Shannon
Shannon
Tucked away behind the airport, this lovely club is a parkland
of dark corridors, unforgiving trees and a sweet dose of the
Shannon Estuary at the farthest point. The course flows so
easily over the level terrain and it is the subtle doglegs and
the trees which will test your nerve. Brawn is not always the
answer here. The par threes are all strong, especially the long
17th beside the estuary. It is the only hole where trees can’t
ruin your card… that’s left to the estuary, which you must
cross.
East Clare
Quite probably the most peaceful course in Ireland. Rolling
countryside flows into the distance all around you and the
course feels wonderfully spacious as a result. The start
matches the surroundings – gentle and relaxing – but it picks
up the pace, challenging you with some tricky greens and
water features (four of the five par threes have water waiting),
and some tricky doglegs. Holes are cleverly routed and use
the landscape to full advantage, rolling and curling to make
driving a joy. East Clare is a country course, so don’t expect
airs and graces or fancy design. This is all about the spirit of
golf.
110
Ceann Sibeal
The Three Sisters watch over this links at that farthest end of the
Dingle Peninsula. The hillside that falls away from these three cliff
top peaks is home to a low, subtle and very deceptive links, designed
by Eddie Hackett (the back nine) and Christy O’Connor Jr (the front).
The views may be open, raw and beautiful, but this is a course that
demands your full attention. The rough is unforgiving and the burn
which slips across eleven holes proves magnetic more often than
not. Meticulous course management is required on a crafty links
which glides over natural, often unpredictable terrain. A startling,
sweet links education.
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay is tucked away in west Cork, perched on a high
rolling landscape above the sea and the charming fishing
village of Bantry. The setting is glorious, with views spilling
across the bay to mountains and peninsulas. The course has
an unexpectedly muscular feel, no doubt due to Christy
O’Connor Jr’s influence which uses the big rolls of the
landscape to full effect, including several blind shots. This is
no place for the faint of heart so get out the driver and swing
hard. The greens are correspondingly big with tiers and slopes
that will test you all day long.