Lahinch or Doonbeg

BigChap1759

Off to Clare for a few days next month and looking to play either of the above(Lahinch probably favourite at the moment) - any advice from anyone who's played either or both?

Anything else close by worth a visit?

Redzah

BigChap1759 wrote: »

Off to Clare for a few days next month and looking to play either of the above(Lahinch probably favourite at the moment) - any advice from anyone who's played either or both?

Anything else close by worth a visit?

I've played both numerous times. Both are great courses so you'll be happy either way. I prefer Doonbeg as its a more fun golf course and is more scenic but Lahinch is also great. Both are difficult courses but can play easy on a calm day. Either way you will be happy, enjoy

jonrambo

lahinch defo a tougher test, if u a high handicapper u will struggle, especially on de back 9..doonbeg very nice bu make sure all greens in play and not holitined..there were 4 temps last week and the rest of dem were in bad order....

Aesop

Don't torture yourself, play both!

Lahinch has two courses. Old course is the famous one. Full of history (if you are into that, I am) and has got some great quirkiness that really makes it a really enjoyable round of golf. Lahinch also has a second course (Castle course) which is a younger and flatter course. Not a patch on the old course but it is still a fine course and if you have the time worth playing.

Doonbeg. Spectacular course. Some pretty tough holes and if the wind is blowing bring balls, lots of them. Two problems I have with Doonbeg, one they had to reroute the course in places because of environmental issues (snails if you don't mind) and it does detract a small bit from it. Two, it's a typical American funded golf extravaganza. A lot of money was put into the club and it smells of it. Not enough to put anyone off, it is a beautiful course, but is very much an American style golf complex dropped into West Clare.

Please see my first suggestion but if you had to choose between the two I would go for Lahinch for the simple reason it has more character and history.

Other course in the area worth a visit, Dromoland, Shannon and at a bit further away (less than an hour from Ennis) Adare.

Henry Ford III

I'm hearing at least 1 hole in Doonbeg has been consumed permanently by the sea. Haven't seen it myself yet.

p.s. Lahinch is a much much better golf course imho. http://www.golf.com/courses-and-travel/course-rankings/world Ranks 40th in world top 100 courses. Doonbeg doesn't make the list at all. Doonbeg does offer exceptional levels of service to be fair.

Quahog217

I played both this year one day after the other. Lahinch is the tougher of the two by far in my opinion. Doonbeg has bigger fairways and is a bit easier overall and I enjoyed it more because of that.

blue note

Id say you're glad you're not trying to play lahinch in the last few days!

the greatest game

Played the old course in lahinch a few weeks ago, we got a perfect day, 15 holes open, special offer 30 quid.. bargain of the year.
It was a joy, We even got to play 1, 2, 3 twice :-)
A fantastic course, and oddly for me , I can still remember most of the holes...
I hope the weather has done it no damage.

Aineoil

Lahinch is like a war zone at the moment. I was up there tonight at about half four. Stones and seaweed on the main street. Mad, wild winds and crazy rain.

As far as I know the golf course is closed with damage to some of the greens. Seaworld is closed too.

Henry Ford III

Aineoil wrote: »

Lahinch is like a war zone at the moment. I was up there tonight at about half four. Stones and seaweed on the main street. Mad, wild winds and crazy rain.

As far as I know the golf course is closed with damage to some of the greens. Seaworld is closed too.

I live in Lahinch.

I was on the main street an hour ago. No stones or seaweed visible.

The golf course has taken a hit with the ingress of sea water and junk washed up. Cleanup by members and friends is due to start at 10am tomorrow weather permitting. No tees nor greens damaged.

Dossy

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I live in Lahinch.

I was on the main street an hour ago. No stones or seaweed visible.

The golf course has taken a hit with the ingress of sea water and junk washed up. Cleanup by members and friends is due to start at 10am tomorrow weather permitting. No tees nor greens damaged.

Great to hear no damage to the course, its on my list for 2014, played the castle course start of December 2013, loved every minute of it

The_Architect

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I'm hearing at least 1 hole in Doonbeg has been consumed permanently by the sea. Haven't seen it myself yet.

Is this true?. Do you know which one?

Henry Ford III

The_Architect wrote: »

Is this true?. Do you know which one?

I'm told the tiny par 3 is gone. 14? Unconfirmed as yet.

whatstherush

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I'm told the tiny par 3 is gone. 14? Unconfirmed as yet.

Brian Keogh just posted about this yesterday. Says the Par 3 is ok, but will need work to protect it. Back tee box on 18th is gone plus a path around back of the 5th

"We've taken a real hammering in the past few days," Shaw confessed. "We've heard the rumours that are out there but the story is that while the storms have taken the back tee at the 18th, it is still too soon to assess the full extent of the damage and the undercutting.

"We got lucky last night because the storm hit to the south of us but I can report that all of our fencing is gone and we have lost a path behind the fifth green.

"The 14th [the iconic par-three featuring a green cut into the top of a lone dune] is still intact but it's clear with the steepness of the slope there that we are going to have to take steps [regarding anti-erosion measures] there."