Courses near Galway CIty

City boy turned country

Hey,

Going to Galway for 4 nights in September and just wondering if you were to pick 3 courses in the Galway area, which 3 would be the best to play?

Everyone going would be playing regularly so don't mind a tough course.

Thanks

CBTC

josey_whale

For me, I'd go for
1. Galway Bay http://www.galwaybaygolfresort.com/ A cracking course and a good test. Best way I could describe it would be a a cross between parkland and links
2. Bearna http://www.bearnagolfclub.com/ A very different course. Built on a bog. Also a good test
3. Oughterard. http://www.oughterardgolfclub.com/ Lovely little parkland course.

Other options....
Galway golf club in Salthill. http://www.galwaygolf.com/ I've not played it, but I've heard good reports. Apparently it is very busy. So, might be an issue getting tee times on a weekend.
Athenry http://www.athenrygolfclub.net/
Portumna. http://www.portumnagolfclub.ie/ This is a cracking course, but is an hours drive from the city. If you have the time, I would highly recommend it.

delboykelly

Speaking of Galway. Anyone up there fancy a round in Barna GC on the 16th of Aug? I'm up there for the weekend and thinking of playing. Don't know anyone up that way who plays.

Wombatman

Galway Bay
Galway GC. Hard to get slot at good price.
Athenry
Gort
Oughterard
Tuam

What time you playing on 16th?

delboykelly

Wombatman wrote: »

Galway Bay
Galway GC. Hard to get slot at good price.
Athenry
Gort
Oughterard
Tuam

What time you playing on 16th?

I'm free all day. So any time would suit. But prob loos at a morning round sometime around 10am. Never played there before but passed the course and it looks nice.

Beaulieu

Definetly Galway Bay -played there at the weekend and course was in great nick.

mike12

Galway bay for me too

FixdePitchmark

Played Bearna today.

Unusual. Away from it all. Feels like you are on a bog . Because, you are.
Some poor holes and stunning landscape destroyed by snake oil wind turbines.
You honestly could spend years trying to find yourself and something in Galway. But there is just too much. Amazing place.

The course has poor holes on the front . Almost feels unfinished , not rustic.

But at times you feel you are on the curragh or The Heath.

The fun only starts on the greens. A break and wind to consider as often raised fast greens.

The back nine demands a links like feel and solid tee shots . Some great golf holes . Overlooked by the only big tree watching your dimmise. A great run of holes from 11 to 18. With one or two poor ones.

11 is a class golf hole up with anything . Lucky with 3 wood choice off tee . As you literally do not know what you are doing standing on tee first time. Power fade needed.

Overall worth the trip at a price that doesn't make sense and a club house that makes less.

A place that raises more questions than answers.

For the untravelled like mysef;-)

Have a drink in bar and remind yourself you can see Clare from there . So many other great courses on the horizon.

Webbs

Has to be Galway Bay first, always in great nick and such a great design don't think there is a weak hole. Then I would say in no particular order, 2 from Athenry, Galway (Salthill), Oughterard. All 3 are always immaculate

Kevinmarkham

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Played Bearna today.

Unusual. Away from it all. Feels like you are on a bog . Because, you are.
Some poor holes and stunning landscape destroyed by snake oil wind turbines.
You honestly could spend years trying to find yourself and something in Galway. But there is just too much. Amazing place.

The course has poor holes on the front . Almost feels unfinished , not rustic.

Definitely a bit of odd stuff going on - you're dead right, Fix. They changed some holes this year and, apart from the new par three 14th (may not yet be in play), I don't think they make the course better. I remember it with far greater fondness on my travels. Now it has lost some of its continuity.

I know plenty of golfers hate the place, but it has a certain charm and feel that you don't find anywhere else in Ireland. Hope to be back there in September.

And fair comment about the clubhouse - huge.

Kevinmarkham

I'd agree with most of the comments here, with Galway Bay at the top. Galway GC is a quality place but always busy... and that's not something you hear very much these days. Athenry, Oughterard, Gort.

Some photos:

Galway Bay Photos
Galway Golf Club Photos

FixdePitchmark

Well hitting Galway Bay thanks to a fellow from close to here

bobob

Should try out Ballinrobe. Brilliant course getting better each year I play there. 40 mins from Galway. As good if not better than most around

Wombatman

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Well hitting Galway Bay thanks to a fellow from close to here

When you swinging out there?

