“If only I could go back to the tee,” is a common refrain on the Dunes course at Enniscrone Golf Club. You'll toss it out as you navigate your way through the towering dunes on the 2nd hole, probably on the 4th, 10th and 15th holes, and definitely on the 12th and 13th – the most enigmatic pair of par 4s you will ever play.
And let's not mention approach shots, where the word ‘bamboozle' appears in every description. A wise man once told visiting golfers “never go long” for behind every green is an ocean of rough and regret.
This is one of Ireland's biggest and best links, located along Killala Bay on County Sligo's northern coastline. It was redesigned by Eddie Hackett in 1970, upgraded and extended by Donald Steel in 2001, and – over the past three years – has been tweaked and enhanced by Martin Ebert.
Enniscrone's dunes are big enough to conceal an army – folklore says Vikings are buried in these sandhills – but this links overwhelms you with its beauty, its freedom, its conditioning and its scale. Bristling with intrigue among one of Ireland's best back nines is the 338-yard 13th.
From a high tee, it spirals down through the dunes to a green hidden in a hollow. You can drive it, but it is an adventure whichever route you take… as is the case on every hole here.
Green fee: €290
Course stats: par 73, 6,563 yards
Price correct at time of publication in August 2026
