Ardglass Golf Club.
The Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin
heads into the tallest dunes.
Aerial shot of the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush
(Pic: Royal Portrush).
Some courses are timeless classics laid out by legendary
designers such as Old Tom Morris where golf has been played
since the late1800s, whilst others are relatively recent creations
that still look as though they have been part of the landscape
since then. Finding your way to these links is all part of the
experience - driving through wild landscapes of brooding
mountains and eerie peat moors, past boulder-strewn rivers and
ancient castles perched on windswept headlands. The roads,
sometimes twisting and narrow, can take longer than expected
to navigate. You may make a few wrong turns along the way or
get stuck behind a tractor, but it’s time well spent in anticipation.
Adding to the golfing experience are the locals you meet at
the courses, who have a tremendous gift of making you feel
welcome. And let’s not forget the wonderful clubhouse bars
to enjoy some hearty soup and sandwiches, or sink a pint of
Guinness while discussing the day’s round. What follows is a trip
around the coast of the Emerald Isle (starting from Dublin and
heading north) to visit ten top links...
Ardglass Golf Club - County Down. This spectacular old-style
links and clifftop gem hugs a rugged headland on the County
Down coastline, offering sea views from every hole. The course
begins with a bang where a line of cannons point the way to the
green of the par-4 1st followed by the daunting par-3 2nd, both
requiring a carry across the coastline or cliff tops of the Irish Sea.
Holes 11 and 12 (the Amen corner of Ardglass) are particularly
8
The Old Links at Ballyliffin.
exciting, set across from Coney Island made famous by Van
Morrison, and on clear days you can see past the Irish Sea to
the Isle of Man. The par-3 12th is arguably the course’s signature
hole drawing comparisons with the famous 17th hole at Pebble
Beach. The view from the elevated tee, with a backdrop of the
Irish Sea and the majesty of the brooding Mourne Mountains is
worth the green fee alone. Ardglass is home of the world’s oldest
clubhouse dating back to 1405AD. ardglassgolfclub.com
Royal Portrush Golf Club - County Antrim. As Royal Portrush
Golf Club first comes into view round a curve in the County
Antrim Coast Road, it’s a magical sight with its green fairways
hiding among shaggy-topped dunes and the great headland of
Inishowen contrasting vividly with the low line of the Skerries
and the sea beyond. Established in May 1888 and included in
every list of the world’s top 20 courses, Royal Portrush’s Dunluce
course has long been regarded as a great test of a golfer’s skill. It
hosted the British Open in 1951, when England’s eccentric Max
Faulkner lifted the trophy, and the great news is that in 2019, it
will be home once again to the prestigious championship. There
are plenty of great holes at Royal Portrush, but it’s really difficult
to choose just one. On the front nine, the 5th with its cliffside
green is a worthy contender, but on the back it’s got to be the
16th known as Calamity Corner. This testing 210 yards par-3
calls for a long carry over an 80-foot ravine to reach the green.
Don’t be ashamed of taking a four here- threes are as rare as an
unfriendly Irishman. royalportrushgolfclub.com