BARGAIN HUNTERS

Ballyliffin - variously complimented by comparison to Royal Dornoch and Ballybunion - now has two superb courses each deserving of time and appreciation. Nick Faldo arrived by helicopter to play in 1993 and was mightily impressed. He praised the Old Links as the most natural golf course he had ever played. Like many others before him, he saw potential for a second course in the vast expanse of nearby duneland. And within two years, Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock had designed the magnificent new Glashedy Links, which has made Ballyliffin a golfing center to match any in Britain.

The Old Links is characterised from the outset by extraordinary golfing terrain. The view from the 1st tee reveals a myriad of humps and bumps, which seem to stretch forever. But even by the time you reach the elevated green at the 2nd, you will have enjoyed several glimpses of Glashedy Rock, Ballyliffin's own Ailsa Craig, off to the left. On the green, your concentration on a sharply breaking putt will be tested by the 360 degree vista around you as the ocean comes fully into view. Great holes and superb views follow one another around the course and the par 5, 18th is considered by some to be the finest closing hole in Ireland.

The new Glashedy course has been built on the grand scale: large, subtly-contoured greens; cavernous, revetted bunkers; rolling dunes which reach massive proportions on some holes; and views which are never less than sublime.

The front nine are dominated by views of Glashedy Rock, which is never out of view from the 4th hole onwards. The back nine contain some of the finest holes in Ireland: the sharply dog-legged 12th, the imperious long 13th and the testing par 4, 15th. In between, the seductive short 14th calls for subtlety rather than power, but you may need both to negotiate the difficult 18th, with your final shots invariably scrutinized by the members in the excellent new clubhouse.


To round off a visit to Ireland's North you must visit Royal Portrush. Unquestionably one of the finest courses in the world, Royal Portrush enjoys a breathtaking seaside setting with views to the Mull of Kintyre and the mountains of Jura. Closer to home are Dunluce Castle and the famous Giant's Causeway, one of the wonders of the world!

The club was formed in 1888, when it was known as the County Club. The Royal affix was added ten years later, and the present name was adopted in 1895 when the then Prince of Wales was the club's patron. In 1932, Harry Colt was commissioned to redesign the Dunluce Course at a cost not to exceed 3200 Pounds.

When, in 1946, the club moved from its clubhouse in the town to the present building (formerly the Holyrood Hotel), the original 1st and 18th holes were lost, so two new holes were constructed - the current 8th and 9th - and the other holes were renumbered accordingly. That was the only change to Colt's design (he approved the change) and recognition of the quality of the layout was evidenced by the decision to hold the 1951 Open Championship at Portrush. Max Faulkner won the title with a total of 285, but Jack Hargreaves set the course record of 66.

From the opening drive the course is full of challenging and interesting shots, with each player having a favorite hole. The 3rd is a delightful short hole and the 4th requires a long and accurate drive to give any chance of a par. The dogleg 5th has a green on the very edge of the beach, but reaching it depends on achieving position from the tee - no easy feat across the prevailing wind, and under the distraction of the magnificent views towards the Scottish Isles.

More tough par 4's follow the short 6th (Harry Colt's) before back-to-back par 5's conclude the front nine and start us home. The green at the short 11th, usually played downwind, is ringed by bunkers, which makes club selection all-important, while the 12th and 13th are potential birdie holes if the approach is well-struck. "Calamity", the short 14th, is world-famous. On the left of the green is Bobby Locke's hollow, and discretion favors following the great man rather than risking a trip "down the mine", should you miss the green to the right.

The 15th and 16th are more stout holes before the very difficult finishing holes acquire a more parkland character. Most visitors come to Portrush without even realizing that a sister course to the Dunluce - the Valley - even exists. Lying closer to the sea than its illustrious neighbor, the Valley offers a fine test and is the home of the Ladies' Golf Club. One of the two qualifying rounds for the North of Ireland Championship is played here, so its claim to rank as a championship layout is not an empty one.

There are some wonderful country house hotels in the Northwest of Ireland. After leaving Cashel House or Newport House, Cromleach Lodge is just a few miles south of Sligo at Castlebaldwin. Chef Moira Tighe was voted Best Chef in Ireland in 2001/2. Further north, St Ernan's House Hotel, situated on a wooded tidal island at Donegal, is a haven of tranquility. Built in 1826 by John Hamilton, a nephew of the Duke of Wellington, it has 12 en-suite bedrooms, most offering superb sea and country views. On the shores of Lough Swilly is Rathmullan House, an outstanding country house with fine kitchen and delightful rooms, adorned with lovely antiques. For good measure, it also has an excellent leisure complex with steam rooms, sauna, heated indoor pool - and massage and beauty therapy for those in need of a little TLC. Moving north and east, St John's House is small and cosy, with excellent cuisine and the advantage of proximity to Ballyliffin. Beech Hill House near Derry is reliable, while regular readers will know Ardtara House at Upperlands well. Good food, fine rooms, friendly and efficient service - and an easy drive to Belfast International Airport for departure! Galgorm Manor and The Bushmills Inn are reliable alternatives in this area.

