Castlegregory

I visited the course on my way to Dingle Golf Links and would advise anyone doing the same to visit here. If one follows the route I did from Castlegregory to Dingle you will drive over Conor Pass, one of the highest mountain passes in Ireland, which is narrow and continually twists. If you don’t like heights or you are not a confident driver (of a car) you may wish to seek an alternative route.

Set mostly amongst duneland there are some cracking holes at this homely nine hole links with Mount Brandon acting as a magnificent backdrop. I like my golf a little on the wild and raw side and the only criticism I can have here is that it can be a little too severe at times!

The opener is a par five, played around a water hazard, and is the least links hole on the course. The par-three second is brutal links golf though whilst the third was my favourite hole on the property; a short par four played to a fairway set on a dune ridge with a green located the other side of broken ground hanging off a giant sandhill.

The middle part of the course plays in and amongst the dunes especially the run from the 5th to the 8th – and this section of the course is very good - before the round closes in less dramatic fashion with a short par-three played over a pond.

The course reminded me a little of Mulranny (much) further up the West Coast. Very natural, very rugged, almost like going back in time to play golf 100 years ago.

The greens were a little slow on my visit and the maintenance budget is clearly a lot less than some of the other courses in South-West Ireland but they have still presented a fabulous little course.

The golf at Castlegregory is a little rudimentary at times but not in a bad way and there are some fine holes, in fact it would be hard to make a poor hole given the tremendous terrain. The setting is as peaceful and tranquil as you can get.

The same sets of tees are used both times round and measure 2,630 yards, par is 34 for the nine holes.