FixdePitchmark

Wombatman wrote: »

When you swinging out there?

Morning. Back a bit sore.

But "I'm Tiger Woods".

Henry Ford III

Ballyconeelyis a great track. Bit of a hike but what the hell.

ronnie3585

Galway Bay - top of the pile for me. I've played it four times in the past 6 weeks and it's in fantastic nick. The staff are very friendly and if you get a half decent day the views are stunning.

Oughterard - this is a gem of a course as far as I'm concerned. It's in fantastic condition at the minute. A really nice example of a good parkland course.

Galway - a lovely track, but can be hard to get out on.

Cregmore - I quite like Cregmore. Each hole is different and it's not just up and down the field. The greens have been quite rough of late though.

Athenry - I'm not a big fan of here. However, it has to be said that it's always in very good condition. For me it just feels bland. It has some very nice holes - the 3rd, 12th, 16th and 17th - but the rest are pretty boring. On top of this the place is always wedged.

Bearna - despite playing here many times I've just never warmed to it. The front nine is terrible. The back nine is noticeably better with some stunning views to boot if the weather's good. However, I hate the gorse/heather with a passion and the front nine really ruins it for me.

Portumna - a solid hour from Galway but worth the trip if you've the time. Smashing course and the green fees are very reasonable.

FixdePitchmark

I've played a few of the inland courses that are modeled on links - but are not actually links. Galway Bay has the added attraction of being by the sea and enjoys stunning views and great coastal holes.

The condition of the course is a credit to the staff. The detail - from mid point line on fairway - to first cut - to 2nd cut. It is a championship course - similar in feel to Carton House Monty.

I've been very lucky to play great course over the last year and you have to remind yourself that - that we (In Ireland) did get spoilt with the courses we played - particularly with the NAMA debacle. It has been a bizarre few years.

So, a very enjoyable round - greens fantastic - even if I couldn't putt or handle them. Some great golf holes - testing - stunning and bloody hard too.

Maybe a little too hard for most people's day to day golf , from certain tees there you would need to be a serious ball striker, then if a wind was there it could be just too big.

Again - we have great courses and great Links courses on the sea in Ireland - It is hard to compete with some of the course we have. I'd imagine true Links lovers would rather hit a traditional links. But parkland golfers would like the middle ground.

Maybe golfers are just too hard to please.

It is a lovely golf course - in a lovely place. It beats work and some of the other things we are hit with.

I'd love to give it another go - but are there too many course to see.

death1234567

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Cregmore - it's not just up and down the field.

That's exactly what Cregmore is. Flat, treeless and featureless apart from 15 & 16 where there's water.

mike12

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I've played a few of the inland courses that are modeled on links - but are not actually links. Galway Bay has the added attraction of being by the sea and enjoys stunning views and great coastal holes.

The condition of the course is a credit to the staff. The detail - from mid point line on fairway - to first cut - to 2nd cut. It is a championship course - similar in feel to Carton House Monty.

I've been very lucky to play great course over the last year and you have to remind yourself that - that we (In Ireland) did get spoilt with the courses we played - particularly with the NAMA debacle. It has been a bizarre few years.

So, a very enjoyable round - greens fantastic - even if I couldn't putt or handle them. Some great golf holes - testing - stunning and bloody hard too.

Maybe a little too hard for most people's day to day golf , from certain tees there you would need to be a serious ball striker, then if a wind was there it could be just too big.

Again - we have great courses and great Links courses on the sea in Ireland - It is hard to compete with some of the course we have. I'd imagine true Links lovers would rather hit a traditional links. But parkland golfers would like the middle ground.

Maybe golfers are just too hard to please.

It is a lovely golf course - in a lovely place. It beats work and some of the other things we are hit with.

I'd love to give it another go - but are there too many course to see.

Good description of it. A links setting but not a links course thats built like a links course. You are right the quality of courses we can play here for under €50 is incredible.

popepaisley1

play bearna and galway bay and you'll have seen the best of galway near the city. both are a good test of golf and good value

of course you can always jump in a car and hit off to connemara, ballinrobe and portumna...all lovely courses but each over an hour away

mister gullible

Galway Bay excellent - even better than it looks in the brochures, Cregmore low-key, friendly and enjoyable though greens can be very slow, Bearna on a sunny day you will love or hate. My son loves it, I thought it was terrible.
Your impression of any course is often influenced by how you play, I seem to dislike all the courses I played badly on :rolleyes: