Powerscourt Golf (Ireland)

[Jim Franklin]

I may be going on a trip here in 2019. Never been, know nothing about it except it has two courses. Questions, is it any good? Are there any really good Irish links courses relatively close by?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Jim, Powerscourt is a great place to stay. It is grand hotel and the gardens are special. The golf is pretty much American parkland. The European Club is nearby as is the understated Arklow GC. Wicklow GC is kind of fun but probably qualifies as seaside not links.

[Adam Lawrence]

Powerscourt West is a very early David Kidd design (ie it must have been one of the first jobs he got post Bandon).

[Cliff Hamm]

Have not played Powerscourt but have driven by and been to the gardens.  Well worth a visit:


https://powerscourt.com/gardens

Get to Dublin about once a year and Arklow is on my radar:

http://www.arklowgolflinks.com/

The Wicklow mountains are are a gorgeous area not visited by most. Johnny Fox's is a bit touristy, but also worth a visit:

https://www.johnniefoxs.com/

[Jeff Johnston]

Jim, as others have said, Powerscourt is a gorgeous location and the hotel is very comfortable. I have only played the East (on a few society and corporate days) and chime with the comments above - it is solid / fun rolling parkland golf, with some v pleasant backdrops - including the nearby Sugarloaf mountain, which is well worth a hike up as well.

On that side of Dublin, as Tommy says The European Club is the daddy from a links perspective. If money is not a factor fire away, but the EUR 225 current main season green fee (per the website) is not for me (each to their own obviously). Arklow has been mentioned as well and is a fun members' links with some v good holes and (in particular) some fantastic greens with plenty of movement in them. At EUR 30 or so a go it's a fun game. If you do a search on here there is a thread from a while back on Arklow.

If you want to play a good bit of links, the other (north) side of Dublin is really where it's at  - Portmarnock, The Island, Royal Dublin, up to Baltray, Co Down a bit further on - also not forgetting Corballis for a fun game as flagged by Mr Arble on here. Hotels in Malahide / Portmarnock the best base for those spots.

[jeffwarne]

Guilty pleasure-I like Irish inland and seasideish golf.
Mount Juliet, Carlow, Parknasilla, Kilkenny, Killarney Mahoney's Point, Cork.
Haven't played that many but I enjoyed them all a lot

[Cliff Hamm]

Off-topic, but Cork is as underrated as any course in Ireland.  It was the first course I played in Ireland and knew it was not the USA. Private club that allows outside play with incredibly friendly members. I thought the front nine was absolutely spectacular and the back solid People head down to piay Old Head and never once have I heard them mention Cork It is  their loss.

[David_Tepper]

"but Cork is as underrated as any course in Ireland"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y7667mj7t0

I believe Cork GC is often called "Little Island."

[Cliff Hamm]

Indeed.  Little Island is an area of East Cork.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Jim, Glendalough might be the prettiest inland place in Ireland and an early monastic city. It isn't far from Powerscourt. It is a pretty special place. Irish talk about thin places where the space between Heaven and earth is thin. Glendaough is such a place.