Emerald Greens

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

Caddies at Doonbeg

County Clare

Doonbeg

Standing on the elevated tee of Doonbeg’s par-5 first, eyes are drawn down a fairway that bucks and plunges like a raging river towards a large green protected on three sides by soaring dunes. The opening hole is a memorable start to this classic links, one that was designed by Greg Norman only a decade ago, but looks and plays like it’s been part of the landscape for over a hundred. www.doonbeglodge.com

Lahinch

A legend among links courses this tough west coast gem boasts a character all of its own. It’s a wonderfully quirky mix of dunes, rollercoaster greens and blind shots. This is perfectly illustrated by the short par-3 sixth, known as the “The Dell”, where the green is wedged between two hills. It’s only 140 yards in length, but it requires a blind tee shot over one of the hills to the putting surface all but hidden on the other side. www.lahinchgolf.com

Pages

Click here to see the published article.