The two-mile stretch of sandy beach from Mornington, at the mouth of the river Boyne, south to Laytown resounds every summer to the sound of horse hooves, giving Bettystown a somewhat unique sporting claim to fame as a horse racing track! However, it’s the rolling dune land behind the strand – known locally as “the Burrows” – where local golfers seek their sporting pursuits.
Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club attribute the design of their course to Robert "Bobby" Browne (more commonly called R J), their professional from 1967 until his passing in 2015. Among his many duties at the club, RJ had in his time given lessons to Des Smyth and Phillip Walton (former members and, of course, Ryder Cup participants) as well as being involved in various course changes over nearly fifty years.
The original Laytown & Bettystown course was a 9-hole affair (with a par of 38!), which was laid out between Bettystown and Mornington Lighthouse in 1909. Eight years later, another 9 holes were added to establish a full 18-hole course. Several years after that, four of the original holes were replaced, creating the course that RJ Browne further developed.
Not overly long by modern day standards at 6,450 yards, the course contains many of the characteristics treasured by links lovers – humps and hollows, narrow green entrances, blind approaches and an out-and-back routing that follows the natural contours of the land.
There are only three par three holes on the course (at holes 6, 9 and 16) and no fewer than three old-fashioned short par fours measuring less than 345 yards (at holes 2, 14 and 17).
