Photograph courtesy of Old Head Golf Links
While a trip to Scotland is certainly high on every avid golfer’s lifelong things-to-do list, a number of golfers are now placing Ireland on their must-play list as well. What golfers find in the land of St. Patrick rivals, and in some cases surpasses, courses found in Scotland. Bob Phillips, president of GolfAway International (golfawaypremier.com), has provided customized tour services to many St. Louisans traveling to Scotland and Ireland. It’s his belief that while the history may be in Scotland, the best golf is found in Ireland.
A brief primer for American players: If you’re expecting to find well-manicured fairways and groomed rough, you might as well stay home. The rough at Irish courses starts ankle-deep and quickly rises up to the knees. With so many courses laid out along the sea, the wind, salt mist, and ocean views are ever-present. Mounding surrounds most Irish fairways, as what wasn’t created by nature was placed there by today’s designers to provide the same look and feel as the earliest courses. Deep bunkers complement the fairway humps and thick rough, making for a severe test of shot accuracy.
Depending on how much time you have—one or two weeks—golf-travel planners recommend different paths through the Irish countryside. If you have only a week, you can visit courses in either the northern section or the southern section of the country, but sadly, you can’t do both. If you have a fortnight, then your options are much more open.
Your journey will begin upon your arrival in Dublin. If you decide to play courses in the northern portion of the country, you will be venturing to some of Ireland’s—and the world’s—best. Your first round would be near Dublin, where you have a choice of the 27 holes at the K Club or Portmarnock Golf Club, both outstanding layouts. The K Club was host to the 2006 Ryder Cup, while the fair but challenging Portmarnock—open since 1894—has held the British Amateur.
Heading north, your destination should be Royal County Down in Newcastle, which has hosted the British Senior Open Championship three times and the British Amateur twice. The 18-hole course is incredibly scenic—see for yourself why the brow at the ninth hole is one of the most photographed holes in golf. The next day you continue northward to the tip of the island as you head to Royal Portrush. The only Irish club to host the British Open, Portrush is a classic links layout and one of the most demanding courses in Europe.
Staying north, you have your choice of Rosapenna, Ballyliffin, or Castlerock for your rounds in the days that follow. The first of the three, Rosapenna, was laid out in 1891, and two more courses—most recently Sandy Hills—have opened on-site since then, both to rave reviews. A bit farther southwest, bordering the Atlantic Ocean on the shores of Donegal Bay, is County Sligo Golf Club, which hosts the West of Ireland Championship each Easter. From there you’ll head across the country toward Dublin and your return home.
If you decide to play the southern courses, your choices are just as impressive. After a round near Dublin, players head cross-country toward Galway Bay to Lahinch Golf Club. Located in County Clare, Lahinch is another classic links course, often called “the St. Andrew’s of Ireland.” Following the round, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep, for the next day you will experience one of the world’s great courses, the Old Course at Ballybunion, founded in 1893. As you walk the often windy, practically treeless Old Course—no carts are allowed—you will understand why Tom Watson called it “a true test of golf.”
Two additional southern courses worth calling out are Doonbeg—a five-star resort with a spectacular Greg Norman–designed links course located on a 1 1/2–mile stretch of the Atlantic Ocean—and the relatively new Old Head Golf Links, on the southern tip at Kinsale. The Ron Kirby–designed course is set on a rocky outcropping that provides almost 360-degree views of the St. George’s Channel and the Celtic Sea. Many players have organized their golf trip so that they return from the nearby Shannon airport, so the drive to Dublin is not needed. Of course, you can always cancel the return flight altogether, drive back to the northern courses, and start the journey all over again.
Read more about all of these courses—and view photographs and videos—at their respective websites: kclub.com/golf; portmarnockgolfclub.ie; royalcountydown.org; royalportrushgolfclub.com; rosapenna.ie/golf.php; ballyliffingolfclub.com; castlerockgc.co.uk; countysligogolfclub.ie; lahinchgolf.com; ballybuniongolfclub.ie; doonbeggolfclub.com; oldhead.com.
Travel Tips
- Bring several copies of a current handicap letter from your home course.
- Caddies or motorized buggies (carts) are generally available, but they should be reserved well in advance.
- Consider travel insurance—anything can happen.
- Driving the narrow Irish roads—on the left side—can be as demanding as playing the courses, so consider contracting out your transportation.
