No 26 - Doonbeg

Greg Norman's Doonbeg creation overlooking Doughmore Bay is a favourite for many. It's mature beyond its years and offers a first-class, friendly service

Doonbeg
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26 DOONBEG

Architect: Norman 2006 position: 47 Stats: 6,361 yds; par 72; SSS 71   GF: €200 T: 00353 65 905 5600 W: doonbeggolfclub.com

Those who first had plans for a links in this neck of the County Clare woods in the late 19th century, turned this location down in favour of Lahinch for practical reasons.

They still chose wisely, but left Greg Norman licking his lips 100 years later when a fresh opportunity arose to build a links in the towering dunes overlooking Doughmore Bay.

And he delivered in style. The course kicks off with what some say is the best opening hole in golf to an amphitheatre green, then never lets up as it takes you on a spectacular rollercoaster ride for the next three or four hours. Sensational. JE

+ Mature beyond its years; glorious setting; first-class, friendly service - Bunker on the 12th green not to everyone’s taste; expensive high season

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 >>> Top 100 Golf Courses: No. 27 Back to the Top 100 Golf Courses list - An introduction to Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses by editor, Mike Harris - Who makes up The Top 100 Golf Courses panel? - How do Golf Monthly assess the Top 100 Golf courses?

- Gallery: Golf Monthly's Top 10 Golf Courses in pictures

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Jeremy Ellwood
Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf

Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

3 wood: Srixon ZX, EvenFlow Riptide 6.0 S 50g shaft

Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3- to 8-iron: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Irons 9-iron and PW: Honma TWorld TW747Vx, Nippon NS Pro regular shaft

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Kramski HPP 325

Ball: Any premium ball I can find in a charity shop or similar (or out on the course!)