Shannon
Clonmel
Set in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains, high above the
town, Clonmel is a hillside parkland that embraces its natural
charms… just as so many Eddie Hackett courses do. Woods are
everywhere and border much of the course, revealing a mountainscape at one end and views over the River Suir valley at the other.
In between are some bumpy fairways, slippery greens and strong
changes in elevation. The par three 14th is an exceptional par three,
hitting into the heart of a mountain from a high tee, while the 13th is
Index 1, with a sharply sloping right-to-left fairway. Expect plenty of
entertaining shot-making.
Shannon
Tucked away behind the airport, this lovely club is a parkland
of dark corridors, unforgiving trees and a sweet dose of the
Shannon Estuary at the farthest point. The course flows so
easily over the level terrain and it is the subtle doglegs and
the trees which will test your nerve. Brawn is not always the
answer here. The par threes are all strong, especially the long
17th beside the estuary. It is the only hole where trees can’t
ruin your card… that’s left to the estuary, which you must
cross.
102
Roscrea
Sitting close to the M7, Roscrea is an old parkland (1892) with
towering trees and a rugged landscape that throws some
interesting shapes in your path. New holes were added in 1991,
but even these fit into the rhythm of what already exists. It is
not long and everything is on show (greens are usually visible) so
your driver should be flashing all day. The par five 5th, streaking
between forest and a line of Beech trees, is known as ‘Burma
Road’ and is the hole of the round. Nice clubhouse and one of
the best bars you’ll find.
Castletroy
This is a quality suburban parkland on the outskirts of Limerick
city. It may not have acres of space, but it uses smart design and
routing to provide an invigorating test of golf. And, at 6,000
metres, it is longer than you might expect. The 2006 renovations
have proved a big success with new bunkering, water features
and sparkling new greens elevating the course’s reputation and
challenges considerably. Today’s course slides comfortably back
and forth between the trees, with some high tee box settings
offering terrific tee shots – particularly on the back nine.