The opening hole at Old Conna is a medium length par 4. A tee shot to the left of the fairway bunker opens up an approach to a green that slopes from front to back and right to left.

The correct yardage on approach is essential to avoid the 3 greenside bunkers. Anything long of the green leaves a very tricky pitch. A par here is never a bad start!

Old Conna’s longest par 3 comprises of 236 yards with a steep downhill gradient from tee to green.

There are a couple of ways to attack this well bunkered putting surface. The bigger hitter can try to carry the ball all the way while a ball struck short of the right bunker will generally feed onto the green.

A short par 3 that plays steeply uphill and thus plays longer than its yardage.

The holes protection here is the green. The green is divided into two halves left and right by a raised section in the middle and is long from left to right but is shallow from back to front. The right hand side of the green is protected by a false front so anything landing short with spin will come back off the green to the bottom of the slope. There is a backstop on this side that can be used to avoid this. The left half of the green is protected in front by a deep bunker and at the back by the rough that slopes back towards the green. An accurate shot is required here to secure a par.

Old Conna’s first par 5 offers a realistic birdie chance to a longer hitter but it takes 2 good hits to get home to a narrow target.

Hit your tee shot up the left hand side as the fairway kicks right towards the bunkers. A layup short of the trees and the fairway bunker on the left leaves a short iron to the green while those trying their luck need to hit their second up the left hand side of the green. Anything lost right runs the risk of trouble in the cluster of trees or the bunker protecting the right hand side of the green.

The second of back to back par 5’s this monster is a true test of any golfer

Threading the ball through the fairway bunkers is essential to playing this hole well. Longer hitters can make the carry and the right side of the fairway offers the most beneficial landing area. A second shot inside the big tree on the right leaves an approach to a two tier green protected by hazards at the front and left as well as a bunker that collects anything bouncing just short of the green. Missing the green left also brings a ditch into play which is OB and is only 15 yards left of the green.

Requires an accurate tee shot between the ditch on the left hand side which is OB and a large tree on the right. There is also a pond on the left hand side, a penalty area, which long drivers need to be aware of. The hole is a sharp dogleg right to left and the green is protected by three greenside bunkers and slopes to the see more than is immediately obvious.

Anything hitting the fairway feeds right following the slope. Take an extra club on your approach as anything short ends up in the cavernous bunker that protects the green. Beware of this green as it slopes to the sea far more than it looks.

A dogleg left, the seventh requires a tee shot of 210 to 240 yards down the centre of the fairway.

A longer hitter can cut off the corner with a high draw at the V in the trees. An uphill approach to a deceptively big green generally requires an extra club. The green slopes from back to front and from left to right and is protected by two bunkers left and right.

Old Conna's shortest hole the 8th can be both rewarding and destructive.

Pay attention to your distance control as anything long, left or right kicks severely away and leaves little chance of par. A shot to the middle of the green never leaves a long birdie putt. Before leaving the green, stop and take in a great view of Dalkey Island and the coastline below you.

The front 9 concludes with a short but tricky par 4.

A long iron or fairway wood straight at the Sugarloaf mountain in front of you leaves a short iron to a green guarded by a pair of bunkers. Big hitters can have a go at this green but beware, anything right catches the trees and can result in a scramble for par instead of an easy birdie!

Kindly sponsored by Scope Technology (Declan Murphy). Measuring 346 from the medal tee the tenth offers a realistic birdie chance.

Off the tee attention must be paid to the bunker on the left. The ideal tee shot should land in the left side of the fairway where it will follow the slope right. The generous putting surface is guarded by bunkers on either side and anything landing short will find its way to the one on the right. The green runs deceptively quickly from left to right.

An interesting hole the 11th doglegs to the right around one of Old Conna's most mature trees.

Beware not to cut the corner too tightly as its easy to get blocked out for your approach. The uphill second requires at least one extra club to a two tier green that is deceptively long. Putting from past the flag is lightening fast so keeping the ball below the hole is advisable.

The middle of the green on this downhill par 3 is never a bad option.

Accuracy is the key here as anything missing the green makes for a tricky par save. Beware of the subtle slope from front to back on this green.

A picturesque and challenging par 5, the thirteenth requires a well struck drive down the right side of the fairway.

Longer hitters may run down to the flat area making the hole accessible in 2. The more conservative should lay up to the top of the slope that leads to the green. A large target, the 13th green slopes considerably from back to front and right to left so staying short of the pin is advisable.

Old Conna's signature hole is better played with finesse rather than power.

Your choice is to either play a long iron or fairway wood to the right side of the fairway or try to make the carry over the stream at 245 yards. Â Correct club selection on approach is vital as the green is well guarded by water and sand. Shorter hitters should consider a lay up approach short right of the green.

At 470 yards from the medal tees power is key on 15.

Favour the left side off the tee to maximise run out. Your approach shot will feed on to the green from left to right but anything pulled will find the well placed bunker adjacent to the green. For those laying up try to avoid the grass trench that guards the front of the green.

The second of two strong par 4s 16 requires a drive up the right side.

Your blind approach shot will feed down from the right hand side to a generous target. Be aware of the slope on the fairway and alter your set up to avoid pulling the ball to the left.

The penultimate hole measures just 155 yards from the medal tee but the uphill carry means it plays longer.

A treacherous green that runs very quickly from front to back means an approach short of the pin is the ideal play.

A make or break finishing hole this short par 5 offers a realistic birdie chance but any shot hit erratically is punished severely.

Hit your tee shot towards the left side of the fairway. Those choosing to go for the green in 2 must thread the ball between the greenside bunkers and the rough on the left hand side. If laying up make sure to avoid the large trees to the right of the fairway as a shot coming to rest near them generally makes the green inaccessible.