130 Golf World August 2017
TOP 100 COURSES IN IRELAND
THE ADOPTED
IRISHMAN
Meet Ron Kirby, the
American who’s had a
hand in six of the Top
100, led by Old Head.Ron has designed
courses all over the world
for Robert Trent Jones,
Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye
and his own firm.How did you
get started in
golf course
architecture?
It’salongstory...Mydad
wasingolfandIjustmet
some great people. My big
break came while working
at Paradise Island in the
Bahamas. I was introduced
to Mr Trent Jones Snr. I left
the Bahamas to work with
him.Then,havinggot
friendly with Gary Player
at Paradise Island, we
started Kirby Player. After
16 years I went to work
with Jack Nicklaus until
Iwas60.Ithenfreelanced,
helpingJackwithprojects
as well as some of my own.Who influenced you?
Trent Jones Snr, Nicklaus,
PeteDyeandJamesBraid.Has your philosophy
changed over the years?
No,itisthesame:findthe
best holes you can, build
withquality,makeitfun
foreveryone,andnowdue
to equipment advances,
findrealbackteelocations
forthe(few)longhitters.Is it harder to create a
greatcoursefromagood
site, or a good course
from a poor site?
Both require the same
levelofeffort.Goodsites
make you respect the site
and use all its character.
Poor sites make you
develop the character for
each hole. Castlemartyr
wasmostlyaplainsugar
beet farm and we created
alinks-typecourse,doing
alotofgradingtofinish
with something like Royal
Aberdeen fairways.Your top Irish courses?
Lahinch and Waterville.Tralee.Carne.11 Ballyliffin
(Glashedy) (2)
Ballyliffin, Don. Craddock, Ruddy.
Design20.6Setting15.7Holes8.3
Presentation17.7Playability12.1
Consistency8.6TOTAL 83.0
IT’S LIKERosapenna(SandyHills).
GW VERDICTThe strong all-
roundermovesclosetothetop-
10 spot many feel it deserves. As
exacting as is expected of Pat
Ruddy,itwouldbeafinehostof
theIrishOpenithopestosnare.16 OldHeadof
Kinsale(1)
Kinsale, Cork. Kirby/Carr/
Merrigan/Hackett/Higgins.
Design16.3Setting19.8Holes9.5
Presentation17.6Playability11.5
Consistency7.4TOTAL 82.1
IT’S LIKETralee, Cruit Island,
GW VERDICTGB&I’s marmite
course.Yes,therearesome
modest holes and purists may
dismissit,buttherestwillsavour
it.Peerlessdramaandscenery.10 Carne( )
Belmullet, Mayo. Eddie
Hackett/Ally McIntosh.
Design 20.0 Setting 18.7 Holes 9.0
Presentation 15.6 Playability 11.3
Consistency 8.5 TOTAL 83.1
IT’S LIKE Ballybunion (Cashen).
GW VERDICT To have No.10 on
83 points show Ireland’s depth.
Uber-remote Carne is hugely
entertaining, and as long as you
don’t mind the craziness, you’ll
love this adventure in the dunes.14 Enniscrone ( 2 )
Enniscrone, Sligo. Hackett, Steel.
Design 19.0 Setting 17.3 Holes 8.7
Presentation 17.0 Playability 12.3
Consistency 8.2 TOTAL 82.5
IT’S LIKE Carne, Rosapenna.
GW VERDICT Joined our GB&I
Top 100 in 2012 and is gaining
similar recognition elsewhere
now. Raw around the edges in
a punch routing, it is impossible
not to be captivated by a myriad
of out of this world holes.12 County Louth ( 3)
Baltray, Louth. Tom Simpson.
Design 20.8 Setting 16.5 Holes 7.7
Presentation 17.3 Playability 12.6
Consistency 8.0 TOTAL 82.9
IT’S LIKE Portmarnock.
GW VERDICT When courses
jump up a ranking, there have to
be unfortunate fallers. Baltray is
exactly that; it is much more than
‘just’ the archetypical honest
links albeit perhaps without quite
the highs of those in the top 10.15 Rosapenna
(Sandy Hills) ( 4)
Downings, Donegal. P Ruddy.
Design 20.2 Setting 18.7 Holes 8.7
Presentation 14.8 Playability 11.3
Consistency 8.4 TOTAL 82.1
IT’S LIKE Enniscrone, Glashedy.
GW VERDICT A high-octane
links among huge dunes. A slight
fall indicates its ever-evolving
status but once it has settled
down, watch for it to rise again.13 The Island ( 1)
Malahide, Dublin. Unknown/
Hackett/Hawtree
Design 19.8 Setting 16.9 Holes 8.6
Presentation 16.2 Playability 12.5
Consistency 8.6 TOTAL 82.6
IT’S LIKE Castlerock, Narin & P.
GW VERDICT We were the first
to recognise it in such illustrious
company and this further small
rise illustrates our confidence in
our assessment. Characterful but
unassuming links of rare quality.17 Tralee ( 1 )
Tralee, Kerry. Arnold Palmer.
Design 18.0 Setting 19.0 Holes 9.0
Presentation 17.0 Playability 12.3
Consistency 6.7 TOTAL 82.0
IT’S LIKE Old Head, Cruit Island.
GW VERDICT A breathtaking
clifftop course by Arnold Palmer.
Only in the consistency category
is it let down owing to one nine
being so superior. Rest assured,
though, the other half is not poor.