the family vacation plan is to go to Ireland next year..the following are the courses I DEFINITELY want to see:

1. Royal C Down
2. Both Ballybunion courses
3. European CLub
4. Portmarnock
5. Royal Portrush
6. Lahinch
7. Waterville
8. The Island
9. Doonberg
10. Old Head

thoughts on the above?  others you'd recommend?  all opinions would be greatly appreciated!!

Brad Kelin said in GW last year that Old HEad is one of his five favorites Donal

Padraig, Mike Hurdzan had Co. Louth as one of his five...I shall be adding it to my list!

Definitely add County Louth to the list if you're able to.  I don't think there is a weak hole on the course.  And if you like, you're almost sure to get a lot of wind.

Based on my one trip to the Southwest, I would consider adding the following to your list:

Dooks (I really enjoyed it after getting the snot beat out of me by the bigger courses)

Tralee - back nine and 3-4 holes on the front are terrific.

If I were to remove anything from your list it would be:
 - Doonbeg
 - Ballybunion Cashen

However I was glad I played them both

Old Head is worth the trip.  I expected one of the great courses in the world and was disappointed.  Nonetheless, it might be the most spactacular setting for golf in the world.

re the Cashen Course, I had started a thread on that one a few months ago, and there were many who felt that it was not worth playing...but there were several who felt the opposite..

Doonberg was one of Brad's five favorites...he wrote that it "is by far the most interesting course he [Norman] has done."...but it certainly doesn't have the almost universal stamp of greatness that Ballybunion Old, RCD, and a few others have

WOW Aidan, thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!  I'll make sure my family sees these pictures

right before I saw your pictures I was looking at Old HEad's website and drooling over its pictures....and then I see your stuff...and I want to go NOW!!!!

I literally have goosebumps while I am typing this!

only 14 months or so to wait!

the Irish Tourist Board SHOULD hire you AIdan!! thanks again!!!

the Irish Tourist Board SHOULD hire you AIdan!! thanks again!!!

Au contraire, Paul,
the man should be imprisoned for misrepresentation under the Trades Descriptions Act 1968. Nowhere on this planet can possibly look this good!

You're a talented snapper, Mr B. Every image has me reaching for the travel agent's phone number....marvellous!

FBD.

Paul

Where are you basing yourself? It's probably easiest to pick two bases and build your itinerary around them. You'll get to most courses on your list from Dublin and Killarney with a maximum of around 90-120 minutes driving time with a couple of exceptions.


As always Aidan's pictures are excellent. It's always perfect weather over here as well .

If you head up to the Northwest part of Ireland, Carne, Enniscrone, Portsalon, Donegal (Murvuagh), and Rosses Point are all pretty darn good.  Also up there is a little 9 holer called Criat Island(Spelling might be wrong).  It is a really remote course, but has some excellent holes.  Also if you spend a couple of days in Portrush there are a number of really good courses around there.  Although we didn't play it the valley course at Royal Portrush got some high praise from a member we talked to.  Castlerock and Portstewart are also excellent.  Another course near Royal County Down that is quite good is Ardglass.  Good luck with the planning!

Brendan  

 Aidan,

   I can attest that I am going to County Sligo because I want to play that par three that I saw from your website a while ago.

I like your list and would add County Louth as well a few of the ones Aidan noted. I would drop TEC down to the 8 to 10 ranking and Cashen at Ballybunion below that though.

Paul:

Old Head gets dissed by a few of the snobs on this site but there are a number of excellent holes there -- no less than a third of the layout is first rate in my mind for what it's worth. I have not been back since my first time about three years ago -- if they corrected about 1/3 of the course that looks like it could be designed out of the Orlando coloring book then things have clearly improved there.

In regards to the scenery there -- it simply blows away Pebble Beach as a comparison.

I also would elevate any time you can to play Lahinch multiple rounds -- on the down side I have a very low opinion of The European Club. It's a stern layout but on the character side I think you have better places to spend your time and $$.

One last item -- on Ballybunion / Old the real course -- minus the superb uphill 2nd, only begins when you reach the par-4 6th. I also thing the layout -- while solid in so many ways -- lacks quality par-5's of note.

P.S. Be sure to bring plenty of eggs when you tackle Dunluce at Portrush. The fairways are especially narrow in many spots and when you leave the secondary cut for the primary you have better odds finding the body of Hoffa than in ever seeing that golf ball again. I'd love for them to soften the hayfields at Dunluce just a tad or widen the fairways and keep the hay.