Emerald Greens

The exceedingly well-travelled Andrew Marshall compiles his list of the best links courses that Irish golf has to offer

An aerial view of magnificent Ballybunion

County Kerry

Ballybunion

"Ballybunion is a course on which many golf architects should live and play before they build courses," says links aficionado Tom Watson who warmed up on Tom Simpson’s venerable design for each of his five Open Championship victories. The Old course, which is complemented by another 18 - the excellent Cashen Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr - is a classic and has remained virtually unchanged since 1893. Forget the lob wedge and use your imagination: bump-and-runs and other creative shot making is the name of the game at Ballybunion. www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie

County Mayo

Carne Golf Links

The special charm of Carne comes from its remote location and the journey required getting there - it’s a four-hour trip from Dublin airport some 300km away. The signature hole is the par-3 16th that drops steeply from an elevated tee to a green encircled by some of the biggest dunes in the game. The tough par-4 17th and the par-5 18th make for a memorable finale to this wild and rugged layout that leaves a lasting impression on all that play it. www.carnegolflinks.com

Enormous dunes frame many of the holes at charming Carne

Pages

Click here to see the published article.