The Official Ireland Golf Guide 2010

Lo
n
do
nd
er
ry Antrim
NORTH
Tyrone
Fe
rmanag gh
h
Down

Arma
With such world renowned courses
as Royal Portrush and Royal County
Down, a visit to Northern Ireland is
Mountains
a must for any golf fan. Add in the
names of Ardglass, Ballyclare and
Lough Erne and its clear, golﬁ ng here
is very special.
T
here is a reason why the north
of Ireland has such a good
reputation for creating great
golf courses and great golfers.
Here you can ﬁ nd more than one hundred clubs
each with its own special character which pleases
and tests the expert and amateur alike.
There is something about the countryside and
coastline of the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down,
Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone which offer
something exceptional for the golf enthusiast. Playing
in Northern Ireland is an experience like no other.
There’s an edge of the world feeling; big brooding
mountains; windswept dunes and beaches, and the
sense that there is nothing between you, Iceland and
North America but thousands of miles of Atlantic
surf. For players this means that bracing wind can
turn from ally to adversary in a second, and those
immense sand dunes can hide all manner of pitfalls
or offer positive possibilities.
No wonder then that Northern Ireland’s courses
are so well regarded and held in such high esteem
across the world. And many of the courses on offer
are links. Two of the ﬁ nest, Royal County Down
and Royal Portrush, regularly feature in top 20 golf
rankings across the world, and have hosted many
elite international events. But a newcomer to the
scene is the Sir Nick Faldo designed Lough Erne –
an exciting parkland challenge with fourteen holes
where the waters of the Loughs come into play,
including a green surrounded on three sides by water,
making it a course that will excite the best players.
Here you can indulge your dreams and try your
hand at the challenges that have tested the very best
golfers in the world. That said, every one of our links
courses has plenty to tax the talents of even the
most adept player. The aforementioned Portstewart
and the lesser known Castlerock are already tricky
enough without the added distraction of phenomenal
views. How can you keep your eye on the ball when
the vistas are so compelling?
Play any of these courses and you’ll soon discover
why Northern Ireland has produced so many world
class golfers including the late, great Fred Daly,
Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy.
The pleasures and rigours of links golf are no secret,
so why not give it a go? Links play in Northern Ireland
is the closest to an extreme sport golf can get.
Lakeside view: Lough Erne Golf Club
PG98-109 north Section.indd 99 12/17/09 3:34:29 PM
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