Ireland's Top 100 Courses

[kmarkham]

Practically every magazine and website, in every country, produces a list of Ireland's top 100 courses - but if you want to know what the Irish golf community considers to be our top 100 courses... Golf Digest Ireland has just brought out their 2011 rankings. You'll find the list here (on my blog):

Can't say that I agree with all of them (or a lot of them for that matter), but isn't that what lists are all about!

[FLOG4]

Kevin, Ordered the book and looking forward to it.

Here's my views to the top 100 Irish.  I have played 29.  The top 12 several times each.19 of top 25. And just 10 of the others.  The longest trip I ever took to Ireland was 10 days and 13 rounds. In 2010.  My standard mindframe is I'm hard pressed to travel 3000 miles to play courses like ones around the block.  Additionally Once you have tasted the likes of a great course going back creates a difficult decision to avoid it to play another that may not be its equal.  You just have little time and so many places to go.  But Ireland is just such a joy to experience.  The golf in Scotland may be just a tad better but the trip to Ireland is so much more fun. And The Golf is fantastic.

RCD is #1...Nuff said, anyone who hasn't been it is superb.  Portmarnock in my book is the most over rated course I have ever played. The Links of the same name down the street is better in my mind. The Island is much better.Portrush is devine. Waterville is superb but it just wears you out. It's so tough. That can be said of RCD too, but my first time around I knocked down a 77 so I have fond memories. The Dingle at 98 is about right, not that great and it's a slog to get out there. 91 Cashen is much better than that. If it's sister course wasn't there Cashen would be higher in my mind.  The NW contingent of Connemarra, Narin, Carne, Enniscrone, Sligo, Donegal and toss in Lahinch on the way up from Shannon, may be the best value trip anyone could do if they wanted to do an Irish Trip. I'm planning that one right now. The Killarney Mahoneys Point is nicer than Lackabane IMHO. Tralee is superb other than a few holes on the front. Let me at it and that could be #1. Adare represents the best Parkland with Mt Juliet a close second. Rossapenna and Port Salon was a great addition to one trip I did.

Those my opening salvo's  Thanks for posting.

[kmarkham]

Flog4, I'd have to say that you and I are almost in perfect agreement... with the exception of Mount Juliet, which I'd put a bit further down my top ten parkland list since the arrival of places like Lough Erne and Concra Wood. I was down at Mount Juliet recently and I wasn't nearly as enamoured with it as I used to be. You're obviously over a good bit - have you enjoyed the charms of Strandhill next to Co. Sligo?

And I know what you mean about going back to the places you love. If I'm going to the north west, it has to be Enniscrone and Carne. I've been lucky enough to play all of the courses in Ireland, so I always know where I'm going and what to expect... which is why I mention Strandhill. It's not big and fancy, but it is quirky and has some amazing holes.

Interesting comments about Scottish golf - I know it's a toss up between the two countries (and I'll be enjoying the delights of Royal Dornoch and Nairn in Scotland next week), but great to hear that it's more fun in Ireland. Sure, isn't that what we're here for! I should pass your comments on to Tourism Ireland.

Good luck

Kevin

[FLOG4]

Originally Posted by kmarkham

Flog4, I'd have to say that you and I are almost in perfect agreement... with the exception of Mount Juliet, which I'd put a bit further down my top ten parkland list since the arrival of places like Lough Erne and Concra Wood. I was down at Mount Juliet recently and I wasn't nearly as enamoured with it as I used to be. You're obviously over a good bit - have you enjoyed the charms of Strandhill next to Co. Sligo?

And I know what you mean about going back to the places you love. If I'm going to the north west, it has to be Enniscrone and Carne. I've been lucky enough to play all of the courses in Ireland, so I always know where I'm going and what to expect... which is why I mention Strandhill. It's not big and fancy, but it is quirky and has some amazing holes.

Interesting comments about Scottish golf - I know it's a toss up between the two countries (and I'll be enjoying the delights of Royal Dornoch and Nairn in Scotland next week), but great to hear that it's more fun in Ireland. Sure, isn't that what we're here for! I should pass your comments on to Tourism Ireland.

