Lough Erne Golf Course
Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
Opened in 2005 Lough Erne golf course quickly established itself among the very top parkland courses in Ireland. It is not difficult to see why - the spectacular setting sets the scene for an outstanding design by Nick Faldo. The course was constructed to the highest championship standards, making full use of the location on a peninsula between Lower Lough Erne and the smaller Lough Castle Hume (that lends its name to the other golf course adjacent to the property). The course flows through mature trees, over hilly terrain towards, and then spectacularly right up to, Lough Erne itself at the signature 10th hole from where the course returns to the clubhouse overlooking Lough Castle Hume.
Lough Erne Course Description
The first hole is a very nice par-4 towards some woodland that hides the par-4 second and par-3 third holes. This section of the course finishes with a straightforward par-5 where a shallow green is well protected by some of the course's many manicured bunkers and a spectacular par-3 that requires a mid or long iron right across a small lake.
The first long walk up a steep hill takes one to the par-5 sixth that plunges into a valley before rising again to a difficult green. The par-4 seventh gives one the first memorable view from the highest point on the golf course. Everything is laid out in front of you here but being so high the actual line to take to ensure reaching the safety of the fairway is hard to see. The temptation is to take too aggressive a line as the hole looks much further than it actually is (370 yards from the blue tee marker) and a good drive on a conservative line will leave a short approach. The approach is also quite deceiving as the green is partially hidden with a large hill to the left and Lough Erne behind - trust the yardage!
Holes 8 & 9 are both long and difficult - 8 for its sheer length and 9 for the trouble that lines both sides of the fairway before a green that has an intimidating location with severe trouble to the left and the lake to the right.
Unfortunately Lough Erne is a course that provides (and encourages) a halfway refreshment stop in an inviting wooden cabin. But once ready to play again, the short par-4 10th hole will immediately grab ones attention. Probably the signature hole on the golf course the green is driveable for longer hitters -- but the green is set into the lake so it is a real gamble. The line off the tee is crucial as the hole plays downhill and the ball will roll from left to right -- the trick is to land it far enough left to roll nicely through the narrow entrance without going too far left into the untended rough on the far side of the cart path.
Holes 11, 12 & 13 play back toward the clubhouse. Hole 14 is a long and excellent par-5 back in the opposite direction before another excellent par-3 across a large swail to an elevated green. The three homeward holes begin with an outstanding par-5 followed by another par-4. Both these holes play with Lough Castle Hume looming on the right hand side. Finally the eighteenth plays across an inlet of the same lake, nearly 200 yards from the back markers.
When travelling up the northwest coast, or travelling from Sligo/Donegal to Portrush, it is well worth considering the detour to play Lough Erne and see the spectacular lake district of County Fermanagh.
