Michigan Golf Journal October 2021

secretary escorted my friends and I to the first tee chatting all the way and generally making us feel like the most important non-members to ever play there. I’ve also heard about the German visitor who arrived at the 18 th green to see the Flagge Deutschland flying on the club’s flagpole. I don’t know if this sort of thing happens with every visitor, but it gives you an idea of the sort of club we’re talking about. Anyway, the course, originally laid out in 1909 but later totally rebuilt by club pro RJ Browne, is everything a great links should be – all fescue/ marram-covered dunes, firm fairways, hollows, rises, sea views and fun greens. €95 – landbgolfclub.ie Northwest Portsalon – Co. Donegal (75 minutes west of Ballyliffin, 25 minutes east of Rosapenna) One of the nine clubs that together formed the GUI in 1891, Portsalon was originally designed by Charles Thompson, pro at the County Club (now Royal Portrush). Today’s course, however, is really the result of Pat Ruddy’s phenomenal redesign in 2000 when the former journalist and founder/designer of the European Club built nine new holes and left only five of the originals untouched. €100 – portsalongolfclub.ie Dunfanaghy – Co. Donegal (25 minutes west of Rosapenna) British soldiers are said to have whacked balls here as far back as 1740, but it wasn’t until 1906 that the golf club officially formed. The course was designed by six-time Open champion Harry Vardon (he’d won four of the six when he first visited Donegal) whose narrow routing alongside Killahoey Beach runs from west to east and back again, turning for home at the exquisite 124-yard 9 th hole which crosses an arc of beach sand. €60 – dunfanaghygolfclub.com Strandhill – Co. Sligo (20 minutes south of Co. Sligo, 45 minutes east of Enniscrone) Eddie Hackett extended Strandhill’s original nine holes to 18 in 1973 creating a Par 70 of about 6,350 yards (the club’s scorecard uses meters) that is a fabulous follow-up to your morning game at Co. Sligo. Bordered by Cullenamore Beach, Strandhill Beach and the lower slopes of a 1,000 ft limestone hill called Knocknarea, Strandhill is another of those courses that might not appear on your starting itinerary, but which you’ll be so pleased you added along the way. €100 - strandhillgolfclub.com Southwest Castlegregory – Co. Kerry (45 minutes east of Ceann Sibeal, 45 minutes west of Tralee, 60 minutes south of Ballybunion) It’s likely a fair chunk of your trip to Ireland will be spent in Kerry where legendary links courses seem to proliferate. But after a morning round at Waterville, Tralee, Ballybunion, Ceann Sibeal Lahinch Castle 37 October 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com