Bordered by four other counties – Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford – in the province of Munster, Cork is Ireland’s largest county by area, with a coastline that extends to an incredible 680 miles. The seaport town of Cobh in Cork Harbour was once the main embarkation point for many Irish emigrants as they set off to find a new life in North America or Australia.

More than thirty County Cork clubs are affiliated to the GUI through its Munster branch and the most senior club, Cork, dates back to the 1880s, to a time when there were fewer than a dozen clubs in all of Ireland. The club has hosted the National Finals week twice, the last time in 1988 and its gents teams have won four of the five major Irish trophies – ironically, the only major piece of silverware that has eluded Cork is the Jimmy Bruen Shield, inaugurated in 1978 and named after one of the club’s finest players and administrators.

The top ranked course in the county is Old Head and it’s a GB & I Top 100 ranked course that will get the golfing juices flowing like hardly any other. For the sheer excitement and visual drama of its location, there are not many courses in the world (never mind Ireland) that can match it. Truly, it’s a must-play venue for any serious golfer.