Favourite Hole : If you can , play the 1st from the high , back tee . It ’ s a delicious opening tee shot on a straight par four , heading directly out to sea .
What ' s in the Bag ? This is low-running links golf where plenty of dips and hollows ... and bunkers … may lie out of sight . It ’ s not a long course so play for what you can see .
Arklow
A links dating back to 1927 , Arklow is a course rarely mentioned among Ireland ’ s great links arsenal . And yet it has all the traits you could ask for , with bumpy mischievous fairways , perfect lilting greens and some spectacularly aggressive bunkering – especially in the middle of the course : the par three 9th and 11th will leave you reeling . The clubhouse sits above it all and from the car park you get great views of the course and out to sea , offering an appetiser of what is to come . Arklow is a low-running links where bump-and-run is nearly always an option – and often the best strategy – but you need to be cunning to play this par 69 well . The par four 2nd , and the par four 6th which crosses it ( so beware ), are perfect examples where , despite generous fairways , intelligence off the tee is the only route to par . Yes , there are some parkland traits in the middle of the back nine as the course moves inland , but the par five 18th is a links beauty to bring you home . It is a serious test all the way to the green – look out for the huge hidden bunker in the middle of the fairway .
www . arklowgolflinks . com
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