The eastern courses may lack the bite of Atlantic gales offered by their cousins in the west, but their challenge is no less demanding, and the wind whipping in from the Irish Sea can be just as daunting. The most famous courses are clustered around Dublin - with Portmarnock considered by many to be the jewel in the crown. 

Set in Baltray, itself one of Ireland's great beauty spots, this hidden gem was designed by T.C. Simpson and possesses all the characteristics of links golf from tee to green.

The isolated holes confer a wonderful feeling of privacy and the course demands all the shots in the bag.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the County Louth Golf Club, East Ireland, today.

Portmarnock
Surrounded By Water On Three Sides, You'll Be Challenged From Every Direction... And Love It!

Portmarnock Golf Club was founded in 1894. With it's location on a peninsula in the Irish Sea, for many years players could only reach the course by boat.

Portmarnock has hosted twelve Irish Opens, the 1960 Canada Cup (Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead captured the trophy), the Walker, the old Dunlap Masters in 1991, and the 1949 British Amateur Championship.

It is one of the world's genuine links courses, because it is located on a peninsula that extends to into the Irish Sea. Because the course is surrounded by water on three sides, players must be able to adapt to wind direction. There are no two successive holes that play in the same direction, therefore the winds direction will change throughout the course. Tom Watson said, "There are no tricks or nasty surprises, only an honest, albeit searching test of shot making skills."

Usually ranked in the top 40 in the world, the course is a pure joy. Bernard Darwin stated "I know of no greater finish in the world than that of the last five holes at Portmarnock."

Master's Champion Bernhard Langer designed the Portmarnock Championship Course, which opened in 1995. His brilliant planning gave the course all the features required for a links purist.

This course flows beautifully and has a natural atmosphere. However, it is as professional as a golf course can be. There are nearly 100 quality bunkers scattered throughout the course, including an array of pot-bunkers known to stress even the most seasoned golfer. The Portmarnock Championship Course is stunning, challenging, and offers a magnificent round of golf.

Founded in 1894 and originally reached by boat, Portmarnock has played host to countless championships, most notably the Irish Open, the Canada (World) Cup, the Walker Cup and old Dunlop Masters. Curiously, even the British Amateur championship was played here,in 1949, when an Irishman, Max McReady, won.

The 15th hole, a par 3, is particularly fine.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the The Links at Portmarnock golf club, East Ireland today.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the The European Golf Club, East Ireland, today.

The Island

A wonderful example of a traditional links, close to Portmarnock and to Dublin, The Island was designed by Alister Mackenzie (who created Augusta with Bobby Jones).

A venue for the Irish Professional Championships, the course was constructed from an old quarry, with the 4th playing across the river.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package including The Island Golf Club, East Ireland today.

The K Club
Two Great Courses To Play, From One Well-Known Designer
 
The K Club has two unique and fantastic golf courses, designed by Arnold Palmer.

The North Course, also known as the Palmer Course, opened in 1991 and will be hosting the 2006 Ryder Cup. It will be the first Irish course to host a Ryder Cup.

It is apparent when on the Palmer Course that Arnold Palmer designed it. It is clean, well-maintained, and somehow reeks of his charisma and charm. The course looks over the River Liffey and the river is involved in a number of holes.

This course is designed to bring out the best in your game and its uniqueness captures a golfer's spirit. The South Course, or the Smurfit Course, opened in 2003 and has already hosted the European Open.

The course was named after the resort's owner, and is an inland links course. The Smurfit Course was designed to offer the golfer a completely different experience than the Palmer Course.

For example, The Palmer course contains cultivated plants which have been placed in a very formal way, while the Smurfit Course contains wild species of plants that are randomly placed to provide a more natural feel.

Golf critics have stated it is nearly impossible to note similarities between the courses and that the Smurfit is actually more challenging than the Palmer. Both courses are championship courses and Golf Digest ranks the K Club courses as the 10th best in Ireland.

 Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the The K Club Golf Club, East Ireland, today.