Golfing in Ireland
The selection of golf in Ireland is beyond compare: on Captain William Bligh of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ fame,
this island – encompassing the Republic of Ireland and who created a breakwater in the early 1800s to provide
Northern Ireland – you will find 30 per cent of the world’s shipping with a safe and deep approach to the River
seaside links courses, along with parkland courses built Liffey. The resultant stilt formed into an island which is
within city limits and on old country estates, on mountains now a designated world nature reserve but also home to
and by lakesides and along meandering rivers. two links courses, Royal Dublin and St Annes.
No matter where you wander, you will follow in the Many of Ireland’s famed links courses readily roll of
footsteps of the game’s greatest players. On the Old the tongue: Royal County Down; Royal Portrush;
Course at Pormarnock in north county Dublin – barely Ballybunion; Waterville; Lahinch and Portmarnock. But
more than a ten minute road trip from Dublin Airport – there are other gems, among them Carne Links near the
you will find a famed links where Arnold Palmer and Sam town of Belmullet in Co. Mayo, Connemara Links in Co.
Snead captured the Canada Cup (since renamed the Galway, Rosses Point in Co. Sligo, Ballyliffin, Donegal,
World Cup), and where – in their time – such superstars Portsalon and Rossapena in Co. Donegal, Castlerock and
as Seve Ballesteros, José Maria Olazábal, Bernhard Portstewart on the Causeway Coast, Rosslare in Co.
Langer and Ben Crenshaw all won Irish Open Wexford and, along the south-western shores, Dooks and
championships. Tralee – where many of the scenes for the movie Ryan’s
And, nearby, at The Royal Dublin Golf Club – home of Daughter were shot – in Co. Kerry.
Ireland’s favourite golfing son, Christy O’Connor Senior, Of more recent vintage are the links at The European
or simply “Himself” to those in the know – another Club in Brittas Bay in Co. Wicklow on Ireland’s eastern
spectacular links course can be found on Bull Island. shore and the Doonbeg in Co. Clare. In the weeks
Royal Dublin’s famed links owes its existence to immediately prior to his back-to-back wins in the British
«
This is a land like no other,
with history part and parcel of
every step you take.
»
Above: you can taste the salt spray
on this hole at Doonbeg Golf Club.
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PG 6-10 Good Value Golf.indd 8 12/14/09 6:40:39 PM
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