Chasing the perfect links dream

PHILIP REIDreveals the choice of the best outward journey of the best of Irish links holes from a vast selection

PHEW! SO, now we know how Old Tom must have felt. The idea to come up with an eclectic course of the very best of Irish links holes, to be honest, sounded easy. In reality, it proved extremely difficult; and mainly because there were an abundance of truly great and memorable holes available.

Our front nine won’t be agreed on by everyone, for sure. It represents an outward journey that, as it turned out, was fairly traditional: a par 36, measuring 3,731 yards. There are two par threes, two par fives and five par fours and, perhaps, the only quirk is that there are back-to-back par threes.

The plan was to create the ultimate golf links. The world’s greatest golf course designers have gone into our unique dunes systems and found and created some of the world’s greatest holes. Yet, what we discovered, is that it is nigh near impossible to create the ultimate links: the simple fact of the matter is Ireland possesses so many great holes!

What we’ve done – with input from readers – is to create the closest thing we can to an ultimate links. But it was a challenge, from the very first hole.

The first hole at Portstewart – an imposing start for any golfer – eventually got the vote, ahead of Doonbeg’s opener, but determining the nature and variety of holes over the dream course simply reaffirmed just how many great links courses we are fortunate to have on our shores: north, south, east and west.

As the late Peter Dobereiner, a great golf writer not from these shores, once wrote, “the best of Irish courses are the best anywhere . . .” He was right, and remains so.

1stPortstewart (Strand)

427 yards, par four.

In all of golf, there is no more spectacular opening hole. Really. From the elevated tee box, one that could well induce vertigo, the golfer’s first task is to drive to the dogleg fairway below which is lined by towering sand hills.

The fairway coils left to right through the dunes and the tee shot must be a committed one. The approach is played to a large green nestled in more hills.

Close Call: 1st at Doonbeg, Par 5

2nd Tralee

596 yards, par five.

With cliffs and the Atlantic Ocean all the way down the right hand side of the hole, this par five – the longest hole on the Arnold Palmer-designed course – is a true classic. It runs all along the cliff’s edge.

The corner cannot be cut off the tee and the onus is on the player to find a safe route down the fairway. A real three-shot hole to reach a green that lies perilously close to the cliff edge.

Close Call: 2nd at Portsalon, Par 4

3rdLahinch (Old Course)

446 yards, par four.

A blind tee shot over the sand hills to find the fairway is the first tough ask here on a classic links hole. In his redesign, Martin Hawtree made the hill less severe but more tough questions are asked of the golfer with a long approach to a green that retains the influence of Alister Mackenzie, with run offs, wonderful undulations and subtleties.

Close Call: 3rd at Royal County Down, Par 4.

4thRoyal County Down

213 yards, par three.

You stand on the tee and, if the scene ahead projects a tranquil setting with the mountains of Mourne as a famed backdrop, the challenge is immense.

Firstly, you must hit the tee-shot over a sea of gorse to a long and narrow green which is protected by bunkering. For good measure, the green – running from front to back – has severe run offs either side and to the back.

Close Call: 4th at The Island, Par 4.

5thCo Louth

173 yards, par three.

Standing on the tee, a player will have many conundrums swirling in their head.

The uphill tee shot to a green guarded by bunkers – front right and to the right – and a sand hill right will call for nothing less than a fully committed swing, as anything left of the green will run into a deep swale with a most difficult recovery shot.

Close Call: 5th at Royal Portrush (Dunluce), Par 4.

6thDoonbeg

370 yards, par four.

A quite magnificent par four, the drive is partially blind and the deep bunker – a trait at Doonbeg – down the right of the fairway must be avoided.

The fairway is rolling and undulating, which brings in the essence of links golf and the approach shot to the green should preferably find the middle or the right hand side.

Close Call: 6th at Lahinch (Old Course), Par 4.

7thThe European

470 yards, par four.

The designer Pat Ruddy has a mischievous streak, making this hole appear even longer and the fairways tighter than they are. The optical illusion is the result of clever use of reeds down the left hand side, while a burn runs across the front of the fairway and all up the right hand side.

The onus is on a great drive and then a great approach and, if you’re lucky, a great putt (but more likely a chip). It is a hole that asks all the right questions of a golfer. Deliverance awaits the brave, and the good.

Close Call: 7th at Ballybunion (Old Course), Par 4.

8thDonegal

550 yards, par five.

A wild and rambling and wonderfully suffocating par five that runs along the north Atlantic coastline.

It is a long hole that epitomises all that is great about links golf, with the wind – invariably – accentuating the challenge from tee to green.

The rollicking, undulating fairways run along high dunes to a green that allows no slackness once the putter is in your hands.

Close Call: 8th at Portmarnock (Old), Par 4.

9thRoyal County Down

486 yards, par four.

The task from the elevated tee is two-fold: firstly, to suck in the sheer, majestic beauty of Slieve Donard in the background; the second, more importantly perhaps, is to commit fully to a drive that needs to be long and accurate to find the fairway below.

The hole is lined by gorse and dunes and the approach shot to the green – protected by bunkers – is one that is not for the fainthearted.

Close Call: 9th at Ballybunion (Old Course), Par 4.

Dream LinksOut: 3,731 yards.

Par: 36.

The reader whose choice of the 18 best links holes most closely matches that of the judges will win a signed and limited edition print of Pádraig Harrington.

The beautifully framed print highlights the Dubliner’s three major wins – British Open championship (2007 and 2008) and US PGA (2008) – and is also available on www.sportstarpics.com

The back nine of the eclectic dream links will be announced next week.

A perfect nine

1st –Portstewart Par 4

2nd –Tralee Par 5

3rd –Lahinch Par 4

4th –Royal County Down Par 3

5th – Co Louth Par 3

6th – Doonbeg Par 4

7th –European Par 4

8th – Donegal Par 5

9th – Royal County Down Par 4