About Us

Irish Golf Courses: Lahinch Golf Club

Irish golf courses: there is a multitude of golf courses throughout Ireland, providing for every level of golf proficiency. Some of these are very well known, even furnishing venues for international tournaments, and afford a memorable golfing experience. But out of all of them Lahinch Golf Course occupies a very special place in Irish golf: its location, its history, and its characterful layout all contribute to a really special experience for any golfing enthusiast.

Location in the West of Ireland:
Lahinch Golf Club is located on the edge of the small seaside resort of Lahinch in County Clare, on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. The culture of the sport so imbues the town of Lahinch that it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between the town and the golf course. To present golfers with a combination of unique golfing challenges to add to the enjoyment of one of the most unspoilt parts of Ireland, Lahinch Golf Club provides two 18-hole links courses, the Castle Course and the famous Old Course, the gem of Irish golf courses.

Origins:
Founded in 1892, due to the fortuitious cooperation between officials of the Limerick Golf Club and officers of the Black Watch Regiment then stationed in Limerick, Lahinch soon took its place as one of the premier links courses of Ireland.

Layout:
The naturally existing sand-dune terrain was turned to good advantage by Dr Alister MacKenzie when he modelled the course in the 1920s. A major project begun by Martin Hawtree in 1999, and now successfully completed, has been restoring the MacKenzie characteristics lost by subsequent alterations. Also contributing to the characterful nature of the Old Course are two holes which still survive from the input made by Old Tom Morris in 1894 - No.4, "The Klondyke," and No.5, "The Dell."

The South of Ireland Amatuer Open Championships:
A highlight of Ireland's golfing calendar is the "South of Ireland" Amateur Open Championship. Begun in 1895, the "South of Ireland" still has its home at Lahinch's Old Course, and is keenly contested by Ireland's amateur golfers.