Malahide - Dublin - Ireland

It became clear in the early years of the 20th century, less than twenty years into its existence, that the sea would defeat the members' efforts to maintain a links course at Malahide, a few miles north of Dublin City centre.

Founded by Nathaniel Hone, a renowned landscape painter, Malahide is one of Ireland’s oldest golf clubs, inaugurated in 1892 as a pure links course, not difficult, but patronised by a number of notables of the age, Baron Talbot de Malahide, the Duke of Connaught and Lord Glenavy among others.

As the sea threatened, three holes were opened on an adjacent site in 1906, and by the 1920s, the final six holes of the original coastal links were abandoned completely to nature, and the course moved entirely inland.

The present layout of 27 holes is the design of Eddie Hackett, laid out in 1991. Martin Hawtree redeveloped three holes in 2015. Malahide provides an interesting contrast to the classic links courses at nearby Portmarnock, The Island and Royal Dublin. The three loops of nine holes – Red, Blue and Yellow – can be divided into a choice of playing combinations. All three closing holes are exciting and bring you back to the excellent clubhouse.

Malahide is typified by dogleg holes, and water hazards, which ensure the need for accuracy throughout. There are a few blind shots to encounter and it's also a challenge to find the sanctury of the putting surface on a few of the greens which are reaised. Although the course is parkland in nature, the proximity of the sea ensures that the wind is often an additional problem to counter.

Malahide has produced a number of prominent amateur golfers and also the professional Philip Walton. His singles win over Jay Haas secured Ryder Cup victory for Europe at Oak Hill Country Club in 1995.