Powerscourt

The Powerscourt Estate is one of several venues in and around the Irish capital city that earns a place on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts list. Located within an hour’s drive from Dublin, Powerscourt has everything a golfer might need during their resort stay, thanks to two 18-hole courses, a wonderful spa and wellness facility, and glorious accommodation in the form of rooms and suites at the Powerscourt Hotel.

The Powerscourt Golf Club plays host to two stunning 18-hole layouts, both of which were designed in an eight-year span around the turn of the millennium. Peter McEvoy designed the East Course, which opened in 1996, while David McLay Kidd was the man behind the West Course, opening shortly after the start of the 21st Century. Both can push to 7,000 yards from the back tees, and offer great views of the Wicklow Mountains.

Both the Powerscourt Spa & Wellness and the Powerscourt Hotel also have the same views, with the former being one of the premier spas in and around Dublin. The hotel has 198 rooms and suites, tailored to suit the needs of all guests. King, Twin, Double and Family Rooms in Classic, Superior and Mountain View form, along with a range of stunning suites – the Powerscourt Suite being the best of the best at the hotel.

Visit Powerscourt's website here.

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.

Powerscourt, like many venues on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Resorts list, is blessed to have two fantastic 18-hole layouts. At Powerscourt, these are the East Course and the West Course. The East is the older of the two tracks, with the West being the championship offering.

You can visit the Powerscourt Golf Club website here.

The East Course

Originally known as the Slazenger Course, the East was the first to be designed and constructed at the venue. Peter McEvoy was the man behind the layout, which opened in 1996. When Powerscourt became a 36-hole venue just seven years later, the name as changed to reflect the course’s position on the resort.

The East Course at Powerscourt plays in two loops of nine, with the front nine working its way around the driving range facility, and the back nine playing in a horseshoe fashion to the north of the resort. From the tips, the East can push to 7,000 yards, with the front nine playing through thick trees. There is a great run of holes around the turn, with five consecutive par 4s offering different challenges.

On the back nine, the course opens out slightly, with the 11th being the only hole on the course not to feature any sand. Water comes into play on the short 16th, the last of the par 3s on the East, with your tee shot having to carry a small pond to find the putting surface. The layout ends with more water, this time to the right of the landing zone off the tee, before the hole turns left for your final approach to the green which sits directly in front of the clubhouse.

The West Course

David McLay Kidd, the man behind Machrihanish Dunes and the latest course at Streamsong, designed the West Course, which has become the championship offering at Powerscourt. Kidd’s design has brought links holes and parkland holes together to create an 18-hole layout with a sublime mix, which also offers views of the Irish Sea and Sugarloaf Mountain. Like the East Course, it pushes to 7,000 yards from the tips and there are plenty of hazards to be wary of.

The opening hole is one of two par 5s that push the 600-yard mark. Playing as a dog-leg right, there is a wide landing zone, but only the very longest of hitters will be able to reach the 1st green with their second shots. The other is the 16th - the longest hole on the course at 595 yards from the tips. You cannot see the green from the tee, as it winds its way around the trees, playing as a dog-leg left.

6 and 11 are the two short par 3s on the West Course at Powerscourt. The 6th is 165 yards, and plays over a stream and sand trap, The 11th is just a few yards longer, played to a triangular green with a pair of bunkers guarding it. The course finishes with the tough par 5 18th. There is a wide landing area for the drive, but from there, things get difficult. Water is on the left side of the hole for the last 150 yards or so, and anything pulled with find it on your approach.

Check out our full piece on the West Course at Powerscourt here.

There are just shy of 200 rooms and suites at the Powerscourt Hotel, which features Palladian-style architecture and beautiful design in each of the offerings. It begins with the Classic Deluxe Rooms – in both Twin and King forms – with Superior Deluxe Rooms and Mountain View Deluxe Rooms also available.

The Superior Triple Rooms and Deluxe Family Rooms are the best bet for families, while Interconnecting Rooms are also available, to provide adults some privacy from their children, while also keeping them close by as well!

The Classic Suites come in three varieties – King, Twin and Family – to provide for every need, while there are also Mountain View Suites, providing guests with a view of the glorious Wicklow Mountains. These suites also come in King and Double options, along with a number that also have their own balcony. Finally, there is the Powerscourt Suite, which is the very best of the best at the estate, more than 130 square metres and the utmost luxury.

As part of the facilities at the Powerscourt Hotel, Powerscourt Spa & Wellness provides the perfect places to relax and enjoy some time away from everything, surrounded by the views of the Wicklow Mountains as the backdrop to the facility.

The spa has a Swarovski-Crystal lit heated pool and several Thermal Suites for guests to enjoy, while there is also a large range of treatments and massages on offer, all provided by qualified therapists and masseuses.

Where is Powerscourt?

The Powerscourt Estate sits just a few miles inland from the eastern coast of Ireland. The venue is in County Wicklow, and just five miles by road from the centre of Bray. It is in the shadows of the Wicklow Mountains National Park, and is also just an hour’s drive from Dublin.

What is the nearest airport and station to the Powerscourt Estate?

Bray is home to the nearest train station to Powerscourt Golf Club, five miles to the east of the venue, and situated on the Irish Sea coastline. The station sits on the line between Dublin Connolly and Rosslare, down the east coast of the country. For international visitors to the region, Dublin Airport is the biggest and busiest international airport in Ireland. Located on the northern side of the Irish capital, Dublin Airport is around an hour from Powerscourt.

What golf facilities does Powerscourt offer?

Along with the East and West Courses, Powerscourt is also home to a large, state-of-the-art driving range, which sits just outside the clubhouse, and inside the East Course. There are target greens to aim at, and the range is sheltered to allow for practice in all conditions. There are also two putting greens, one by the driving range and one by the 1st tee of the West Course.

Does Powerscourt offer golf lessons?

Along with two stunning golf courses and some wonderful practice facilities, Powerscourt Golf Club also offers a range of lessons. There are individual lessons, group lessons and even full day packages, where you play 9 holes of golf, along with coaching and tuition in all aspects of the game.

What are the green fees at Powerscourt?

The price of a green fee at Powerscourt 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 and play offers at the resort as well.

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

What accommodation is on offer at the Powerscourt Estate?

There is a great range of rooms and suites in the Powerscourt Hotel. Classic and Superior Rooms come in both King and Twin varieties, with Mountain View rooms also available. Classic Suites, Mountain View Suites and the Powerscourt Suite round out the options for those staying for a few nights at the Irish venue.

What other venues on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Resorts list are nearby?

The Powerscourt Estate is one of several venues on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Resorts list to be based in and around the Irish capital city of Dublin. Druids Glen is just ten miles to the south, while the Portmarnock Hotel, The K Club and Carton House are all within a 35-mile drive of Powerscourt.