IRELAND'S TOP 100 COURSES:ROYAL COUNTY Down remains the number one-ranked course in Ireland, according to the latest survey findings of Golf Digest Ireland in their June issue. The magazine employed a panel of experts to come up with the top 100-ranked golf courses in Ireland.
It was the second-year running that Royal County Down finished first, with Portmarnock once again second. Ballybunion (Old) has climbed from fourth to third, while Adare Manor made the reverse journey, albeit the Irish Open venue is still the top-ranked parkland course in the country. The European Club stays in the top five but the prime mover in the upper echelon of the list is Lahinch, which jumps from 11th to eighth.
In total, 33 clubs moved up in the top 100 list, 44 went down, 12 aped their ranking of last year while there were 11 new entries, the highest of which was Dun Laoghaire at 56.
Top 100 courses
Club Position Last
Year
1 Royal County Down same
2 Portmarnock same
3 Ballybunion Old up 1
4 Adare Manor down 1
5 The European Club same
6 Waterville same
7 Co Louth up 1
8 Lahinch up 3
9 Royal Portrush down 2
10 The K Club (Palmer Course) down 1
11 Mount Juliet down 1
12 Killarney (Killeen Course) up 4
13 Tralee down 1
14 Royal Dublin up 9
15 The Heritage same
16 Co Sligo down 3
17 Ballyliffin (Glashedy Links) up 3
18 Carton House (Montgomerie) down 4
19 The Island same
20 Druids Glen down 2
21 Carne same
22 Fota Island same
23 Portstewart (Strand) down 6
24 The Old Head of Kinsale up 1
25 Portmarnock Links up 4
26 Headfort (New) same
27 PGA National up 1
28 Luttrellstown Castle up 3
29 Doonbeg Links down 5
30 Carlow down 3
31 Castlerock up 3
32 Glasson down 2
33 Mullingar down 1
34 Enniscrone up 12
35 Malone down 2
36 Belvoir Park up 1
37 Cork down 1
38 Dundalk same
39 Donegal (Murvagh Links) up 1
40 Slieve Russell down 5
41 The K Club (Smurfit) up 2
42 Carton House (O'Meara) same
43 Powerscourt (East) up 15
44 Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) up 16
45 Ballyliffin (Old Links) up 19
46 Mount Wolseley up 6
47 Tullamore up 3
48 Westport down 4
49 Rathsallagh down 1
50 Seapoint down 1
51 Hermitage down 12
52 Knightsbrook up 16
53 Dromoland Castle down 12
54 Dooks up 1
55 Dundrum House down 2
56 Dun Laoghaire new entry
57 Hilton Templepatrick new entry
58 Connemara down 4
59 Tulfarris down 14
60 St Margaret's down 4
61 Rosslare down 2
62 New Forest down 1
63 Killarney (Mahony's Point) down 1
64 Athlone up 10
65 Esker Hills down 18
66 Roganstown up 14
67 Shannon new entry
68 Woodbrook up 8
69 Grange up 1
70 Portsalon down 3
71 Skellig Bay down 5
72 Ring of Kerry down 15
73 Clandeboye down 22
74 Castleknock down 2
75 Bantry Bay down 2
76 Royal Belfast up 1
77 Ballybunion (Cashen) down 14
78 Castle new entry
79 Moyvalley new entry
80 Narin and Portnoo new entry
81 Laytown and Bettystown down 2
82 Millicent down 13
83 Rathcore down 18
84 Gowran Park down 2
85 Monkstown down 1
86 Thurles down 3
87 Waterford up 1
88 Galgorm Castle new entry
89 Galway same
90 Curragh new entry
91 Tramore up 1
92 Ballycastle up 2
93 Royal Tara up 3
94 Headfort (Old) down 1
95 Lee Valley new entry
96 Blainroe up 2
97 Ballinrobe new entry
98 Woodenbridge up 1
99 Arklow new entry
100 Malahide down 25