Good luck

Kevin

My standard line, and it's on my website..... Dougsgolftravel .....Is If you know you are going on only ONE trip of a lifetime you gotta go to Scotland and take the OLD in.  But if this is one trip of potentially several, Ireland is the trip, it's more fun.  I've been to Scotland and Ireland alternating years for 15 years. Tossing in What I refer to as the best of the Irish in USA....Bandon Dunes twice.  Regarding Mt Juliet. I was there just once a while ago. I have not had the pleasure of many of the newer Parkland courses. As I said, If I'm traveling 3000 miles to play golf, I want to enjoy stuff not around the block. I live in CT in summer and have access to a very strong variety of clubs. In winter I'm at PGA Village in FL and while the courses are a little cookie cutter thay are all very nice.  Another key ingredient to traveling to UK/Scotland/Ireland is they allow visitors to come and play their most private and storied courses.....Meantime so many US Clubs take this holier than thou stance.....

Best part of this post Mr Markham......I'm switching out Narin for Strandhill. That last day of running up to Narin and then down to Shannon area has been amended. Thanks your insight.

All the best

Doug

[RayG]

I can only say that I've played RCD once while visiting for a wedding that happened to be held at the Slieve Donard Hotel. Didn't even realize it until I saw a picture of the course that had a mention of the "Slieve Donard Hotel in the background" about a week before we left to go over. Wait? WHAT! I got on the horn so quick to make a tee time, I think the person on the other end thought I was crazy. It is, and probably will be, one of my favorite golf experiences in my nearly 40 yrs of playing. Fortunately, at the time, I was playing some of my best golf so I wasn't out there hacking up and making it a miserable experience. Just enough of a spray once in awhile to make it interesting. So I can't really judge it compared to any of the others on the list. However- I've had great times playing at some of the "not so famous" courses stuck along country lanes with an 'honor box', absolutely no clue whether I was following the correct routing and/or meeting up with a local. Some pitch and putts, some 9 holers with double tee boxes, and a few 18 holers that would put some US "club champs" into shock. Of course, some were basically goat farms with holes in the ground, but even those make the experience of playing over there something special. The usual suspects are still on the list for future visits, but I will still seek out those off the tourist path tracks.

[FLOG4]

A big part of it is time.....If you have that luxury Yea I'll play anything......But drop me where ever tell me I have 7 days and I'm gonna be picky.....On my 2nd trip to Ireland we made our way around the north mostly. We made it out to Portsalon. Prior to Pat Ruddy redoing it.  I had made my teetime 7 months in advance thru a wholesaler I used over there for just teetimes.  When we got there no one was there and there's an honor box. We played in about 3 hours and only saw some kids otherwise.  Just to make sure everything was OK I went in afterwards and a gal was in the tiny shop. I told her who we were and she said OH, I was wondering and when I looked at the paper our name was the only one on the teesheet. So we played again. It was nice.

[kmarkham]

Originally Posted by RayG

I can only say that I've played RCD once while visiting for a wedding that happened to be held at the Slieve Donard Hotel. Didn't even realize it until I saw a picture of the course that had a mention of the "Slieve Donard Hotel in the background" about a week before we left to go over. Wait? WHAT! I got on the horn so quick to make a tee time, I think the person on the other end thought I was crazy.

It is, and probably will be, one of my favorite golf experiences in my nearly 40 yrs of playing.

That's a hell of a way to find yourself playing one of the best courses in the world. The first time I played, it was a February morning and my friend who had come over from New York made me take photographs because we were playing in t-shirts. He said there's no way his buddies back home would believe he was playing in such perfect conditions. I completely fell for the place.

You won't find many Honour Boxes any more. On the Par 3s and 9-holers perhaps, but not the 18 hole courses. Then again, it's not that strict on the second tier courses, so it's up to the visitors to drop in to the clubhouse and pay.

[trickymicky69]

This is slightly off topic but relevant......

I went to Ireland in the summer of this year to play some golf and my observations are the following.

Lahinch was great

Doonbeg was awesome

Portmarnock is the most overrated,stuffy,self appreciating pile of shite I have ever played (mainly due to the welcome received)

If I had to choose my favourite course on a £ per smile factor, my favourite course would have been Blackbushe. I think thats how you spell it?

25 euros, practically the best greens I have ever played on, brilliant clubhouse, lovely members and a real nice course.

It didnt make the top 100, but their Chicken Blt sandwich would be top of my list if we were doing "Irelands top 100 golfing sandwiches"

[FLOG4]

Originally Posted by trickymicky69

This is slightly off topic but relevant......

I went to Ireland in the summer of this year to play some golf and my observations are the following.

