List of 9 hole courses in Ireland

Ally McIntosh · 13-03-2014 04:02PM #1

Hi all,

The annual Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 list puts together a ranking of the “best” courses in the country. As naturally happens when looking at the “best” of anything, some unheralded courses miss out, maybe because they are short, or maybe because they are quirky or maybe because they are kept on a shoestring budget. Sometimes playing these courses can offer as much or more fun than playing some of the big guns, even if they are not technically as good. Some of them may even be personal favourites for the exact reason that they are not long, tough, championship slogs.

It is my opinion that we should celebrate these courses. I especially believe that we need to promote some of our excellent nine hole courses in Ireland and remind people that just because a course comes with less than 18 holes does not necessarily make it an inferior experience. So I’m hoping that this year GDI might consider a little sidebar to the main Top-100; namely a Top-10 nine hole courses.

To aid in this, I wonder if you could help in listing any and every nine hole course you know. Only stipulation is that it is more than a pitch and putt or Par-3 course. It needs to have at least some teeth because it will have some stiff competition. I will start:

1. Cruit Island
2. Connemara Isles
3. Spanish Point
4. Rush
5. Bushfoot
6. Otway
7. Mulranny
8. Castlerosse
9. Buncrana
10. Castlegregory
11. Achill
12. Glengarriff
13. Fintona
14. Blacklion
15. Borris
16. Sutton
17. Foxrock
18. Raffeen Creek
19. Donerile
20. Lisselan
21. Ballaghadereen
22. Ballyhaunis
23. Castlerea
24. Strokestown
25. Boyle
26. Frankfield
27. Glenlo Abbey
28. Ross
29. Lismore
30. Carrickmines
31. Helen's Bay
32. Blessington Lakes
33. Cill Dara
34. Stepaside
35. Glencullen
36. Virginia
37. Tubbercurry
38. Ballymote
39. Belturbet
40. Clover House
41. Swinford
42. Ballyheigue Castle
43. Berehaven
44. Glengarriff
45. Elm Hall
46. Dunmore Demesne
47. Ballinastoe
48. Djouce
49. Killiney
50. Hazel Grove
51. Kilcoole

Thanks,
Ally

Rikand · 13-03-2014 04:07PM

Spanish Point Golf Club is another - Co. Clare, near Milton Malbay

Wichita Lineman · 13-03-2014 04:12PM

I've never played it but I know that Borris, Co. Carlow is a 9 hole course too.

John Divney · 13-03-2014 04:16PM

One of the oldest, Sutton

alxmorgan · 13-03-2014 04:31PM

Raffeen Creek, Cork

Manach · 13-03-2014 04:35PM

Donerile, Co. Cork. A lovely course

peepee · 13-03-2014 04:52PM

Lisselan

Just outside Clonakilty in west cork. super course, tough track.
Has one of my favourite par 5's in golf, the 8th hole.

Telecaster58 · 13-03-2014 04:54PM

The only one on that list that I've played is Rush at No.4 and that wasn't hectic. Doesn't say much for the rest of them

Guisseppeth · 13-03-2014 05:04PM

Most of the courses in my area are 9 holes:

Ballaghaderreen
Ballyhaunis
Castlerea
Strokestown
Boyle

Only played the 1st 3 and Ballyhaunis would be the best of these. Quite hilly but really dry in comparison to the other two especially considering the amount of rain we get. Ballaghaderreen is my home club and it can be pretty wet over the winter!!!

burnhardlanger · 13-03-2014 05:13PM

Frankfield. Cork.

Dr_Colossus · 13-03-2014 05:14PM

Glenlo Abbey
Never played it mind but think it's currently undergoing works.

golfguy1 · 13-03-2014 05:20PM

Ross gc in killarney
Castlegregory (links) in kerry best nine hole ive ever played.
Lismore in waterford

ForeRight · 13-03-2014 06:08PM

Hazel Grove in tallaght.

Hidden gem

Kevinmarkham · 13-03-2014 06:43PM

Carrickmines, Dublin
Helen's Bay, Co. Down

First Up · 13-03-2014 06:45PM

Stepaside

ForeRight · 13-03-2014 06:56PM

Glencullen

princess poppy · 13-03-2014 08:57PM

Blessington lakes and cill dara

sydneybound · 13-03-2014 09:21PM

Blacklion
Virginia
Tubbercurry
Ballymote
Belturbet
Clover House
Swinford

cairny · 13-03-2014 10:17PM

Ballyheigue Castle
Berehaven
Glengarriff

brick tamland · 13-03-2014 10:30PM

Elm hall in Celbridge

scrubber72 · 14-03-2014 10:02AM

Dunmore demense in north galway.

derra · 14-03-2014 01:50PM

Ballinastoe
Djouce
Kilcoole

BraveDonut · 14-03-2014 02:07PM

Killiney

Ally McIntosh · 14-03-2014 03:18PM

Thanks all,

This may not be as easy as I had hoped as there are a number of courses here that I have not the faintest idea about. I guess I'm going to try and generate a final list of about 20 that are genuinely worthy and then see if I can take it from there. Any help appreciated.

Kevin - perhaps you need to get on the road again so you can write an addendum to the next revision of Hooked.