County Meath

The Norman medieval town of Trim is located just 15 miles from the Hill of Tara, the coronation site of pre-Christian High Kings of Ireland, in the royal county of Meath. Trim’s County Meath Golf Club is nowhere near as ancient as the earthworks and monuments at Tara but it does have an interesting history dating back to the end of the 19th century.

In fact, the club has something of a chequered past – twice closing down, only to return stronger than ever on both occasions! Established at Effernock in 1898, the club was wound up in 1925 but re-emerged ten years later in Dogstown. The mark II version of the club lasted only fifteen years before it was forced to close for a second time in 1950. Finally, after an eighteen-year hibernation, the club found its true home at Newtonmoynagh where it reopened in 1968.

The course was extended to an 18-hole layout in 1991, following the acquisition of 70 acres of adjacent land four years before, and it has now matured into one of the leading parkland tracks in the county. With a meaty par of 73, the course extends to 6,700 yards from the back tees and is a fine test for golfers of all abilities.

The opening hole is a par three, the first of only three short holes on the scorecard. It is followed by back-to-back par fives, both of which provide good birdie opportunities, as does the closing hole on the outward half, the 495-yard, par five 9th hole. The back nine begins with a good, old-fashioned short par four and ends with a slightly doglegged par five. In between, there are half a dozen testing par fours, the toughest of which is the stroke index 1 440-yard, 17th hole.