Portmarnock Golf Club

About Portmarnock Golf Club

The greens at Portmarnock are some of the fastest and truest you will experience, which is just one reason why Portmarnock golf course has hosted so many important golfing events, including the Irish Open more than 10 times.

Set on the picturesque coastline just ten miles to the north of fair Dublin City herself, Portmarnock Golf Club is perched on a slim tongue of duneland. This is where Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead claimed victory in the 1960 Canada Cup, and where Phil Mickelson and David Duval secured an unforgettable Walker Cup triumph in 1991. Play here and you walk in the footsteps of legends. The club has hosted many stagings of the European Tour's Irish Open Championship, reflecting the sheer quality of this links course’s 27 holes.

A Brief History

• The course was designed by William Pickerman and George Ross, and opened on St. Stephen’s Day 1894 with nine holes
• Nine more holes were added in 1971
• Hosted the first Irish Open in 1927
• Regularly cited as one of the world's greatest links courses
• Voted as the best golf links in Ireland by Golf Digest magazine

Featured hole – Hole 15

The 15th hole at Portmarnock is a 204 Yard Par 3, a coastal hole and the course's infamous signature. If you appreciate being tested, you’ll love the challenge it brings. Take great care or you'll find your tee ball sailing right onto the beach, at which point all you can do is give in and attempt a par save. Remember to steer clear of the three treacherous bunkers defending the green and don't allow yourself to become too distracted by the views, however difficult that is.

Known for: A Brutal Final Five Holes

Portmarnock is widely considered to be one of the world's fairest and purest links golf courses, delivering an incredible challenge as well as a genuine test of golf, and the final five holes play no small part in that. Tom Watson, the five-times Open Champion, summed it up perfectly: "There are no tricks or nasty surprises, only an honest, albeit searching test of shot making skills." But it was Bernard Darwin who hit the nail on the head. In his words, “I know of no greater finish in the world than that of the last five holes at Portmarnock". He was right. They are brutal, so you must prepare yourself for battle.