Saint Patrick’s Day Golf Guide

March 17, 2014

Saint Patrick’s Day may be famous in the States for green beer and corned beef, but of all the things the Emerald Isle is known for, we prefer its great golf.

In honor of Ireland and its most famous holiday, here are some great Irish courses to include on your dream golf bucket list.

Lahinch Golf Club (Clare, Ireland) – English designer Martin Hawtree put his own spin on this course, originally designed by Old Tom Morris in 1894. He gave the greens more size and slope while adding bunkers and reshaping fairways.

This course occupies a corner of magnificent duneland with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a river estuary on another. The finished Martin Hawtree course, AKA “restored MacKenzie course” at Lahinch has received world-wide acclaim and is now often ranked among the world’s greatest links courses.

 

Tralee (Kerry, Ireland) – Designed and built by Arnold Palmer, Tralee is widely hailed as one of the finest links courses in the world. Palmer would later go on record with this memorable quote about the course: “I may have designed the first nine, but surely God designed the back nine.” With a clear view of the briny, blue Atlantic from every hole, Tralee has become one of Southwest Ireland’s finest golfing jewels.

 

Doonbeg Golf Club (Clare, Ireland) – After opening in 2002, Doonbeg Golf Club was immediately designated as Golf Digest’s “Best New International Course,” and later won the European Golf Resort Of The Year designation in 2010 by the IAGTO.

Designed by two-time British Open champion Greg Norman, this par-72 layout features a single loop of nine holes out and nine back, playing 6,885 yards from the tips. The speed and direction of the wind causes consistent variation in play, so to allow for a range of conditions and abilities, most holes feature five or more tee locations. The most natural routing within the existing dunes resulted in an uncommon, unforgettable combination of five par 3s and five par 5s with gorgeous views of the Atlantic from 16 holes.

 

County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point (Sligo, Ireland) – More than 100 years old, the picturesque and challenging County Sligo links course is regarded by many as one of Ireland’s greatest courses. One of the most popular golf destinations in Ireland, County Sligo features the 18-hole championship links and the 9-hole Bomore course.

 

Enniscrone Golf Club (Enniscrone, Ireland) – Situated beside the picturesque seaside town of Enniscrone, this course gives golfers panoramic views of Killala Bay, Bartra Island and sandy beaches, all set on the backdrop of one of Ireland’s highest peaks – Nephin – and the Ox Mountains.

Founded in 1918, redesigned by Eddie Hackett in 1974, then again by Donald Steel in 2001, this Irish championship course is one of the Emerald Isle’s finest authentic golf links. Apart from the championship links known as The Dunes, there is also the 9-hole Scurmore course.