Enniscrone Golf Club: A Guide to the Links in the Dunes

One of Ireland's finest links

Tucked into the dunes on the shore of Killala Bay, at the mouth of the River Moy, Enniscrone Golf Club is regularly ranked among the very best links courses in Ireland. It is set among some of the tallest sand dunes in the country, and the towering ridges give the course its dramatic, almost lunar character, with sea views opening up in nearly every direction.

The Dunes course and the Scurmore

The headline course is the 18-hole Dunes, opened by the celebrated Irish golf architect Eddie Hackett in 1974. It was later enhanced when Donald Steel routed six new holes through the dunes, and the current championship layout combines twelve of Hackett's originals with six of Steel's. It plays as a par 73 of around 7,000 yards from the back tees, so it has real length as well as drama.

Alongside it there is the 9-hole Scurmore course, also a Hackett and Steel collaboration, which makes 27 holes in all on the site. The Scurmore is a good option for a shorter round, for warming up, or for less experienced players who want the links experience without taking on the full championship test.

Who it suits

Enniscrone rewards golfers who relish a proper links challenge: blind shots, elevation changes through the dunes, firm running fairways and the ever-present Atlantic wind. Good ball-strikers will love it. Higher handicappers will still have a wonderful time, but should expect to lose a few balls in the dunes and to play the smart, ground-game shots that links golf demands. Whatever your standard, the setting alone makes it memorable.

Green fees and when to play

Green fees vary by season, with high-season rates on the Dunes course in the region of €195, and lower rates in the shoulder seasons and on the Scurmore. Always check the current fees with the club, as they change year to year. Spring through autumn gives the best balance of weather and daylight, though true links lovers will tell you the course has its own bleak beauty in a winter gale.

How to book a tee time

Visitors are welcome, but booking ahead is essential, particularly in summer. The club takes tee times online through the BRS Golf booking system, and you can also book directly through the club's own website or by phone on +353 96 36297. Allow plenty of time before your round to take in the clubhouse and the view, and pack for the wind whatever the forecast says.

Making a day of it

The course sits right beside the village, so it is easy to pair a round with everything else Enniscrone offers: a walk on the Blue Flag strand, lunch in one of the pubs, and, best of all, a hot seaweed bath at Kilcullen's afterwards to take the ache out of tired legs. The Diamond Coast Hotel, overlooking the links, makes a convenient base for a golf trip.