COURSE REVIEW

Lahinch's Old Course in Ireland is links golf at its best

By Brandon Tucker,
Staff Writer

The Old Course at Lahinch Golf Club, redesigned first by Alister Mackenzie in 1927, is a visual stunner to rival the British Isle's most spectacular and storied golf courses. There isn't a mundane shot on the entire golf course, and your jaw will often drop at the views. Undulating fairways, heavily guarded greens and blind shots are among Lahinch's challenges.

LAHINCH, Ireland - When Alister Mackenzie completed his redesign of the Old Course at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland in 1927, he left with high praise for the land and the golf course he'd just worked with.

"Lahinch will make the finest and most popular course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed," he said.

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It was high praise from the Scotsman who went on to build Cypress Point in Monterrey, California the following year and later Augusta National in Georgia.

Mackenzie wasn't the first to be awestruck with Lahinch. In 1894, Old Tom Morris remarked that Lahinch's land made for the best natural course he'd ever seen.

A century later, the superlatives still ring true at Lahinch's Old Course. It's a visual stunner, rivaling the British Isle's most spectacular stages. This especially holds true after the club's five-year restoration project from 1998-2003. Among the improvements was the amplification of trouble around the greens. Bunkers, swales and mounding make approach shots from any distance a challenge.

Despite this reputation for its eye candy, Lahinch's two most famous holes have gained their reputation based on blind shots. The 4th "Klondyke" and 5th "Dell" are Old Tom Morris as his most deceptive. Klondyke is an odd par-5 that plays closer to a par-4 in the modern era, but the second shot is straight over a towering dune. You can't see the green or anything for that matter, you just have to let it rip over the white aiming stone and hope it lands soft.

The par-3 "Dell" features a shallow green tucked entirely behind a dune. It's also been the sight of some dirty tricks by some caddies at Lahinch in the past.

"If the ball was on the green or near the hole, the caddie might rush up and put the ball into the hole," John Rouine, superintendent at Lahinch. "The golfer might come along looking for the ball and the caddie would say, ‘check the hole' and sure enough it would be in there. I think the club caught onto it and put a stop to it though."

Lahinch's finest hole in terms of overall beauty comes right after Dell: the long par-4 6th: Playing uphill from the tee, there's little visibility, but once you turn the corner, the downhill shot to the green on the cusp of the sea is a sight to behold. The giant "Mine" bunker is more of a black hole, funneling anything near it down into the depths.

Most of the front nine plays on the club's most rugged links land, but the back nine doesn't drop off much at all. The par-5 12, playing along the edge of an inlet and bridge, with the Castle Dough in the distance as the line off the tee is one of the course's best tee shots. The par-3 16th, playing downhill to a green heavily protected by bunkers and a stone wall separating the green from the road in back requires perfection to hit in high winds. The course finishes with a par-5 that has been lengthened, crossing through the 4th and 5th holes. It's about as flat of a hole as you'll find here, but there are enough undulations to make the fairway - with bunkers on both sides - difficult to identify.

The Old Course at Lahinch: The Verdict

Lahinch Golf Club Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland Tel: (0)65-7081003 web: www.lahinchgolf.com

Mackenzie's words upon completion set a pretty high bar, and Lahinch just about lives up to the hype all these years later, thanks in part to his influence, the modern restoration and of course the stunning property. There isn't a mundane shot on this golf course, and your jaw will drop on many occasions. Greens fees are €155 all year round. Replays are €40.

Lahinch has since added the Castle Course, which plays across the street on flatter property. It caters more towards seniors and women as it's much easier to walk than the rugged Old Course.

Fast fact

The town of Lahinch has often been referred to as the "St. Andrews of Ireland," - for its Old Tom Morris connection and passion for the game by locals. Golf writer George Houghton coined the phrase after his visit in 1964.

April 19, 2007

Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.