Ballybunion Golf Club

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Ireland Golf Tour – Ballybunion Golf Club

“If sheer pleasure is the yardstick, then Ballybunion’s Old Course gets my vote as the No. 1 in the world.” So said Peter Dobereiner, the famous English golf writer.

Dobereiner was doing no more than reflecting the views of the locals who somehow knew through all of their struggles for survival since the day the club was founded way back in 1893 that Ballybunion was an unknown treasure waiting for the outside world to come and discover it. Discover it you will on your Ireland golf tour.

Although, it did not happen internationally until the late 1960s, there were hints. Notably in 1936 when the English architect, Tom Simpson, was hired to prepare the course for the Irish Amateur Close Championship one year later.

The eccentric, Simpson always arrived for work accompanied by his glamorous wife, Molly Gourlay, in a chauffeur-driven, silver Rolls Royce wielding a riding crop and dressed in a flowing cloak and beret. The Simpsons picnicked on the course from the contents of a giant Fortnum & Mason’s wicker basket while the white-gloved, chauffeur polished the Rolls. Simpson made minimal changes; confining his input to what he called “finishing touches.’ Perhaps, his greatest ‘gift’ to posterity was realising that the links, like The Old Course at St. Andrew’s, did not require ‘much correction’ and that nature herself could not be surpassed.

That’s the essence of Ballybunion. It is elemental, natural golf amid dunes beside the ocean where all of the battles are God-made challenges with nature – a must play on your Ireland golf tour package.

At Classic Golf Ireland we create memorable Ireland golf tour packages and golf vacations to Ireland with your wishes in mind, completely flexible Ireland golf tours for both personal and corporate golf clients. Why wait! Book your Ireland golf tour today.