Destination Golf Ireland 2021
Scrabo
Lisburn
Lisburn Golf Club dates back to the 1880s , but the current course was designed by Fred Hawtree , and opened in 1973 . This beautiful course follows a classic parkland script to the letter . Big embracing trees flow over a combination of flat , lilting and hilly terrain , with colourful shrubs adding an extra layer to proceedings . Pristine conditioning , strong hole variety , water features and excellent greens … they all combine to make Lisburn the full package . The par three 6th is a dainty par three in a wooded setting : with a lake in front of the green it is the signature hole , but the closing stretch of five holes covers the highest ground and promises a stunning finish .
Holywood
As the home club of Rory McIlroy , Holywood definitely deserves a visit . Forget the bells and whistles of plush parklands … come and enjoy a course that not only has ‘ celebrity ’ on its side , but also a host of fun holes which inject the joy back into playing golf . With its short length and two loops of nine it is easy to play quickly . It will hone your short game , too . This is hillside golf with ridges and dips , perched greens , a couple of climbs , bumpy terrain and plenty of trees . As such , this is no place to go wild off the tee . Sensible golf ( and a visit inside the clubhouse ) makes Holywood a very enjoyable day indeed .
Scrabo
There are few courses on the island of Ireland that can claim to be as wild and adventurous as Scrabo . The 1st hole is the sort of introduction to strike fear and awe into the hearts of the most resilient golfer . The hole rises through banks of dense gorse to a small green sitting beside Scrabo Tower . It is Index 1 . The tower dominates the skyline for the entire round , as well as miles around . This is a golfing journey like no other as holes streak across firm , tight , rugged fairways . They buckle over the terrain with sheer exuberance and careless abandon , following a flow dictated by the natural hillside . Scrabo may lack the finesse and pedigree of plush parklands but the holes here – some blind , many unique , all fun – deliver such entertainment value that they will absorb all of your golfing adrenaline . Endless views .
A
Shandon Park par 70 it may be , but this is fine parkland golf tucked away in quiet suburbia . You might think it is flat when you first arrive and this is one of Shandon Park ’ s strengths , for it delivers lots of the unexpected . There is considerably more movement to the course than that first impression gives . Indeed , there are substantial changes in elevation and these have been employed brilliantly to create some glorious green settings and driving opportunities . Shandon Park is a perfectly paced round of golf that satisfies all golfing abilities .
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