Adare Manor

Adare Manor is one of Ireland's best inland layouts, without doubt. Located in the southern part of the country, just ten miles from the city of Limerick, the venue will play host to the 2027 Ryder Cup, as the sport's biggest biennial tournament returns to Ireland for the first time since it was at the K Club back in 2006.

The venue dates back to the 19th Century, while the name for the place comes from the 12th Century. The golf course has only been around for three decades, with Robert Trent Jones Sr designing the original course. Tom Fazio redesigned the layout prior to the venue being awarded the Ryder Cup.


You can read our full piece on the Adare Manor Resort here. 
Visit the Adare Manor website here.  

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage. 

 

Adare Manor’s name comes from the feudal system which was introduced following the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1170. For four centuries, the Fitzgerald family ruled the Manor, but after the Desmond Rebellions in the late 16th Century, the castle was dismantled and the land was shared between existing landowners. Work on the new manor house, now known as Adare Manor, started in the 1830s and took more than 30 years to be completed.

 

The original golf course was built in the 1990s, after being designed by Robert Trent Jones. The course hosted the Irish Open in both 2007 and 2008, with Padraig Harrington winning on home soil in the former. 

 

Tom Fazio then redesigned the course, which was reopened in 2018. It has been created in harmony with the outstanding natural beauty of its surroundings: lush, softly rolling terrain, mature tree-scaping, and the sweeping banks of the River Maigue.

 

In 2019, Adare Manor was announced as the host of the 2026 Ryder Cup, with the news meaning it would become just the second Irish venue to host the biennial team event, after the 2006 edition at the K Club. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic postponing the 2020 edition back to 2021, all future events have also been pushed back. Adare Manor will now host the Ryder Cup in 2027.
 

In recent years, Tom Fazio has taken the original Robert Trent Jones Sr design and sprinkled his own magic on it to make it the gem that it is today. The thick rough that once surrounded the Adare fairways has now been mown down, and there are only 42 bunkers on the course. 14 of the 18 holes feature water hazards, with the River Maigue winding its way around the property. Fazio’s remodeling of the course means that Adare Manor is now all about the greens and their surrounds. The green surfaces are slick and undulating, so even if you do find the dance floor, it will no doubt be a difficult putt. 

All bar three of the holes on the new layout feature water, and it starts at the opener. A par 4 played to a generous fairway, the approach is then played over the burn to a small putting surface. The tee shot on 2 also plays over the same burn, before turning slightly left towards the green. The 3rd fairway is angled slightly from the tee, so to hold it requires an accurate tee shot. A single bunker protects the left side of the green.

 

All of the par 3s have that added element of water as well. The 4th tees off from beside the lake, and has the River Maigue running behind the green. The 6th is more than 220 yards from the tips, with the lake at its back. Sandwiched in between those is the par 4 5th, with the tee shot played over the corner of the lake. Two bunkers also sit on the inside corner, just to make the tee shot that bit more difficult. The 7th is the first of the quartet of par 5s at Adare Manor, and it moves to the right throughout, hugging the edge of the lake.

 

The 8th is another tough par 4, moving from right to left. The 9th hole at Adare Manor is the longest on the property, measuring more than 630 yards from the back tees. Find the fairway with the tee shot and you have a chance at making the green in three, but the edges are the green are not visible, making it a tricky surface to find with an approach shot.

 

The back nine starts with one of the gentler par 4s on the layout, before the second par 3 of more than 220 yards. That comes at 11, which plays over the River Maigue. Another of more than 600 yards, the 12th is a testing par 5 that moves round to the left around the trees. 13 and 14 are both testing par 4s, both of which are more than 450 yards in length.

 

The 15th is the easiest par 4 on the course at just 350 yards from the tips. The tee shot is over the River Maigue, but if you can find the fairway, it will be your shortest second shot of the day. The 16th is the last par 3, and the carry is entirely over water to a wide but shallow green. From the tips, the 17th is one of the longest par 4s you will find anywhere, pushing past the 515-yard mark!

 

The closing hole at Adare Manor is the signature hole, with the Manor House setting the backdrop to the green. It is a classic Robert Trent Jones Sr risk-and-reward par 5. The River Maigue guards the left side of the fairway off the tee, so make sure to keep your drive right. Players are then left with a decision – cross the river with the second shot or stay right of it? If you stay right, then the third shot becomes very tricky. If you have the distance, then cross the river as it will make the third shot much easier, playing up the green, instead of across the water.
 

Where is Adare Manor located?
Adare Manor is located in the south of the Republic of Ireland. It is between situated the towns of Adare and Ballytrasna in County Limerick, with the city of Limerick being around ten miles away to the northeast. The city of Cork 60 miles touh, while the Irish capital of Dublin is 135 miles to the northeast of Adare Manor. 

 

Limerick is also home to the nearest train station, ten miles from the venue, with services running to Waterford, Galway and Dublin. Shannon Airport is the closest to Adare Manor, 25 miles north of the resort. Cork Airport is 60 miles away, while Dublin Airport - the busiest in Ireland - is around 140 miles away.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?
Dromoland Castle another venue that also features on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Resorts list, is the closest venue to Adare Manor, located around 30 miles north. Tralee, Trump International (Doonbeg) and Ballybunion - with its Old Course and Cashen Course - are all within 60 miles.

What golf facilities does Adare Manor offer?  
Adare Manor has plenty to offer in the way of golfing facilities. The practice area at Adare is world-class, with a driving range, short game area and approach play area. There are real greens and bunkers to aim at on the range and approach areas, while the short game area has bunkers you can play from, to practice some of the shots that might be needed out on the course.

 

What are the green fees at Adare Manor?
The price of a green fee at Adare Manor changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Adare Manor, visit their website here. 

You can read our full piece on the Adare Manor Resort here. 
Visit the Adare Manor website here.  

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.