The Courses
May 15 – Druid’s Glen – Heath Course
County Wicklow is arguably the richest landscape in Ireland; heavily wooded with mountains, streams and beaches. The Druids’ Heath course is a stunning manicured landscape, a kaleidoscope of color and flora with changing elevations. Meandering creeks and ponds present challenges on many holes. There are two signature holes, the 11th (a 250 yard par 3) and the 12th (a 492 yard uphill par 4). An excellent test of golf for our first round, Druids Glen is the first of the two parklands courses we will play in Ireland.
May 16 – Donegal Golf Club
Called “Murvagh” by the locals, the Donegal Golf Club is a wind-whipped magnificent course sitting on a peninsula.This world-class track would be British Open site if nearby Donegal town had adequate hotel rooms and infrastructure. To our benefit that infrastructure is not present, allowing for very fair green fees and reduced demand. With beautiful vistas in all directions, this is our first Irish links test.
May 17 – Narin & Portnoo Links
Tucked away in the remote southwest corner of Donegal, the Narin & Portnoo Links is considered one of the most natural, golf courses in all of Ireland. Golf has been played here since 1905, and the course had a masterful renovation in 2018. The signature hole is the 7th hole, a 143 yard par 3.Players tee off over a chasm to a two-tiered green located on an adjacent sand hill. The hole is beloved for its supreme natural beauty and tricky green, with focused putting required.
May 18 – Cruit Island
The golf courses in heaven will be very much in the spirit of Cruit Island. Set above the wild and rugged Atlantic ocean on the very edge of Ireland, the journey here is almost as dramatic as the course itself. Cruit Island is described by many as “the greatest 9-hole course on earth.” This 2,809 yard par 34 track is the most hidden links course in Ireland, connected to the coast by a short causeway. For stunning scenery Cruit Island rivals Old Head and even Pebble Beach. The 6th hole is as scenic a golf hole as found in the world, “an abyss of sea-cave and closing tide separate tee from green” according to Tom Coyne.
May 19 – Old Tom Morris Links – Ballyliffin
This links track has been enjoyed and played over 130 years by tens of thousands including the world’s finest golfers. “The Strand” front nine is traditional duneland. The back nine “Valley” plays across flatter land against the backdrop of Sheephaven Bay. Holes 9 through 12 are set parallel to the shoreline that’s blessed with a beautiful sandy beach. Holes 13-18 loop back around, with play in the shadow of mountainous dunes. Close play in front of a statue of Old Tom Morris, who watches putts and handshakes on the final green.
May 20 – Glashedy Links – Ballyliffin
This is Ireland’s most northern golf club and site of the 2018 Irish Open. Designed by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock between 400 acres of beautiful dunes, this championship course is 7,200 yards long with nine long par 4s. Huge undulating greens here are well protected by bunkers. The views are outstanding, both around the course and the surrounding oceanfront. The signature par 3 seventh hole “Loch na nDeor” plays 180 yards from an elevated tee overlooking the entire course to the North Atlantic.
May 22 – Galgorm Castle Golf Club
Set in a 220 acre manor estate, Galgorm Castle is a magnificent test of golf. This championship parklands course hosted the 2020 Irish Open, the 2019 Northern Ireland Open and other PGA European Tour events.
May 23 – County Louth Baltray Links
County Louth Golf Club, known locally as “The Baltray Links“. This marvelous course features a variety of holes, with the ocean coming into play on the back nine. While the terrain isn’t as dramatic as Ireland’s northwest, the Baltray Links offers one solid hole after another. Holes 11-16 are delightful, playing through the course’s most interesting topography by sea and inlet.
May 24 – Portmarnock Links
One of Ireland’s finest links courses, Portmarnock’s links is on land formerly owned by whiskey magnate John Jameson. Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus all won victories on this historic Irish golf links, nineteen times the host venue for the Irish Open.
