Lahinch (Old)

It sometimes seems that only in the past half century have some of Ireland’s greatest links courses truly taken shape.

In the south west alone there is Ballybunion, as old as the hills but curiously uncelebrated until the past 30 years. Tralee and Waterville, are also in the same mould. 

And then there is Lahinch, the Irish St Andrews, where the game has been played for over 110 years but where only in the past few years has it begun to fulfil its true potential as one of the very best.
 

2024 notes: MacKenzie's work on Old Tom's links was interrupted by his commission at Augusta. Not until Hawtree arrived at the turn of the millennium were many of his green designs restored. 


Visit Lahinch's website here.
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In terms of architectural influence, Lahinch has been touched by the hand of genius not once but twice, yet it has taken the work of a celebrated modern designer to turn the work of Old Tom Morris and then Alister MacKenzie into the layout that stands today.
 
MacKenzie arrived in 1927 and moved all of the course to the land it currently occupies. “It will make the finest and most popular course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed,” was his justifiable, if rather immodest, claim. One of his tenets of design was the creation of multi-levelled, undulating greens that put a premium on the angle of approach and therefore the drive.

His changes implemented, the course was in play for less than a decade before Walker Cup star John Burke, a Lahinch member, instigated the flattening out of several greens because they were considered to be overly difficult for the majority of players.

 

Martin Hawtree was then called in by a club sufficiently brave to dare to interfere with what remained a fabulous links yet pragmatic enough to recognise that, for several reasons, it had a become a shadow of its former self. Lahinch has undoubtedly now made the leap from spectacular to simply unmissable.
 
The venue is home to the South of Ireland Championship, a prestigious amateur tournament which is held every year. Lahinch also played host to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on the DP World Tour in 2019, with Spaniard Jon Rahm lifting the trophy.
 

Lahinch is a course without weakness; yet one that retains the endearingly eccentric features that made it special in the first place. In certain places it is as hard as any Open venue, in others as quirky as Prestwick. There are long holes, short holes, blind holes, straight holes, birdie chances and distasters in the making. In short, Lahinch combines the sheer fun of playing old-fashioned links golf with the kind of shotmaking demanded by a Muirfield. 

 

As such, the opening hole is in many ways unrepresentative of what follows. Playing straight uphill with the hazards visible and lacking in subtlety, the fun really begins on the 2nd. This downhill, sweeping par 5 is flattering when the wind is behind, although with bunkers strewn liberally down its length, thoughtless blasting is unlikely to pay off. The 3rd used to be a short hole but is anything but now. With a drive as blind, menacing and downright intimidating as some of those at Royal County Down, it can be hard to believe there is a fairway on the distant plateau. Even though the green is large and mercifully flat, four here in any kind of a wind is quite a score.
 
Light relief, however, is immediately at hand, in the form of Klondyke, the name given to a large hill over which the unseen green lies. The drive must be directed down a natural valley and since the hole usually plays downwind, the green is within comfortable reach in two for better players.
 
The real difficulty when firing over the hill lies not in committing to the right line but in club slection, because the green lies at the bottom of a slope against the boundary fence and it’s all to easy to go long. Despite the undoubted element of luck required, playing this hole well requires much more skill than critics of this type of golf would care to admit. Nevertheless, those who prefer to be able to see what they’re doing will be dumbfounded by the next hole – Dell. The bone-shaped green is completely hidden and squeezed between two hillocks and set across the line of play. Pin position for the day is indicated by a white marker on a pulley. Simply unique.
 
The thrills continue at the 6th, played back towards the sea, where the fairway turns into a monstrous pit over which the second shot must be played. The view approaching the green of Liscannor Bay is links golf at its best. The next two holes are played parallel to the shore, the latter being a par three where the green is an island in a sea of wild rough.

Following a pair of less spectacular, inland holes, Hawtree’s new green at the short 11th created yet another mind-blowing short hole.  Then comes a new par 5, extended from was a par 4, that follows the line of the bay towards the distant church ruins. With a bottleneck entry to the green, only the brave and the foolhardy will attack from distance. The rare luxury of a drivable par four follows, although as always on this type of hole it’s all too easy to rack up five or six thanks to misplaced aggression. Nevertheless, earning a shot in hand is invaluable before tackling the next two holes that measure 451 and 466 yards respectively.
 
In times past, the quality of the Old Course's closing holes was brought into question, but that’s no longer a valid criticism. Hawtree has redesigned the 17th green, raising it and introducing more marked contours. Four is an excellent score here but to match it on the 534-yard 18th is even more impressive.
 

Where is Lahinch Golf Club located?
Lahinch Golf Club is located in Lahinch, County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. The town is known for its beautiful sandy beach, making it a popular spot for swimming and water sports. The N67, which runs from Galway to Talbert, runs alongside the golf course.

The nearest major airport to Lahinch is Shannon Airport, which is approximately 50 km southeast of Lahinch - around a 45 minute to an hour drive. For those looking for a bigger airport, Dublin Airport - which services the nation's capital city - is around three hours to the east by road.

How many courses are at Lahinch?
The Old Course is one of two stunning 18-hole layouts at Lahinch Golf Club. The venue is also home to the Castle Course.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?
Lahinch is one of just two venues in County Clare than occupies a spaces on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland list. The other is Trump Ireland in Doonbeg, around 20 miles south of Lahinch. Dromoland Castle is also within 25 miles of the venue, but much further inland.

What golf facilities does Lahinch Golf Club offer?  
Along with having two golf courses, Lahinch is also home to some stunning practice facilities. There is an Indoor Academy Facility, which houses a simulator for premium practice, while there is also a driving range, short game area and putting green outside as well. 
 

What are the green fees at Lahinch Golf Club?
The price of a green fee at Lahinch changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

 

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

Visit Lahinch's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.