Portmarnock

As with Royal Dublin there were two more Scottish men, W.C. Pickman and George Ross responsible for the foundation of Portmarnock Golf Club. The two men were exploring the peninsula from Sutton, whilst rowing across the estuary they discovered the site which is now the home of the Portmarnock Golf Club. They secured a long term lease from its owners The Jameson family better known now for their whiskey.

9 holes were laid out with the formal opening in 1894 with 18 holes by 1896 and 27 holes by 1971. The three nines are denoted by colour, the red, blue and yellow nines. The championship course offers Links as it should be, Bernard Darwin wrote “I know of no greater finish in the world than that of the last five holes at Portmarnock”. Ben Crenshaw said while playing in The Irish Open 1976 “that 15th Par 3 hole is the shortest Par 5 I have ever played!” Ben had a double bogey 5 each day of the event, yet he still won. The 15th would be the course’s signature hole with views of Ireland’s Eye and Lambay Island to your right with out of bounds all the way to the hole. Nick Faldo and Greg Norman named the 185 yard 15th in their “best in the world” category while Ben wanted to take it home to America.

Invariably rated as one of Ireland’s best courses, it is a true Championship Links hosting the British Amateur Championship in 1949, the Canada Cup now the World Cup in 1960. Portmarnock was also stage to the first sell out and live televised Walker Cup match in 1991. Another first it was to stage and pay for the inaugural Irish Open in 1927 continuing to be host for 12 more with the Irish Open European Event returning for the 13th time in July 2003. In many ways it is the spiritual home of the event and intrinsically linked to Irish golf.