County Louth is the annual host of the East of Ireland Amateur Championship, and represents links golf at its very finest. The course is laid out in two loops covering some 190 acres with no two holes running in the same direction - apart from the 12th and 13th which run along the sea.
The 14th hole is regarded as the signature hole - a short par four measuring only 332 yards you can drive all the way to the green or end up taking six or more. The par threes are also superb, and the whole round a golfing treat.
Take motorway north (Belfast). Exit for Drogheda North after new Boyne bridge, take Drogheda exit at roundabout and proceed taking Drogheda exit at next two roundabouts, take first left (Termonfechin) and carry on down by back of Hospital to major junction (Esso station opposite),take a left and immediate right (before Maxol station) proceed to next major junction and take a left (you are now on the Termonfechin Rd),carry on through the first crossroads and exit right at the next for Baltray (4 miles).
From the North:
Proceed to exit Drogheda North just before new Boyne bridge and continue as above.
"There are no tricks or nasty surprises, only an honest, albeit searching test of shot making skills."Tom Watson 5 Time Open Champion
Universally acknowledged as one of the truly great links courses, Portmarnock is situated to the north side of Dublin, 10 miles from the city centre, and just a short drive from the Grand Hotel and Portmarnock Links Hotel.
Its quality and location have made it an excellent venue for some of the game’s great events, from the British Amateur Championship of 1949, to the 1991 Walker Cup and the Irish Open on 12 occasions.
Invariably rated among Ireland’s best courses, Portmarnock takes justifiable pride in its 27 holes, which are maintained to the highest standards.
"In 2009 Portmarnock was voted as the number one course in Ireland."Editor Golf Digest Magazine
Designed by Bernhard Langer, the championship links at Portmarnock Hotel covers 180 acres of classic rolling links terrain. The course itself is a little tighter than its neighbour, Portmarnock GC, and has some well-placed pot bunkers protecting both greens and fairways.
The Portmarnock Links is set on the beach next to the Portmarnock Hotel which was originally owned by the Jameson family, famous for their Irish whiskey.
"There are very few locations in Europe which could have allowed me the opportunity and landscape to design such a classic championship links. I hope all those who play it discover its magic and challenging beauty." Bernhard Langer
Royal Dublin has staged numerous Championship events including the Irish Open, Irish Amateur Opens and Irish Close - also the Carrolls Irish Open won by Seve Ballesteros in 1983 and 1985 and by Bernhard Langer in 1984.
The course is usually in excellent condition, with the fine and testing closing holes always memorable.
St. Anne’s Golf Club is a testing 18-hole links golf course situated on Dublin’s most famous ecological attraction - Bull Island Nature Reserve in Dublin Bay. The island, a bird sanctuary under the protection of Unesco, is natural links terrain of sand and dunes. The island’s beach is over three miles long.
The course is a challenge from start to finish, and a worthy neighbour to the more renowned Portmarnock and Royal Dublin.
This beautiful links course is surrounded by the Irish Sea, and Donabate Beach, nestling wonderfully between the highest sand dunes of any links course in Ireland - its rugged beauty cannot fail to endear!
The Island previously hosted the Irish Amateur Close Championship in 1998, the Smurfit Irish PGA Championship in 1999 and is the Irish qualifying venue for the British Open Championship from 2005 - 2010, also making it a serious challenge. A very popular course with visitors to the area.