Lahinch was great

Doonbeg was awesome

Portmarnock is the most overrated,stuffy,self appreciating pile of shite I have ever played (mainly due to the welcome received)

If I had to choose my favourite course on a £ per smile factor, my favourite course would have been Blackbushe. I think thats how you spell it?

25 euros, practically the best greens I have ever played on, brilliant clubhouse, lovely members and a real nice course.

It didnt make the top 100, but their Chicken Blt sandwich would be top of my list if we were doing "Irelands top 100 golfing sandwiches"

Agree about Portmarnock...And even though they weren't pretentious to our group, the course just doesn't warrant position it garners typically....The one thing that was rude was when we showed up we were advised that lunch was included....Why weren't we told prior?  Had we known we would have shown up earlier....

Lahinch awesome....Doonbeg-nice....But why is it so pricey?

[trickymicky69]

I have no idea why it was so expensive either.

Visited "Spanish Point" very close by, which was a beautiful Irish village right on the coast.

Apparently the name comes from the fact a Spanish fishing boat crashed on the rocks in days gone by.

[k-troop]

I recently read "A Course Called Ireland."  Really entertaining book; if you haven't read it, the author walked the entire perimeter of Ireland, playing every course he passed along the way.  It definitely made me want to put an Irish golf vacation on the bucket list.  Most fun European city I've visited is Dublin, but it was November and no golf. Would love to go back in the summer.

[kmarkham]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I recently read "A Course Called Ireland."  Really entertaining book; if you haven't read it, the author walked the entire perimeter of Ireland, playing every course he passed along the way.  It definitely made me want to put an Irish golf vacation on the bucket list.  Most fun European city I've visited is Dublin, but it was November and no golf. Would love to go back in the summer.

I've read Tom Coyne's book... I've always wanted to tell him that he missed a course - Dunfanaghy in northern Donegal.

As for coming back to Ireland in the summer, I'd suggest you consider April or May as these (along with March) are our driest months. It may not be as warm, but, personally, I'd rather be cool than wet. You'll also have more joy getting tee times!

[VOX]

I believe the name comes from the fact that when the Spanish Armada washed up on the West coast a number of Spanish soldier/sailors were matched to that point and hanged.

[golfcourseasart]

Originally Posted by kmarkham

I've read Tom Coyne's book... I've always wanted to tell him that he missed a course - Dunfanaghy in northern Donegal.

Ah, how good it is to hear that place mentioned. I just never hear it get a squeak whenever people talk about Irish golf. I played it about ten years ago; the only Irish course I've played so this isn't meant to be a comparative comment in any way, but I loved it. No airs or graces, just tee it up and off you go.

I can't remember the number but there's one hole that I always think of as the poor man's 8th at Pebble Beach. The guy I played with actually insisted on playing off the sand when he landed his drive on the beach, just so he could say he had...

One of my happiest golfing memories, kmarkham. Thanks for giving the place a plug.

[kmarkham]

Originally Posted by golfcourseasart

Ah, how good it is to hear that place mentioned. I just never hear it get a squeak whenever people talk about Irish golf. I played it about ten years ago; the only Irish course I've played so this isn't meant to be a comparative comment in any way, but I loved it. No airs or graces, just tee it up and off you go.

I can't remember the number but there's one hole that I always think of as the poor man's 8th at Pebble Beach. The guy I played with actually insisted on playing off the sand when he landed his drive on the beach, just so he could say he had...

One of my happiest golfing memories, kmarkham. Thanks for giving the place a plug.

You'll find some more pics on my Flickr Page , but yes, a very honest course with no fancy stuff. Holes 7-10 are the thrillers.

[tallgolfnut]

Originally Posted by k-troop

I recently read "A Course Called Ireland."  Really entertaining book; if you haven't read it, the author walked the entire perimeter of Ireland, playing every course he passed along the way.  It definitely made me want to put an Irish golf vacation on the bucket list.  Most fun European city I've visited is Dublin, but it was November and no golf. Would love to go back in the summer.

Currently reading this book as well.  Not sure I would want to hike Ireland AND play golf but it sure makes me want to get my Irish azz over there and take in a few rounds of golf.........and Guinness

[BuckeyeNut]

I'm surprised there is a top 100 list considering Ireland is such a small country. (smaller than ohio).

I'd think any top 100 list would have some mediocre golf courses on the bottom half of that list..................am I wrong?  I'd love to experience some of those great old links courses!!

[sean_miller]

Hey, there are probably a couple hundred courses not on this list.