Connemara, Donegal, Galway Bay, Enniscrone, Rosses Point and lots more...
 

The west coast of Ireland is a haven of all that is great in golf. There is a thoroughgoing embarrassment of riches, with so many wonderful courses that we are going to have to pass lightly over the likes of Enniscrone, Rosses Point, Connemara and Donegal, and bend the knee only briefly in some of the cathedrals of the game: Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee and Waterville. The world knows of the last four, and no self-respecting golfer should go to the grave without having played them or, for that matter, the previous four.

But there are others, just as worthy, that do not yet dance to the tune of the tourist. Carne, for instance, is protected by its isolation, for to get to it you have to drive for hours through desolation, through land that is either bog or mountain. Then, when, just like Columbus' men, you think you are going to fall off the edge of the world, Belmullet Peninsula hoves into view.

Five of ireland greatest links have made it in to the worlds top 100 for the year 2002. Royal County Down, Ballybunion (Old), Royal Portrush, Portmarnock & Lahinch. These courses were honoured by an international panel of 100 golfers, journalists, architects and industry figures looking at each courses' strategic integrity, how well a course tests the full range of golf skills and its rhythm of design, location, ambiance, conditioning, tradition and visual appeal.

The panel includes Greg Norman, golf course architect Michael Wolveridge, journalist Tom Ramsey, cricket commentator Richie Benaud, former British Open winner Sir Bob Charles, former Australian Amateur Champion Tom Crow and Kiwi Frank Nobilo.

In a further attempt to facilitate the planning and organisation of your golf trip to Ireland we have added further tools to the site which we hope will help. We have introduced a currency converter which is designed to help you further understand the cost of your trip to the Emerald Isle.

 
 To try this application click here