XXXX Strandhill
136
Co . Sligo
An old and timeless links which sits out at the end of Point , commanding sensational views over Drumcliff and Sligo bays , distant mountains and , most dominant of all , Benbulbin – the flat-topped mountain creates a daunting backdrop to the 9th and 10th holes . And if the seting is majestic , then so too is the golf course . Laid out over a dunescape of contrasting rhythms , this is where the acclaimed Harry Colt created 18 intriguingly individual holes . Indeed , there are almost three courses in one , such are the changing landscapes : in places it is flat , in others it is bumpy and unpredictable and in still more it is steep , even mountainous . But they all combine beautifully and it is all on show from the tee . And then there are the perfect greens and four tantalising par threes . Today , the club is implementing a facelift to raise the course ’ s profile and allure . Some greens are being extended , and new tee boxes and bunkers added . There is a third nine here , too .
Laid out over a dunescape of contrasting rhythms , this is where the acclaimed Harry Colt created 18 intriguingly individual holes .
Strandhill
The sea squeezes this stunning links on two sides . Surfers ride the waves to the west , while horseback riders favour the south . You ’ ll see them from a course that hugs the water but also rises up in the centre , sending holes scattering down the bumpy slopes to some severely undulating , natural greens . There ’ s no magic design formula ( the members did most of it ), which works in Strandhill ’ s favour because holes like the 5th , 13th and 15th are off the charts . The smart clubhouse sits at the top , too , showing off much of the course . Appreciate it for what it is … an absolute gem .
Connemara
Eddie Hackett ’ s name sits in the design column of many Irish golf courses and the links at Connemara is yet one more . The course also boasts a fascinating evolution thanks to a local priest . There are 27 holes here , tucked away in the remotest spot south of Clifden . The drive across the barren beauty of Connemara , however , is just one of the joys of playing here . The course matches that barren beauty , its holes wrapped around an impressive clubhouse which sits up high and allows visitors to take in so much of the course . Flags flutter in every direction , towards the Twelve Bens , beneath rocky hillocks and in front of raw seascapes . The fairways – like the views – are generous , which they need to be when the wind whips in over the often exposed course .