“ The setting is glorious , with views spilling across the bay to mountains and peninsulas . The course has an unexpectedly muscular feel , no doubt due to Christy O ’ Connor Jr ’ s influence .”
DESTINATION GOLF 2024 2025
Tramore
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay is tucked away in west Cork , perched on a high rolling landscape above the sea and the charming fishing village of Bantry . The setting is glorious , with views spilling across the bay to mountains and peninsulas . The course has an unexpectedly muscular feel , no doubt due to Christy O ’ Connor Jr ’ s influence which uses the big rolls of the landscape to full effect , including several blind shots . This is no place for the faint of heart so get out the driver and swing hard . The greens are correspondingly big with tiers and slopes that will test you all day long .
Tramore
This old club received a major dash of revitalisation , completed by Jeff Howes in 2012 . New greens and bunkering were the focus on a flowing parkland with impressive stands of trees enshrining holes . Despite these trees – and the water – it still manages to feel airy . This is a smart , quality parkland where the challenges come in all shapes and sizes . The par four 17th , for example , is just 316 metres ( middle white tees ) but it is Index 5 with trees crowding the tee box , and , while you ’ ll fancy your birdie chances on the four par fives ( 430 to 460 metres ), don ’ t be fooled : Tramore has plenty of surprises in store . Howes also added an extra nine holes .
“ The setting is glorious , with views spilling across the bay to mountains and peninsulas . The course has an unexpectedly muscular feel , no doubt due to Christy O ’ Connor Jr ’ s influence .”
Killarney ( Mahony ’ s Point )
Mahony ’ s Point is a sweet foil to the muscularity of its Killeen sibling . They brush up against each other a couple of times , sharing the same terrain and the same stunning scenery . Indeed , a combination of their holes once formed the original 1930s course . But Mahony ’ s Point is a gentler , quieter affair , with more accessible fairways and greens , as well as a more relaxed pace . This is old school parkland and the course has undergone some recent upgrades ( under Ken Kearney ). The old school charm remains , with striped fairways leading the eye .
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