Portmarnock is the ancestral family estate of the famous Jameson whiskey family. The Jameson’s once had a nine-hole golf course here and the land is now incorporated into the Jameson Golf Links at the Portmarnock Resort.
This is the links that Bernhard Langer designed in conjunction with landscape architect Stan Eby and, in 1996, the Golf Links opened for play. The course borders its illustrious neighbour, Portmarnock Golf Club, but the two courses are separately owned and managed.
For such a new layout, the Links is a very understated course. There is nothing showy about the design; the natural links land is used simply and effectively. The first eight holes play across gently-undulating ground with definition provided by varied grasses and pot bunkers. Then, around the turn, a cluster of shaggy sand dunes provides a much more pronounced aspect.
Canadian investors purchased the hotel business in 2021 and a decision was quickly made by the new owners to upgrade the golf course, maximising its full potential amongst the dunes on the back nine, in particular.
Jeff Lynch, director and senior architect at (re)GOLF worked with DAR Golf to remodel and reroute holes from the 8th hole onwards and this involved installing new tees, accommodating a new irrigation lake and introducing new greens (which changes the par values of several holes).
The revamped course reopened in October 2023, with a new short par four 17th set to replace the old par three hole the following year.
