Strandhill
The sea squeezes this stunning links on two sides. Surfers ride the waves to the west, while those on horseback thunder over the beach to the south. You’ll see them frequently from a course that brushes close to the water but also rises up in the centre, sending holes scattering down the slopes.
The smart clubhouse sits up at the top, too, and from here you can look over much of the course and appreciate it for what it is… an absolute gem.
There’s no magic design formula, which works in Strandhill’s favour because holes like the 5th, 13th and 15th are off the charts. This thoroughly enjoyable, often quirky design comes down to the members who reshaped the course in the 1970s and 1980s and it makes Strandhill such a fun and rivetting course to play.
It is not long (par 70) but you will be tested by the unpredictable fairways and some severely undulating, natural greens.
Favourite Hole: the par four 13th is one of the quirkiest and most fun holes in Ireland – requiring two semi-blind shots to find the green from a very high tee.
What's in the Bag? Appreciating that things are done differently here… and knowing you can putt from all over the place.
Click link to view full list of “DG Ireland Top 150 Courses 2016”:
http://www.destinationgolf.travel/dgireland-16/