Ballybunion Old

County Kerry, Ireland

DESIGNERS: Murphy, Simpson, 1893
YARDAGE: 6,802
PAR: 71

GREEN FEES: October €140, €120 before 8.30am.
CONTACT: 00 353 682 7146, www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie
CLUB COMMENT: Lengthened the 3rd, 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th, an increase of just over 200 yards.

Tom Watson loves links and his favourite is Ballybunion, where he warmed up for each of his five Open triumphs. After a relatively uninspiring start, the back nine is certainly spellbinding, cutting its way through and over enormous dunes and offering awesome ocean views. If it’s a calm day, you can score well but if the wind is blowing those narrow fairways and thick rough will stretch your skills to the limit.