Ireland - South East - Carlow 6571yds - Par 70

Like Cork Golf Club, Carlow Golf Club is one of those rare parkland species with roots in the 19th century. And like almost all golf courses of a mature age, Carlow is a really superb test of golfing prowess and certainly rates as one of the finest parkland courses in Ireland. Founded as a nine hole course in 1899 as the Leinster Golf Club, the name was changed to Carlow Golf Club in 1901.

The four par 3's at Carlow are truly excellent, probably the best being the 180 yard sixth hole, while Christy O' Connor Sr. has selected the difficult par 4 sixteenth as one of his "best 18 holes" anywhere. The most pleasant and picturesque hole is the eighth, where the tee shot is played from the highest point on the course down to a sloping fairway below. To the left and right of the fairway lie two stone faced raths overgrown with adult beech trees. Many tee shots have been lost here, while local legend has it that the balls are taken by the "little people" of the raths or fairy rings.