Narin & Portnoo
Stand on the 9th tee and prepare to experience the beauty of Narin
& Portnoo… and the Atlantic Ocean. No other tee box in Ireland
comes this close to the sea. They are inches apart and when you
play the enchanting, short and downhill par four 8th hole there
appears to be no room behind the green for the next tee box… but
it is there. The 10th promises something similar. Fresh and inspiring,
raw and beautiful, this is the essence of Irish links golf. The entire
stretch of holes at the farthest end of the course, from the 6th to
the 11th, is astounding, with fairway shapes and thrills so natural, so
unbelievable that it qualifies as the best stretch of holes in Ireland.
And there’s some fierce competition for that title. This remote
outpost of links brilliance ripples with life and intrigue… and jumped
from a par 69 to par 73 in one fell swoop in the early 2000s. Now
there are three back-to-back par fives routed around the ridge of
dunes at the heart of the course.
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