The Island Golf Club

Le pur links dans toute sa splendeur ! Un clib house qui d'extérieur ne paye pas de mine mais aux vestiaires très vastes, grande salle de restauration. Le proshop est plus minimaliste mais très complet à la fois. On vous emmène en voiturette au practice (attention limité à 220 yards). L'approche green dans une cuvette et le putting green devant la baie vitrée du club house avec vue sur le départ du 1 et arrivée du 18 est fabuleuses. Le parcours est vraiment une balade entre les dunes naturellement dessinées. Mention particulière aux trous 13, Par 3 de quasi 200m avec le vent puis le 14 un Par 4 au fairways le moins large d'Europe ! Les finish des 9 et 18 avec le club house en visé sont très sympas à jouer. Clairement si vous êtes fan de links, l'étape par The Island est indispensable...

Dies war mein zweiter Besuch im The Island Club in Dublin. Der Platz ist optisch einfach ein Traum: die höchsten Dünen in der Region und traumhafte Aussichten! Die Fairways sind stark onduliert, der Pflegezustand einwandfrei. Was die Grünkomplexe anbetrifft ist er vielleicht County Louth unterlegen, nichts desto trotz einer der besten Plätze rund um Dublin.

Our enthusiasm for an Irish breakfast prompted us to arrive an hour and a half early for our tee time. at The Island. Only the maintenance man, Tony, was in the clubhouse, but “no bother” – he immediately made us tea and toast to keep us going while we waited. This warm welcome was mirrored by everyone we met, from the general manager and the long-serving professional to the greens superintendent, the lunchtime waitress, and the members on the course. Their good humour felt genuine and not forced by a corporate away day. I can’t blame them for being so happy. I only spent four hours playing golf at The Island, and I could easily imagine that being here daily must be a joy. While these are traditional links, the club is constantly refining the course and maintaining its playability. To this end, Martin Ebert and his team have been working to improve tee boxes, run-offs, and other elements. Although The Island does not have a vast number of sand traps, the best advice is to take an extra club to avoid them, as well as the many false fronts. I learned this lesson on the third, a relatively short par-five into a green perched above a dramatic fall-off on the right. My approach was a few feet short, took the bank, and rolled 20 yards away. My best run of the day came from the fifth to the ninth – a gorgeous section where dunes beautifully separate the holes. The sixth is one of the most memorable golf holes in Ireland, with its blind tee shot into a valley shaped by the most exaggerated undulations I have ever seen. My approach from the left-hand side of the back-to-front sloping green was pleasing enough to earn a par. Could The Island’s back nine match the front? Absolutely. The sea and the town provide a gorgeous backdrop for the stroke-index one 12th, known as 'Valhalla.' A large dune on the left of the green awaits those who are awry or over-ambitious with their approach. This is followed by one of the great par-threes, with inspirational views as its backdrop and waves lapping onto the rocks on its right. The flag at the rear of the green was 220 yards into the wind from the tee, so I took a driver to avoid the grassed bunker in front of the target. Alas, my ball flew through the green by two yards, and I had to be satisfied with a bogey. I thought I would do better on the signature 14th after our drives landed safely on what the team claimed was the narrowest fairway in the world. The 18th is a wonderful closing hole at more than 450 yards against the wind. I hit my three-wood as hard as I could with my second shot, but it was still 120 yards short and frustratingly found a pin-high pot bunker. We were delighted to confirm that The Island is rightly regarded as one of Ireland’s premium links. And the lunchtime burger in pepper sauce ain’t half bad either.

Golfplatzbewertung – The Island Golf Club, Dublin 🇮🇪 Ein echtes Juwel der irischen Golfküste! The Island Golf Club liegt nördlich von Dublin in einer beeindruckenden Dünenlandschaft – perfekt eingebettet zwischen Meer, Marschland und Natur. Die Anlage ist ein Paradebeispiel für pures Links-Design: keine überflüssigen Extras, sondern traditioneller, ehrlicher Golfgenuss. Der Platz ist fordernd, aber fair – jede Bahn erzählt ihre eigene Geschichte. Das klassische Clubhaus strahlt britisch-irische Golftradition aus, und die Atmosphäre ist genauso, wie man sie sich wünscht: herzlich, offen und professionell. Vom Empfang bis zum letzten Putt – einfach rundum gelungen! 3 Fakten zum The Island Golf Club: 1. Gegründet im Jahr 1890, gehört er zu den ältesten Golfclubs Irlands. 2. Der Platz war mehrfach Austragungsort hochklassiger Turniere, darunter die Stroke Play Championship und die British Amateur Championship Qualifiers. 3. Besonders bekannt ist Loch 13, ein spektakuläres Par 3 mitten in den Dünen – atemberaubend schön und windanfällig. Ein Muss für jeden Golfliebhaber, der Dublin besucht! ⛳️🌊

A Spectacular Day at The Island Golf Club

I recently had the pleasure of playing The Island Golf Club on a rare, wind still day, and it was nothing short of exceptional. Nestled among the dunes, this course is a true gem of Irish links golf. The weather couldn’t have been better—clear skies and a gentle breeze that made the round feel even more special.

The layout of the course is simply stunning. Each hole offers a unique challenge, with dramatic undulations, tight fairways, and strategically placed bunkers that keep you on your toes. The greens were fast and true, and despite the sunshine, the links character remained with firm turf that demanded precision.

What sets The Island apart is its isolation and the natural beauty surrounding it. You feel miles away from the hustle and bustle, enveloped in a serene landscape of towering dunes and panoramic sea views. Every hole seems to have its own character, with no wind and terrain keeping the experience varied and exciting.

The par 3s are some of the best I've ever played—particularly the 13th, which has a breathtaking view over the dunes. The finishing holes were equally thrilling, offering both risk and reward as you navigate your way back to the clubhouse.

All in all, The Island Golf Club delivered the quintessential links experience. If you're lucky enough to play it on a mostly sunny day like I did, it’s hard to imagine a better place to enjoy the magic of Irish golf.