Golf Courses in Ireland
ADARE
Set on 230 lush acres of the Adare Manor Estate, Adare Golf Club was designed by legendary golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones Sr. and offers a magnificent parkland layout. From his first perception of Adare Manor as having all the flavour of Augusta National, he has created a true masterpiece and one of the leading parkland courses in Ireland.
The Adare Manor Estate has a long history but was purchased in 1987 by the Kane family of Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. Major work on the Manor ensued and the golf course opened for play in August 1995. Measuring over 7,000 yards from the championship tees, Adare Golf Club is an American styled course, with rock walled streams, subtly undulating greens and Jones' signature cloverleaf bunkers. A 14 acre lake dominates the outward nine holes while the River Maigue meanders its way through a densely wooded back nine. Its testing design and manicured greens have already assured Adare Golf Club's position as one of the finest Irish inland courses.
Water comes into play at ten holes, including the opening two, which are menaced by a meandering little stream waiting to punish wayward approach shots. This is nothing however, compared to the huge lake, which anchors the front nine holes. It cleverly protects the right hand side of the par 5, 7th where the fun is in cutting off as much as the hazard as possible without actually entering a watery grave. And so it continues every hole is a worthy challenge.
The closing stretch at Adare is particularly challenging. Precision is essential on the relatively short par 4, 15th, while on the short 16th, you are confronted with a lake between the tee box and green, located some 170 yards away. The 17th is a superb hole, which requires a threaded drive through mature trees. Trent Jones sees the closing hole at Adare as one of the finest finishing holes in golf a potential birdie hole and card wrecker at the same time. At 510 yards in length, two well hit shots to the fairway will leave a tantalizing pitch to a narrow green. For those who fancy getting home in two, remember it's a potential card wrecker!
BALLYBUNION CASHEN
Many consider that Ballybunion Golf Club is all about the Old Course. However nothing could be further from the truth. Designed by legendary course architect, Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1980, the Cashen Course at Ballybunion is more than entitled to share the same hallowed turf as the Old Course and is a superb test of links golf in every respect. That some consider that the Cashen Course presents a stiffer challenge than the Old Course, speaks volumes for its quality.
The Cashen Course at Ballybunion is set on the same majestic links land as its elder sister. Upon observing the terrain for the first time, Trent Jones commented that this was "the finest piece of links land I have ever seen and perhaps the finest piece of links land in the world". With the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the river on the other, the tumbling, undulating, free flowing design is beauty beyond description in words.
The variation of the terrain here meant that the construction of a golf course would be no easy matter but somehow, making use of its natural features, it has been achieved. In playing the Cashen Course, you will experience 18 spectacular holes, each with its own unique character and challenge. From the moment you tee off at the first until your final drive over a wasteland at the last and thence to a magnificent finish at an elevated green, you will have traversed a wondrous golf course.
There is no more natural a golf hole in the world than the 10th, over an outrageously beautiful stretch of God given terrain, while many consider the 13th to be the most spectacular on the course. From the landing area on the 13th, the most superb site for a green that has ever been conceived will confront you. In short, if you do make the pilgrimage to Ballybunion like the many before you, don't make the mistake of foregoing the opportunity to play the superb Cashen Course.