Portmarnock Golf Club Key Information
There are no tricks or gimmicks here, but instead a wonderfully subtle and old-school links that has moved very sympathetically with the times keeping the best of its heritage while catering for modern equipment and tastes. Almost completely surrounded by water, it is a fabulous place for a game of golf.
Reasons To Play Portmarnock
– This historic links has hosted many leading championships and tested many of the game’s greats
– The course is tough but totally fair and kept in immaculate shape
– The Yellow nine is also well worth playing
Rankings
UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2025/26 - 26
Portmarnock Golf Club is located on an easy-walking and wonderfully sandy peninsula to the north of Dublin. The three loops of nine holes look to be on land that was specifically created for golf. It doesn’t have the towering dunes or elevation changes that occur elsewhere in the country, but this is still a serious championship examination that is rightly high in the Top 100 Golf Courses UK & Ireland. It has also long been ranked as one of the very best golf courses in Ireland and I was very impressed on the one occasion I have been lucky enough to play it.
Golf was first played here in 1894, since when the club has hosted countless prestigious titles. This has included many Irish Opens, whose champion in 1986 was the legendary Seve Ballesteros. More recently, in 2019, it was the home of the Amateur Championship, which the club prepared for by upgrading some of the championship tees and bunkers, adding various areas of new mounding and a new irrigation system.
The course is surrounded by water on three sides with terrific views out to Ireland’s Eye, Lambay Island and the Dublin coastline. In more recent times, much has been done to try and optimise the internal views over the course, and the external views out to sea and across the estuary to the mainland.
Mounding to the right of the 1st hole was removed and the fairway realigned to open up the views of the estuary, while the buckthorn that flanked the excellent short 15th was removed to give this fabulous hole the sea views that it so richly warranted. Elsewhere, blind or semi-blind tee shots on both the 6th and 11th holes were eliminated, while non-native grasses and shrubs were removed throughout to improve both the playability and the quality of the grasses and playing surfaces.
I think it is fair to say that this excellent course can best be described as firm but fair. It is full of strategically strong holes that combine to make a complete test of shot making that will reward good play. With lovely views out over the water, it is also enjoyable by all.
What's new for 2025/26? What our panellists said...
On a summer’s day, play around the back nine is augmented by truly world class views. Whilst one is conscious of the proximity to Dublin, there is still a glorious calm and resplendent experience to be enjoyed on these storied links. Is it any wonder that the R&A are looking at Portmarnock as one of the first venues to host The Open Championship outside of the UK?
Portmarnock’s Red and Blue courses are a golfing treasure that artfully blends classic design with an impeccable seaside location. The golfing adventure here is a journey into the heart of traditional golf, marked by strategic brilliance and timeless beauty.
The clubhouse is a cornucopia of history and silverware. Its museum-like interior promotes an atmosphere of reverence not unlike a church.
Portmarnock Golf Club Location
Portmarnock Golf Club Red and Blue Scorecard
Best Courses Near To Portmarnock
Best Places To Stay Near To Portmarnock
Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links - Book now via Booking.com
The hotel combines modern elegance with the grandeur of a 19th-century residence. Rooms all have views of the ocean, gardens or the Bernhard Langer-designed golf course.
Marine Hotel, Sutton - Book now via Booking.com
There are rooms with views over Dublin Bay, as well as Cucinos, an authentic Italian restaurant, and an indoor pool and sauna. Lunch is served in the Galley Carvery, and Schooner’s Bar offers a bar menu and drinks all day.
Portmarnock Golf Club Gallery
Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I
- 2025/26 - 26
- 2023/24 - 28
- 2021/22 - 27
- 2019/20 - 26
- 2017/18 - 27
- 2015/16 - 25
- 2013/14 - 29
- 2011/12 - 26
- 2009/10 - 29
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Portmarnock hosted the Irish Open?
The club has been the venue for the Irish Open a record 19 times with champions including Ben Crenshaw (1976), Severiano Ballesteros (1986), Bernhard Langer (1987) and Jose Maria Olazabal (1990).
How many courses are there at Portmarnock?
This excellent club has 27 holes of its own, while immediately next door is the Bernhard Langer-designed Jamieson Links at Portmarnock Hotel which is in the Next 100.
