Seven Irish courses in Golf Magazine’s top 100

SEVEN Irish courses, led by Royal Co Down, have been included in the world’s top 100 in the acclaimed Golf Magazine.

It’s a fairly impressive verdict by an American publication although the 100-strong voting panel came from 17 different countries and included Gary Player, the great South African; England’s Justin Rose and one of the game’s finest amateurs, Peter McEvoy, also from England.

Seven American venues, led at number one by Pine Valley in New Jersey and followed by Cypress Point in California and Augusta National in Georgia, make it to the top ten. The three from overseas are the Old Course at St Andrews (4th); Royal Co Down (5th) and Muirfield (9th).