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Lahinch
Golf Course |
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Golf at Lahinch goes back to 1892, when officers of a Scottish regiment - The Black Watch - stationed in Limerick city, out exploring the rugged countryside of County Clare happened upon the vast expanse of sand dunes that is Lahinch. Together with some native enthusiasts these Scotsmen founded Lahinch Golf Club on Good Friday, 1893. The original course was designed by the legendary 'Old' Tom Morris of St. Andrews who, on completing the layout, enthused: "I consider the links as fine a natural course as it has ever been my good fortune to play over". In 1928 the links was extensively revised by Dr. Alastair MacKenzie who was so impressed with the fine natural terrain that he declared: "Lahinch will make the finest and most popular course that I, or I believe anyone else, ever constructed". Praise indeed from a man who was responsible for such formidable layouts as Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and Augusta National. Today Lahinch boasts two 18 hole courses, the Old Course and a second, the Castle Course, which was added in 1975. Much of the pleasure of Lahinch is derived from the atmosphere that envelopes not just the golf links but the entire village which rests just above the course. For in Lahinch everybody is a golf enthusiast and this quickly transmits itself to the visitor hence the description of Lahinch as the St. Andrews of Irish Golf. Apart from the splendour of its location, Lahinch has gained world-wide recognition through its charming idiosyncrasies. First amongst them being the goats whose outline adorns the club's crest and who act as Met-Men for all on the course. Local legend claims that if the weather is fine the goats graze happily out on the dunes but when they sense rain approaching, they seek shelter in the shade of the clubhouse. And who would dare to disagree with them! Then there is the Klondyke (5th) and Dell (6th) amongst the most famous holes in Irish golf. The Klondyke (5th), a par five, features a drive into a scenic valley from where one is expected to play a completely blind second shot over (hopefully) a monstrous sand dune to a gently rolling green some 200 yards further on. - Lahinch Golf Club The
Dell (6th), a par three, is one of the most photographed and
controversial holes in golf. One loves it or despises it but must always
admire it. The green nestles between two steep sand dunes, front and
back, and is completely blind from the tee. To guide the golfer a white
stone is moved along the face of the fronting hill to indicate the
current pin position. Here, the result of one’s tee shot is very much
in the lap of the golfing gods. |
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