Golf Courses in Eastern Ireland
Carton Montgomerie
Colin Montgomerie claims to have brought the best aspects of links design to this flat and virtually treeless inland site broken only by an access road and at the end of the round the River Rye. The end result is unique, a memorable golf journey diagonally across fairway bunkers and on to large, elevated greens surrounded by bunkers.
Carton OMeara
Mark O'Meara's course at Carton House is laid out on the land directly in front of the manor house. The course meanders through copes of mature trees before making its way to the River Rye which is crossed three times before returning to the magnificent house. A thoroughly enjoyable golf course that is deceptively challenging.
County Louth
The links at County Louth Golf Club is one of the Ireland's very best. Designed by Simpson and Gourlay, it is a natural, unspoilt links with towering sandhills, testing rough and a variety of great holes demanding strategy and accuracy. County Louth provides one of the purest and fairest tests of links golf anywhere in the world.
Druids Glen
Druids Glen is our top ranked Irish parkland course. From start to finish the golf course offers a variety of golf holes that meander around old Woodstock House. The first rate design is complemented by arresting attention to detail, mainly in the form of trees, flowering shrubs and flowers evoking thoughts of Augusta National.
Headfort New
Both courses at Headfort are in a glorious setting with mature specimen trees planted by the Taylor family who owned the estate from 1760 until 1949. The new course also features water on nearly every hole. Together with its strategically placed bunkers, Headfort New presents as fine a golf challenge as any in delightful surroundings.
K-Club North
Two magnificent golf courses, both designed by Arnold Palmer, are set amongst 550 acres of beautiful County Kildare countryside bisected by the River Liffey. The North (or Palmer) course hosted the Ryder Cup matches in 2006. One of the finest and most testing inland courses in Ireland requiring accuracy, skill and nerve. The River Liffey and other water hazards feature on the majority of holes.
Killeen Castle
Host venue for the 2011 Solheim Cup, Killeen Castle is Jack Nicklaus' second signature course design in Ireland. The historic estate dates back to 1181 and has a long and varied history. The golf course runs through mature woodland over 350 acres of rolling pasture with the restored Norman castle as its backdrop.
Portmarnock
Probably the most historic of Irish courses, Portmarnock has played host to many great championships including The Irish Open on 19 occasions and the Canada Cup in 1960. Snead & Palmer won the latter. Woosnam, Langer, Crenshaw, Olazabal and Ballesteros have all won the former on this great links.
Portmarnock Links
Portmarnock Links is wedged between Portmarnock Village and Portmarnock Strand on perfect terrain south of the old Jameson House (now the hotel). Bernhard Langer had enough width to create an out-back-out-back layout that is a solid links test. 2018 modifications have made the course immeasurably better.
Powerscourt West
The newer of two courses scenically set in the Powerscourt Estate, nestled in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. McLay Kidd's signature is evident, a challenging golf course made enjoyable by providing ample fairway width and larger than normal greens amidst mature trees, numerous lakes and beautiful scenery.
Rathsallagh
Rathsallagh is a golf course built to championship standard, routed over rolling terrain and with a number of burns, ditches and ponds that bring water into play on several holes. Hundreds of mature trees flank the fairways. The bunkers are particularly noted for both their design and intelligent placement
Royal Dublin
Royal Dublin is an old and historic golf course that rivals Portmarnock. A traditional links in the finest sense, Ballesteros and Langer shared 3 Irish Opens here between them from 1983 to 1985 vanquishing opponents including Faldo, Lyle, Strange, Norman and Woosnam. Royal Dublin is also the home course of Christy O'Connor Senior.
The European
The European is located in tumbling dunes just south of Dublin and it features sweeping sea views with five holes running very close to the sea. The challenges of the course are clearly visible, including the remarkable bunkers with their railway sleeper lined walls, and the traditional punch shot is favoured on most holes.
The Island
Fairways tumbling through magnificent dunes are the hallmark of The Island. These dunes are the highest of the east coast of Ireland and full use is made of them to provide a classic links test. Course improvements completed in 2020 will help elevate this under-rated course to a more equal footing with Portmarnock and The European.
