Galway

Map of Galway

Situated in the west of Ireland, County Galway is one of five counties that comprise the province of Connacht. Home to a population of around quarter of a million people, it’s the largest Irish-speaking region in Ireland and the county capital of Galway is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Europe, promoting it behind Dublin and Cork to the position of third largest city in Ireland.

Galway Golf Club hosted the end of season inter-club Cups and Shields week in 2002 when almost 500 male golfers from all over Ireland played semi-final and final matches for five different trophies. The main prize was the Senior Cup (established in 1900) and Galway have been Connacht provincial winners five times since 2000, claiming the national title at Enniscrone in 2006 and Tullamore in 2009.

The course at Galway and its near neighbour at Galway Bay feature regularly in Irish Top 100 rankings but both these top tracks are surpassed in quality by the tough Connemara links layout at Ballyconneely. An Eddie Hackett design from the early 1970s, this remote course extends to 27 holes, laid out in three distinct 9-hole circuits.

Top 100 Golf Courses - Galway

Connemara (Championship)

1^st

If you are brave enough to tackle the brutal Championship course from Connemara Golf Club's back tees – good luck – pray that the wind machine is turned off.

Average Reviewers Score:

Portumna

2^nd

The mature trees that bound many fairways provide a full range of seasonal colour at Portumna Golf Club and the wild deer that roam the course are a very pleasant diversion if spotted.

Average Reviewers Score:

Galway Bay

3^rd

The course at Galway Bay Golf Resort has been described as “parkland by the sea” with a strong American design influence.

Average Reviewers Score:

Galway

4^th

The design of the current course at Galway Golf Club is down to the efforts of the celebrated Scottish designer Alister MacKenzie who laid out the 18 holes in 1926.

Average Reviewers Score:

Athenry

5^th

Athenry Golf Club was founded in 1902 but the club moved site so often it became known as the “Nomads”. Today’s parkland course opened in 1991 with an exhibition match featuring Christy O'Connor (Snr & Jnr), Eamon Darcy and Paddy McGuirk.

Bearna

6^th

The golf club motto, translated from the Gaelic, is "welcome, and may lark song accompany you." Bearna certainly love to bring wildlife into the naming of holes...

Average Reviewers Score:

Gort

7^th

Located on the edge of the Burren landscape, Gort Golf Club sits in an area of outstanding natural beauty, enjoying superb views of the Slieve Aughty Mountains and the hills of Clare...

Average Reviewers Score:

Oughterard

8^th

Oughterard Golf Club is a parkland track with large, undulating greens that test the very best of putting strokes.

Average Reviewers Score:

Connemara Isles

9^th

This, quite simply, is Irish golf at its very best. Connemara Isles Golf Club encapsulates all that is good about old fashioned golf played in stunning surroundings...

Average Reviewers Score:

Loughrea

10^th

Golf has been played in Loughrea for more than a century but the course in play today was originally a nine-holer that Eddie Hackett expanded to 18 holes in 1992. When further land became available in the new millennium the course was extended by another 1,000 yards.