mid and control driver that you can throw into the wind, perhaps something you enjoy as a roller. If I had taken more time to play the course multiple times, I would have fun throwing a few long downhill rollers for kicks.

Cons:

As of this review, there were some downed trees on hole 6 which obstructed one's view of the wooded hole and basket.

It's only 9 holes and the owners might be encouraged to put in another 9 if tourists pay their $5 euros and give them some encouragement.

I didn't have my discs with me so I "rented" my discs for a deposit of $10 Euros per disc. Unfortunately, the selection I had was of 4 Innova discs: Star Dart, 2 Star TLs, and Star Leopard. I made do with the Dart and a TL but really this is a two-disc, maybe 3-disc challenge kind of course.

Other Thoughts:

There isn't much course maintenance that the sheep .don't take care of. You're basically playing in a working pasture, but for goodness sake your playing in Ireland which is its own reward. Navigation is assisted by arrows that are welded onto the basket showing which way to the next basket. I'd never seen these before on Innova Discatcher Pros but i like them. Some were pointed in the wrong direction because the screw locking in the main basket post to the sleeve was either not tight or never put in. The score card has a very rudimentry map that works just fine once your understand that the course isn't on the main property. You do need to go onto the property to pay your $5 euro fee and obtain a score card, but to get to the course, you must cross the street road, turn left out of the main entrance road and walk about 150-200 feet across the bridge. Find the course to your right uphill and through a rough wooden gate.

Please give the owners positive feedback. Disc Golf isn't very popular in Ireland but it could be. This is a great course to grow the sport by taking a local out to play a round. Show your appreciation and donate a disc. They need some for visitors.
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5 1
R_C_Q
Experience: 3 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 16, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good use of elevation
Terrain used well
Beautiful setting

Cons:

5 Euro charge
Only 9 holes

Other Thoughts:

Course starts out open in field and works its way into some wooded areas. Most holes incorporate some elevation change both uphill and down. The shorter holes are often severely uphill making them play much longer. The pasture where the course is built has sheep roaming throughout so watch out for feces. Overall a really fun experience much better than the only other course I played in Ireland which was Eile mental activity park.
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