Tralee
Tralee
The links at Tralee is home to some of the best holes in Ireland,
as well as some of the most dazzling scenery. From the high
clubhouse most of the 18 holes are on show and they will take your
breath away. Beyond the edges of the course, the dunes, beaches,
mountains and seascapes led Golf Channel to nominate Tralee
as a top ten ‘Best Ocean Courses’ in the world. (The list includes
Ballybunion and Old Head.) This is a golf experience you will be
unlikely to forget. Tralee was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed
Seay, despite Palmer’s protestations that “surely God designed the
back nine.” Certainly the perfect landscape of towering, twisting
dunes and deep hollows left little for the designers to do. The green
settings couldn’t be more perfect… but they are steep and swaying
so expect approach shots to slip away. The par five 2nd doglegs
sharply above and around the beach and pro ves to be the favourite
of many, but the run from 12 to 17 is one unbelievable hole after
another.
This is a golf
experience you will be
unlikely to forget
Trump Doonbeg
The Doonbeg resort was taken over by Donald Trump in 2014.
Among the many changes being implemented, the Greg Norman
designed course is receiving its first upgrade. Martin Hawtree has
been overseeing the changes which will be completed in 2016
(hence the Gold status). Norman spent a lot of time walking the
landscape and even though he was restricted in what he could
do (the rare snails on the biggest dunes had to be protected),
Doonbeg shows flashes of genius. He let the natural terrain of big,
chaotic dunes shape the holes, resulting in some stunning shots and
remarkable green settings… the 1st, 6th and 15th come to mind. Sadly,
the acclaimed par three 14th was lost to the storms of 2014.
Holes weave in a vague figure of eight in and out of the dunes,
brushing up to Doughmore Bay on several occasions. The 9th green
is at the farthest end of the beach, with a glorious view back to the
five star resort. One fascinating titbit: the land here was originally
looked at for Lahinch Golf Club, in the 1890s.
Doonbeg shows
flashes of genius
93