Lahinch Golf Club

Overview

In 1894 Old Tom Morris was commissioned to make full use of the natural terrain, especially the giant sand dunes at Lahinch. Old Tom believed that Lahinch was the finest natural course that he had seen. Two of Morris’s creations were the famous Klondyke (4th) & Dell (5th) holes. They continue to be the most memorable talking points for first time visitors to Lahinch and are seen locally as fitting tributes to the great Scotsman. In 1927 the great golf architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie was invited to submit a design for a new layout. The re-design work took one year to complete and featured undulating triple tiered greens. MacKenzie was pleased with his work and said: “Lahinch will make the finest and most popular course that I, or I believe anyone else, has ever constructed”. After Lahinch, MacKenzie went on to design among others; Augusta National, Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne. In 1999 the famous British golf architect Martin Hawtree, who has re-designed several British Open links for the R&A, brilliantly modernised Lahinch creating an outstanding challenge – even in the modern era. He wisely left the magical “Klondyke” and “Dell” holes alone. The improvements include the re-routing of holes towards the Atlantic Ocean and the amplification of trouble around the greens where bunkers, swales and mounding now make approach shots from any distance a challenge. The par 4 holes at Lahinch in particular are now generally regarded as the best in Ireland offering a wonderful challenge even to the strongest player. The finished Martin Hawtree “restored MacKenzie course” at Lahinch has received world-wide acclaim and is now consistently ranked among the world’s greatest links courses.