I was fortunate to win a trip to Ireland last week to attend the Guinness 250 Year Celebration. I used my time playing golf for five days straight, walking every course (mostly carrying my own bag). Here is a summary of the five courses, all near Dublin, in the order that I played them:

Pornarnock Golf Links - this is a true links course on the bay. It has all of the elements of links golf such as deep rough, blind shots, pot bunkers, wind, gorse bushes and hard fairways. This course is worthy of its 45 World Ranking per Golf Magazine 2009 survey. Although we played it at around 7,000 yards, it played closer to a 6,500 yard course.

The European Club - this is the second time that I played here and I loved it again. It is a links course on deep water, and easily one of the hardest courses that I have ever played. There is not a weak hole, but probably too many deep pot bunkers. It is probably underrated at 85th in the World. If your handicap is 12 or higher, you will have trouble breaking 100 on this one.

Druid Glens is a solid parkland course. It plays similar to many US clubs and is a very good course. The scenery is outstanding. It has a good variety of holes with three outstanding (meaning hard) par four holes. I had a nice 81 on this one leaving several shots out there.

The K Club - we played the Palmer, Ryder Cup venue, Course. It was my second time here, and I did enjoy it better than the first. This is a good course, but just like a Bay Hill, hard and long. I did enjoy the five star treatment this club offers.

The Island Club - this is a gem of a course near the town of Malahide. It is situtated on the most beautiful parcel of land fronting a bay. The dunes are thirty feet high forming the fairways on the front side. It is a true links course, built in 1890, which is absolutely fair (meaning the pot bunkers are just right). While not rated, this course is every bit as good as the rated ones. In wine terms, one heck of a QPR.

The back side showed the true side of a links courses. On the par 3 12th, playing 220 yards into the wind with water on the right, I hit a good driver 10 yards short of the green. Conversely, at the Par 5 540 yard 15th, with the wind at my back, I hit a driver/2 hybrid 10 yards short of the green. My best moment was hitting a low 4 iron 160 into the wind to within 8 inches on the par 3 9th.

I missed this thread, but thanks for the comments. Been to Ireland twice, but never had the time to play any golf. I've duly noted your comment about the European Club and need to take my 16 handicap over there to try and break 100.

Steve,

If you love to play golf, you need to do yourself a favor and play in Ireland (same goes for Scotland). You may have a shot at breaking 100 at the Euro Club if you are the kind of 16 that plays at my club (really a 10). As you can read, I really enjoyed The Island Club, which was a real straight-forward course.

Great review, scbeerman. I've heard from many that they enjoyed their Irish golf trip more than their Scottish. If you only could do one, which would you suggest?

Scotland, and not just for the golf

The choice between Ireland and Scotland, for golf only, is difficult for me. If you are into history and British Open venues, then Scotland is the place. I think that Ireland may have more good (not great) golf courses.

I know that you wanted a definite answer, but to me, you cannot lose with either country.