Global Golfer • Ireland • Part 1

Seaside Splendor In Ireland

Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links Glimmer Along the Shore of the Irish Sea

BY DICK STEPHENS • CG PUBLISHER

There are slivers of locales on the global golfing map where bliss, abundance and solitude all exist.

One could add the words ‘comfortable decadence’ to this list, too. And in the case of Portmarnock Resort and Jameson Golf Links in the seaside, suburban Dublin town which bears the destination’s name, all those words push together neatly and most appropriately.

And, yes, that Jameson. These are hallowed grounds as this place is the original home of the Jameson whiskey dynasty.

Wherever you might go to play bucket-list golf in Ireland or anywhere for that matter, you may have to make tradeoffs to fulfill your desires. A true links runs alongside the ocean or a large body of water and to experience that, you must travel to the coast, which could mean a bit of a drive or stretch of rail to get you there.

And what surrounds many links courses, might lack resort amenities.

When it comes to comforts, cuisine and character, it’s rare to find a single pin-drop course that has all that. And let’s do it one better — legend and historical significance on the very grounds where you walk, play and stay. If you can relish a spot that has that, too, with all items outlined above, you are in a place that would be called a true sliver.

This place will test every golfer. It’s fair and the design allows for punchouts when errant shots need to be put back in play. But the rolling beach hills, and bunkering can gobble up risky or sloppy play.

My second trip to Portmarnock Resort — the last one being 15 years ago — was even more memorable than the first. And the first made such a fond, indelible mark on my memory bank, that I knew on my return to Ireland, this place had to be on the list.

In the next issue of Cascade Golfer, I will take you on a journey that my good friend and co-owner of this magazine Kirk Tourtillotte and I made just this past August. The trip was a 2,000-mile circumnavigation of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It took us 10 days and we played seven times along the way at some of the world’s best courses.

Both Kirk and I knew where we wanted our last stop to be and Portmarnock was a perfect exclamation point to our experience there. Why might you ask? Simply put, we wanted our games to be tested, the wind in our hair, and for us to be in the lap of comfy luxury where we could heal up a little before Aer Lingus bought us back home from Dublin.

Let’s make a note about luxury. The Latin root word “lux” is part of the slogan of this lovely locale that sits right on the Irish Sea. ‘Lux Amor Pax’ is inscribed tastefully all over the grounds there. The English translation is ‘light, love, peace’.

Perfect.

Not to be confused or compared to the historic Portmarnock Golf Club just down the county road from the newly rebranded Jameson Golf Links (formerly called Portmarnock Links), it’s hard to believe that this rustic spot is nestled so neatly in the Dublin metro area.

When Kirk and I played these links 15 years ago they were as special, tight, natural, and memorable as our time at The European Club or The Island Golf Club. Now, with five new green complexes and four brand new tees we both felt and saw the changes. All this was done ahead of schedule and reports were all favorable.

The original Bernhard Langer design here was already dialed in to stand the staunch Irish golf critic’s test of time and playability. The new links routing and modifications to the natural coastal undulations provide great sightlines of The Velvet Strand, Lambay and Ireland’s Eye.

This place will test every golfer. It’s fair and the design allows for punchouts when errant shots need to be put back in play. But the rolling beach hills, and bunkering can gobble up risky or sloppy play.

Wind is a major part of your experience here — so bring an open mind to what Mother Nature can dish out during your round. It will affect your day, so embrace it.

I’d like to note that I witnessed Kirk break 80 here (78) in windy and firm conditions, which was the best round either of us carded over the 10 days we were in Ireland.

The Jameson Links had its way with me as I went 4743 (90). I admired how Kirk kept his ball low and piercing all day — he played Portmarnock like a linksy champion.

Jeff Lynch of ReGolf Design, together with DAR Golf Construction, Aquaturf Solutions and the resort’s grounds team masterfully delivered the changes to Langer’s original design.

The original Jameson Estate of St. Marnocks has played host to professional and amateur events including the 2008 and 2009 Ladies Irish Open and the 2021 Irish Challenge. These new improvements will likely bring more championship play here in the future.

As for the accommodations, food, drink, spa, sights and sounds — we will put Jameson against other lovely places here in Ireland such as the K Club or Castlemartyr.

The hotel has just over 130 rooms that range from standard to luxury suite, all with lovely vistas of the championship links, Irish Sea and the quaint surroundings. The vibe of the hotel is a confluence of elegance, coastal ambiance, and history with modern edges.

It’s a respite feeling there. The food in the Jameson Bar and The 1780 is fantastic. The steak, chops and seafood we paired with a flight of Jameson whiskey was a dinner we will never forget.

A couple of special things to add are the windows in the bedroom — a stunning way to wake up each morning (I loved keeping the drapes open to let the sunshine in at sunrise, followed by a walk on the beach), and the proximity to Dublin’s city center and airport, both just 15 minutes away. Free parking and more than reasonable rates for everything here makes this a must-stay and play for every golfer.

Visit Portmarnock.com for complete details, bookings and interesting reading about the Jameson family.