Carne Golf Links, Belmullet, County Mayo, Ireland

In remote Belmullet on the northwest Mayo coast, seemingly at the end of the earth, lies the mysterious Carne Golf Links, 18 holes of frolicking, exciting, and exhilarating links golf that rivals any links in the world. Somewhat amazingly, Carne has still escaped the fame bestowed upon the other great links of Ireland, despite being legendary Irish architect Eddie Hackett’s crowning achievement. We are doing our part to correct this situation, as anyone not including Carne on their list of “must play” courses is making a serious mistake! The course has something for everyone. The strong front nine is more of a “fair” challenge that will conjure up visions of the best of the British Open rotation, while the audacious, even controversial back nine will simply be etched into memory forever. Despite the difference, the nines flow together seamlessly, with the course building to a crescendo as the round progresses. 11 and 12 epitomize the course, short par 4’s that shoot down from the hills, before doglegging up to hidden greens in high shelves among the mammoth dunes. Each hole is spectacular, with magnificent views of the towering surf, sandhills, and Irish countryside. It is one of the finest tests of golf anywhere, rivaling even Ballybunion in our opinion, with an amazingly inexpensive green fee. You may not have heard of Carne, but you won’t believe it, and you will never forget it!