Golf Open Weeks Ireland: Batch 5

En route to the 1st tee at Galway.

Six more Irish Golf Open Weeks coming up in late July/early August. (Several more are still running from the previous blog, here - listed in date order.)









1. Ballyneety Golf Club (July 20 - 26)
Entry Fees €15-€20
Formerly Limerick County, this is a colourful parkland which wraps around a hill. Lots of movement to holes, water features galore and a design far smarter than you might expect.

A lovely downhill tee shot on Ballyneety's 9th.

2. Galway Golf Club (July 27 - August 3)
Entry Fees €30
A sweet parkland that slides down to the sea and offers attractive views over to The Burren. To be honest, there aren't many opportunities to play the course in events like these (it's a very popular club), so take advantage.

The excellent par four 14th at Galway.

3. Narin & Portnoo (July 28 - August 3)
Entry Fees €25
One of the 'hidden gems' of Irish golf, the only reason Narin & Portnoo isn't mentioned in the same breath as the the big links is its location... which is a long way from another course and not on the most obvious route. It is tucked away on the Co. Donegal coastline, but it is definitely worth a visit, with its ridge of dunes running down the centre of the course.

View over Narin & Portnoo's 9th green from the 8th tee.

4. Naas (July 31 - August 9)
Entry Fees €10-€20
A parkland on Dublin's outskirts with some terrific holes and plenty of movement to fairways. It has all the ingredients for a testing and enjoyable round of golf.

The opening par four at Naas, doglegging right.

5. Edenderry (August 1 - 9)
Entry Fees €5-€10
A country parkland on Co. Offaly, with some interesting holes along the bottom of the course, crossing ditches and weaving through big evergreens. It's a simple design, but there is plenty of adventure here.

The 2nd at Edenderry

6. Spa (August 15 - 22)
Entry Fees £10-£15
Certainly one of Northern Ireland's unknown but extremely good parklands, tucked away in the heart of Co. Down. Lots of movement and rolling hillsides, and a terrific story about a golfer chopping down an irksome tree in the middle of the night.

The par four 9th at Spa drops to a stream and then rises to the clubhouse.