Royal County Down still on the up

Every golfer in Ireland knows the bounty of courses we have on our island. There are 330 18-hole courses and approximately 80 nine-hole courses. It makes for rich pickings. So how do you pick a top 100?

Golf World’s biennial ranking of Ireland’s Top 100 Golf Courses has been published this month and, in the interests of transparency, it is a ranking I have been involved with for a few years. The magazine was the first to begin GB&I course rankings, in 1982, and its philosophy has always been a simple one.

“Our aim is for you to feel confident that what we suggest in our Top 100s will be the reality when you arrive,” says Chris Bertram, the editor for all of Golf World’s Top 100 rankings.

When the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open rolled into town in May, the host course of Royal County Down looked magnificent. It is widely regarded as one of the best courses in the world, so it is only fitting that Golf World’s new list of Top 100 Irish Golf Courses lists the Co. Down venue as the best in Ireland.

The biennial rankings, released this month, see RCD retain its top spot. Five other top 10 courses also remain as they were two years ago, with Portmarnock the only faller, down three places to 7th. While much is made of the top 10 to 20 courses as they are regarded as being among the best in the world, casual Irish golfers may be more interested in the courses further down the list.

Typically, these offer lower green fees, less crowded fairways and a more relaxed golfing environment… while still offering plenty of enjoyment.

North West, Birr, Knightsbrook and The Heritage are new entries, with the former pair making their first ever appearance in the rankings. Big climbs (Castle, Killeen Castle, Bunclody, Headfort New, Druid’s Glen) are matched by heavy falls (K Club (Smurfit), Druid’s Heath, Bantry Bay), but there is a lot of movement throughout the rankings.

In recent years, the Irish ranking has become more complex. Between 1990 and 2008, the number of 18-hole Irish courses increased by 50% (that’s roughly one new course every three months). This has obviously affected the rankings, especially as these courses mature. Bunclody (up 6) and Macreddin (up 3) are typical examples of courses that continue to improve. Then there are the venerable courses which have been making significant improvements: Cork Golf Club’s new and extensive bunkering programme demonstrates a return to its Alister MacKenzie roots.

Such changes mean the rankings shift constantly.

For the 2015 list, the Golf World panel comprised six Irish golfers who have played extensively across Ireland. Each was asked to assess the previous Top 100 ranking and then put them in their order of preference, based on the following criteria: strategic merit; presentation; memorable holes; playability; consistency of test; and visual appeal. Other courses could be included as the panelist saw fit. The final views were then combined to create the Top 100.

Such an approach has given the ranking a different flavour to that of old. It is no bad thing. Fresh blood always results in changes and new perspectives and, by using the experience of Irish golfers, it offers a better insight into the heart and soul of Irish golf. This is particularly true for those courses you haven’t heard of or haven’t yet had the chance to experience. It puts them on the map and brings them to the attention of the wider golfing community.

This year’s ranking sees four new entries, 36 courses climbing, 38 falling and 22 remaining as they were two years ago.

The top 10 shows the fewest changes with Royal Co Down still at number one. The most significant shifts see Ballybunion (Old) up two to 4th, and Portmarnock falling three to 7th.

The new entrants are Knightsbrook at 100, North West at 94, Birr at 92 and The Heritage at 50. It is high time North West was included. As one of the four founding members of the GUI, it has a significant place in Irish golf. It has also lost acres of land to the sea, and yet it remains a wonderfully natural links course over a thoroughly deceptive landscape.

The K Club (Smurfit) falls 14 to 85th, its drainage issues and heavily shaped landscape proving a distraction, while Druid’s Heath falls 12 to 47th.

On the up is Castle Golf Club, rising 10 places to 82nd. The Dublin club shows the biggest gains, followed by the Jack Nicklaus-designed Killeen Castle, up 8 to 36th.

Portsalon is upsix places to 31st, a reflection of the work currently being done by Paul McGinley.

There is no foolproof way to formulate a ranking. Every system has its merits and its detractors, but if you use this Golf World Top 100 as an informed guide and it entices you to go and play a course, then the list is doing its job.

Debating the order the courses appear in can wait for the 19th.