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The Island
| For close to one hundred years the only way to get to The Island was by row boat. And for the first half-century you needed an invitation. Originally the private preserve of a clutch of well-to-do Dublin bachelors, The Island almost went bankrupt in the 1950s, and has only reasserted itself as one of Ireland's premier courses in the last five years. But if you think The Island's history is topsy-turvy -- wait until you play the links. It's an up-and-down journey over some of the world's most rambunctious linksland. Raw and stirring, The Island would not be out of place on Ireland's wild west coast, and there are a number of singular golf holes that burn into the memory. |
Portmarnockphone: (01) 846-2968; fax: (01) 846-2601; e-mail: secretary@portmarnockgolfclub.ie | Only ten miles north of Dublin, Portmarnock is a world classic. Understated and enchanting, ever changing in the most natural of ways, yet full of energy, intelligence and beauty, Portmarnock is like a great piece of classical music -- its genius seems to come from within. There is no reason to expect that such a course should evolve here -- there are more interesting stretches of linksland, and there has been no famous architect to guide things. Yet the value of Portmarnock, like St. Andrews, seems only to grow over time. |
County Louth (Baltray)
| Although deeply respected in Ireland, the superb links beside the village of Baltray, an hour's drive north of Dublin, is little known elsewhere. Masterfully overhauled by architect Tom Simpson before the Second World War, Baltray (as the course is better known) demands accurate driving and an inspired short game. It may be the most intelligently bunkered course in Ireland, and each slick and undulating green presents a unique challenge. There is no breathtaking seaside scenery at Baltray. You will find few of the giant dunes and elevated tees so common on Irish links. But there is one entirely absorbing hole after another. Add one of the country's most commodious and friendly clubhouses (it doubles as a bed and breakfast) and you have one of Ireland's most satisfying golf experiences. |
Laytown and Bettystown
| Bettystown is a traditional course lying between the coastal road and the sea that may be overlooked in the rush north to Baltray and County Down, but is well worth a stop to any connoisseur of links golf. The course rambles along some very good duneland for the first six holes, before taking a turn slightly inland at the unique par 4 seventh, where the drive from a lovely elevated tee must be hit over or around a large tree in the middle of the fairway - a very unique element for a links. But Bettystown is not without its quirks, and ends on a suitably intriguing note with a completely blind approach to the green at the par-5 eighteenth, which is tucked alarmingly close to the unpretentious but welcoming clubhouse. The connection to and admiration for the Irish pro Des Smyth is palpable in the clubhouse, where there are many pictures of the accomplishments of the local legend. |
Rosslare
| It is hard not to warm to the village of Rosslare, with its loveable and affordable links golf, and very Irish holiday atmosphere. The combination of a microclimate just a bit sunnier than the rest of Ireland, wide sandy beaches and pure linksland has proved irresistible to generations of families from both Ireland and the United Kingdom (the ferry from Fishguard, Wales, lands only seven miles away). There’s no getting around the fact that Rosslare is a bit out of the way to fit into the itinerary of the nomadic golfing tourist, but a visit will be amply rewarded. |
St Anne’s
| Royal Dublin isn’t the only golf course on Bull Island, that miraculous bit of natural golfing terrain created by accident in Dublin Harbour in the nineteenth century. St. Anne’s Golf Club -- extended to eighteen holes and recently upgraded -- may not have the airs and connections of Royal Dublin, but the links golf is almost as good, the setting unique, and the indomitable spirit of its membership is worth celebrating. |
Royal Dublin
| One of the oldest and most historic clubs in Ireland, and indeed the world, Royal Dublin is a subtle and intelligent links on an island that appeared magically in Dublin harbor in the nineteenth century. The island is also a bird sanctuary, and there is an unlikely sense of seclusion on this traditional and relatively flat golfing ground that today lies in the shadow of factory chimneys, only fifteen minutes from the heart of the capital. This used to be the most exclusive club in Ireland, but the staff and members at Royal Dublin are genuinely happy to see you. |
The European Club
| A fascinating links south of Dublin that was conceived, designed and
developed by Irish golf writer and impresario Pat Ruddy, the European Club is a successful labor
of love that makes wonderful use of one of Ireland's last stretches of muscular linksland. Already a familiar presence on lists of the world’s top golf courses, it is one of Ireland's most challenging and satisfying links, with a
host of classic doglegs through tall dunes, grand views from elevated tees, and a trio of exciting
holes that hug the ocean. And for the most part, Ruddy has kept well within the boundaries of the
Irish golf tradition. This is a modern course, but an intensely Irish one.
See pictures of the European Club here |