Fancy an Irish venue with more than 18 holes? Connemara Golf Links has you covered! 

 

The Connemara Links, founded in 1973, may well be one of the youngest golf clubs in the country. It has 27 holes of stunning links golf, overlooking Connemara Bay Beach and the North Atlantic Ocean. 

 

Eddie Hackett was the man to design the original 18 holes – the Championship Course – and he returned in 2000, alongside Tom Craddock to design the third loop of nine.  

 

  

Visit the Connemara Golf Links website here.  

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Connemara Golf Links recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. In most circles, that would suggest that it is old. However, in terms of Irish golf, Connemara doesn’t even come close to being old! 

 

Eddie Hackett was the man to design the original 18 holes, which opened when the club was founded in 1973. 

 

He returned at the start of the 21st Century to add a further nine holes to make Connemara Golf Links into a stunning 27-hole venue. 

Connemara Golf Links is one of just a few venues on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland that is not a straight up 18-hole venue. Instead, the club features 27 holes, split into the A, B and C loops, with each loop starting and ending at the clubhouse. The course is characterised by rocky outcrops, with white stones peeking through coarse grasses. This leads to some terrific green sites that call for bold approach shots. 

 

The A and B loops join to make the Championship Course, with the C loop offering some of the most difficult holes on the property. From the back tees, the B loop is the longest of the three, pushing past 3,600 yards. Add on the A loop and the Championship Course plays at 7,000 yards. The C loop might be the most difficult, but it is also the shortest at just 3,150 yards from the tips.  

 

The first two holes on the Championship Course at Connemara are tricky par 4s to kick off the round, with the 3rd having the backdrop of Aillabrack Lough. 4 and 5 are similar par 4s, each with a slight turn to the left, with the par 3 6th playing at 200 yards from the tips. What follows is the longest hole on the property. 7 plays more than 570 yards from the tips, and once you get to the green, there are five bunkers awaiting anything mishit or wayward. The front nine finishes with two long par 4s, with the 8th being the hardest hole on the A loop. 

 

The B loop also starts with a lengthy par 4, before the par 3 11th features five greenside bunkers. The 12th is the hardest hole on the Championship Course, with 13 then being a par 3 of more than 210 yards. 14, 17 and 18 are all par 5s, providing birdie opportunities late in the round at Connemara. However, you also have to get through the 15th and 16th without putting a big number on your card, which is more than likely across these two tough par 4s.  

 

The third loop, added in 2000, provides some of the best views on the property, especially from the first hole. The opener plays along the beach, looking out over Connemara Bay. The 2nd is then a stunning par 3 of more than 220 yards from the tips. Two short par 4s and the par 3 5th provide some respite as the easiest three holes on the C loop before you get into the tough finish. 7 is the hardest hole on the loop, while the closing hole in the only par 5 on the C loop. However, at only 480 yards, there is a chance of making a closing birdie! 

Where is Connemara Golf Links located?  
Connemara Golf Links is one of the westernmost golf courses that you will find on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland list. Overlooking Connemara Bay Beach and out to the North Atlantic Ocean, the course offers some stunning views for its guests and members. Ballyconneely is the nearest town, while the nearest major city is Galway, 50 miles to the southeast of Connemara.  

 

International visitors to Ireland will mainly fly to Dublin Airport, the busiest in the country and the airport that services the capital city. However, Connemara is a four-hour drive from Dublin Airport. For those living in Ireland and looking at taking the train to the west, the closest station is the end of the line in Galway. The problem with that is that Galway Station is still more than 50 miles from Connemara Golf Links.  

What golf facilities does Connemara Golf Links offer?  
Along with the three nine-hole loops, Connemara Golf Links also features a driving range and practice facility which sits in between the triangle made by the 15th, 16th, and 17th holes.  

What are the green fees at Connemara Golf Links?  
The price of a green fee at Connemara Golf Links 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 Connemara Golf Links, visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit the Connemara Golf Links website here. 

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.