[Doug Wright]

I have a trip scheduled to Ireland end of September. We have a couple open slots when we will be near Baltry (County Louth) and just north of Dublin near Portmarnock. If you have ideas about a hidden gem near those venues I'd appreciate it. Re Dublin we are already playing Portmarnock/Portmarnock Links/The Island, and Royal Dublin isn't an option. Lesser known courses even 9 holers worth seeing would be great.

Thanks.

[Tim Pitner]

Doug,

How about Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club?  I haven't played it, but have heard pretty good things.  I believe it's near Drogheda. 

[Tommy Williamsen]

Doug, years ago I played Howth GC.  No one will mistake it for a great course, but it is on a promontory outside Dublin proper.  It was great fun and a nice diversion.

http://www.howthgolfclub.ie/

[Rory Connaughton]

Laytown and Bettystown is a good choice.  Very close to Baltray.
Also, St. Anne's (directly adjacent to Roayal Dublin)
http://www.stanneslinksgolf.com/
or Seapoint which is directly adjacent to Baltray could be good options

[mike_malone]

Rory,

  Which of those have you played?

[Rory Connaughton]

Admittedly none.  I have walked around Laytown and seen bits and pieces of Seapoint and St. anne's from the neighboring courses.  My first choice, based simply on what I saw would be Laytown and Bettystown.

[mike_malone]

 Rory,

   I ask because I would go with your view if you played it. I also was curious about St. Annes since it sits on the land of Royal Dublin and Portmarnock just outside the city.

[Rory Connaughton]

My sense is that Laytown has a bit more character than the other two though I am confident that they are all enjoyable if not competitive with the bigger names in the area from a design perspective.

[Jed Peters]

A friend of mine is a member at Carton House near Dublin. Although not "historic", it apparently has quite the golf course in the Montgomerie course.

[Dan Moore]

Its a bit of a drive  but Royal County Down could be played as a day trip from Dublin.  As I recall it can't be much more than an hour or two from Baltray. 

[Doug Wright]

Its a bit of a drive  but Royal County Down could be played as a day trip from Dublin.  As I recall it can't be much more than an hour or two from Baltray. 

Thanks Dan--fortunately RCD is on our itinerary before we head south to Baltray and then Dublin.

[Dan Moore]

RCD will not disappoint. 

A choice near Dublin then would be the European Club. 

[Sean_A]

Doug

If it were me I would look no further than a second day at The Island.  There isn't much point in leaving the parking lot of a great course in search of a great course. 

Ciao

[Justin Broderson]

Just recently made a trip to Ireland and that area about a month ago.  I would check out a course previously mentioned, the Carton House monty course.  Its an inland links kept in fantastic condition.  Some gigantic bunkers and one of my favorite finishing holes.  It was really nice to relax for a round at what felt like and is a country club after playing the other links courses.  I will try and post some picks later.

P.S.  You may also just want to play another round at the Island, its that good.

[John Mayhugh]

Doug,
How about the K club?   

You didn't specifically say if you're playing Co Louth.  If you're not, I think it's worth more than one round.  Couldn't go wrong with an extra round at the Island either.  Both of those courses are really fun.

[Doug Wright]

Doug,
How about the K club?   

You didn't specifically say if you're playing Co Louth.  If you're not, I think it's worth more than one round.  Couldn't go wrong with an extra round at the Island either.  Both of those courses are really fun.

John,

I think we'll pass on the K Club thank you...We are playing County Louth and I'm looking for another course nearby to play the same day.

All,

Thanks all for the suggestions thus far. The Island was the first course I played during my first (and only) visit to Ireland in 1994, and it will be our last course played on this trip.  It was a wonderful intro to the golf (and people) in Ireland and I'm looking forward to playing there again. Hopefully the only difference will be in the greens fee, which must be 4x what we paid in 1994.

One of the problems I'm seeing is we're looking for weekend rounds here and it looks like outside times aren't available at the clubs mentioned. (Note: This is something to be aware of if you're looking to visit Ireland or Scotland).  However, we will try contacting the clubs mentioned directly.

Appreciate any other thoughts too. Thanks.

[Johnny_Browne]

Doug,
I would play Laytown and Bettystown - I have played it several times - it is always in good order has many genuine links holes along with one or two quirky ones.  It is where Des Smyth learnt to play golf.
Johnny

[Jason McNamara]

Doug -

Don't know if you want to consider an inland course, but Headfort apparently has weekend times.  I know Jack Marr has written about it here (positively, though perhaps not effusively).  Still, Headfort has 36 holes, so securing a weekend game shouldn't be a problem.  I think the Old course is the pick, but will defer to others who've been there.  Google Earth has it at 50 minutes (due west) from Co. Louth.

[Jack_Marr]

Yes, I think Headfort is great. Two very different courses - one old style and the other maybe more American. It's about an hour from Dublin.

In Dublin, there's also St. Anne's. I believe they've done it up. It was a pretty flat links layout. Don't know what it's like now.

And there is Corballis. It's a public links with a few great holes. Langer used to practice there before the Open, I beleive. Recently I heard that the flat holes have just been allowed to grow in, so there are only 14 holes in play now. And the rest of the course is not being maintained very well.

[Doug Wright]

Thanks again for the ideas so far. We are booked for a round at Howth (James Braid--whose courses in Scotland we really enjoyed) on Sunday but it's very difficult to find a course open to visitors on a Saturday morning. Laytown, Seapoint say no. Has anyone played Ardee or Bellewstown, both near Drogheda?

[Sean_A]

Thanks again for the ideas so far. We are booked for a round at Howth (James Braid--whose courses in Scotland we really enjoyed) on Sunday but it's very difficult to find a course open to visitors on a Saturday morning. Laytown, Seapoint say no. Has anyone played Ardee or Bellewstown, both near Drogheda?

The big guns in the area you need to book for weekends are TEC and Portmarmock Links because they aren't really members' clubs.

Ciao

[Rory Connaughton]

If you are a Braid fan, you may want to try Mullingar.  Approximately 50 minutes from Dublin.

[Mark Smolens]

Wow, Mullingar was designed by Mr. Braid?  I played there on a wedding trip almost 25 years ago (the father of the bride, a retired Colonel in the Irish Army was a member).  Fun course, very American parklandish, and lots of different trees on the site.  As I recall it was built for some very wealthy man with an arboreal (arboristic?) bent.  Not very linksy tho. . .

[Tony_Muldoon]

Doug there are two nine holers I'd love to see pictures and get reports on.

Sutton Golf Course is a short links that for many years was hom eto Joe Carr one of Irelands top amatuer golfers.   I dropped in at Easter to meet the friendliest pro ever. He as  an open competion each wednesday for  an unbelievable 15 euro's.  "Call me the day before and I'll find you some friendly members to go out with".  You can see it across the water from Portmarnock.


Rush is further north.  Either might make a nice change of pace and be idael for  3 club competion between your group.


Played Portmarnock Links recently and can report it's the real deal, as is Arklow to the south.

[Sean Leary]

We had dinner in the Joe Carr room at Sutton, which has only 1 window that looks at Portmarnock.   Great club with a couple of cool looking holes by the water....

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