North West Ireland

There is so much more to Ireland than the string of celebrated courses in Kerry. One area in particular that I feel always unfairly misses out on the headlines is the North West. In Mayo and Sligo, you can experience what I term 'real links golf'. Forget all these striped fairways and tee-boxes that look like they've been trimmed with a pair of hand scissors. Carne, Enniscrone and Rosses Point showcase links golf at it's best. Rugged, windswept, wholesome courses with beautifully kept greens.

Carne is a 15 year old golf course that looks as if it dates back to the 1800's. It was the final links course to be designed by the late, great Eddie Hackett, and many believe it to be his finest work. Some architects push the aesthetic boundaries too far, sacrificing the quality of the course itself. Hackett has a reputation for getting this balance just right.

He was also responsible for much of Enniscrone, although Donald Steel later reworked six of the holes. Both courses remind me a little of the fabulous front nine at Portstewart. Many of the fairways and greens are directly enclosed by an ampitheatre of sand hills and dunes. The rough is extremely penal, and like all true links links courses, the emphasis is on solid striking and straight hitting.

Perhaps the most well known of the three is County Sligo Golf Club, affectionately known as Rosses Point. It is famous in Irish golfing circles for it's hosting of The West of Ireland Championship, one of the four 'majors' on the amateur circuit. Both Harrington and McIlroy have won this title on their road to the paid ranks. In fact, throughout it's 85 year history it has consistently produced deserving winners - the sign of a great championship golf course. The club itself dates back to 1894, with Harry Colt redesigning the layout in 1927. Golf commentator Peter Alliss once remarked, "A tremendous test for the highest quality player and great fun for the modest competitor, Rosses Point stands at the very top of the list of Irish courses". The signature hole here is the par 4 17th. A testing uphill dogleg to the left that requires a tee shot to right of centre. From here, you must hit a long towering approach to a raised green, or be faced with a tricky up-and-down from their version of 'The Valley of Sin'. Possibly the best 17th hole in Ireland.

I like to offer my clients a range of high-end accommodation options when building an itinerary. For the discerning executive golfer, 'where to stay' is almost as important as 'where to play'. However, when it comes to this segment of Ireland - and Mayo in particular - I don't even bother listing an alternative to the magnificent Mount Falcon Country House Hotel & Spa. When you read through the guestbook and notice the name of a certain Tiger Woods, you know you've made the right choice. The location is ideal. Situated on the west bank of the River Moy, Mount Falcon sits nestled in a beautiful 100 acre estate close to the town of Ballina. It is the perfect base for playing the three aforementioned courses, and is also only 30mins from Knock Airport. The main part of the baronial house was commissioned in 1872 by a young Irish gentleman as a present for his bride. Recently, it has been sympathetically extended, and refurbished from top to toe. Inside, you couldn't wish for a more peaceful, charming environment. It's spacious, fresh and modern, but retains every last drop of it's rich Irish culture. The suites are enormous, and the hospitality is faultless. And did I mention the hotel has the exclusive rights to the best stretch of salmon fishing in Ireland? The K Club is a special place, as is The Merrion in Dublin, but I think Mount Falcon edges it for me. It's a heavenly retreat... and as I described above, the nearby golf isn't too bad either.