Wales

From Manchester, a 90 minute drive will bring you to Bodysgallen Hall, near Llandudno, a majestic 17th century house standing in 200 acres of parkland with spectacular views of Snowdonia. Two dining rooms, a bar, an attractive library and a feature first floor drawing room all contribute to the character of the hall, and a fully-equipped Spa provides opportunities to relax after your journey.

The best local golf is at Conwy, home of the Caernarvonshire Golf Club, which affords fine views of the Conwy estuary and surrounding hills from all parts of the course, and at the nearby North Wales Golf Club.

A visit to the town of Conwy is also worthwhile. The ancient castle was built between 1283 and 1289 by Edward 1 and the town walls - over three-quarters of a mile in length, with 22 towers and 3 original gateways - still ring the old village, in which narrow alleys and cobbled passages dart between attractive shops and inns.

A circular tour of scenic and mountainous Snowdonia is possible from anywhere in North Wales, with a stop in Betws-y-Coed a recommended option. Yet, traveling west from Conwy, the expressway brings Anglesey quickly into view with the temptation to visit Bull Bay, a coastal heathland course designed by Herbert Fowler, or Holyhead, a James Braid design.

Dramatic castles at Caernarfon and Penrhyn attract the sightseer, the former witnessing the investiture of the Prince of Wales. Just across the Menai Strait on Anglesey, Plas Newydd, an elegant 18th century country house by James Wyatt, commands magnificent views of the Strait and mountains of Snowdonia, as well as housing exhibitions of the work of Rex Whistler and of the Battle of Waterloo. Beaumaris Castle is considered the most sophisticated example of medieval military architecture in the British Isles. Now a world heritage site, it is a concentrically planned castle with an 18 foot wide moat and a curtain wall with 16 towers and 2 gates providing 300 firing points for bowmen.

A little further on is Nefyn and District, a classic seaside holiday course, where Ian Woosnam holds the course record of 67. After a lengthy downhill opening hole, the course runs along the cliff tops before turning back towards the clubhouse. Holes 11 to 18 are perched on a headland with outstanding views and the tiny Ty Coch Inn nestles in a cove below the 12th green. When the wind is blowing the temptation may prove overpowering! Abersoch and Pwllheli are local alternatives, but the attractions of Harlech and Royal St David's will prove irresistible to the serious golfer. Even serious golfers need sustenance, however, and where better to break the journey to Harlech than at Portmeirion.

The complex here is unique and represents the vision and drive of a remarkable man, architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, who died in 1978. His dream was to prove "that one could develop even a very beautiful site without defiling it, and given sufficient loving care one could even improve on what God had provided".

The tiny peninsular on which the village stands is heavily wooded and hilly, with sandy coves washed by the tidal estuary. Apart from re-building the original house, which he found here, and converting it into a hotel, Ellis built an entire village, which would look at home in Bavaria or in the Italian Alps. There can be few more enchanting spots!

To reach Portmeirion from the North you will have passed a toll bridge (the charge is 5 pence!) and a more expensive one confronts your journey southwards (25 pence this time!). Harlech is the golfer's destination, and the car park for Royal St David's Golf Club requires a walk across the old railway tracks to reach the course.

This is by common consent the best course in North Wales - a classic links, which curiously, has no views of the sea other than from the elevated 16th tee. Although a ridge of dunes shields a glorious sandy beach from all parts of the course, the views are dominated by the massive peaks of Snowdonia, which rise majestically to the north and east. The ancient castle stands high above the course and, like Conwy and Beaumaris, is the work of James of St George for Edward I. It is a seemingly impregnable fortress, protected on three sides by cliffs and defended by concentric lines of mutually-supporting fortifications. Harlech was the very last Royalist stronghold to fall during the English Civil War, and the Welsh Lancastrians who fought there were the original "Men of Harlech" of the song.

Today, the little town retains its old-world charm and the golf course adds to its reputation with every visitor who plays it. Cecil Leitch won the last of her British Open Championships here in 1935 (the tournament returned without her in 1949,1960 and 1967) and the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) accepted the honor of the Club Captaincy in 1935.

The par of 69 is misleading, since the standard scratch score is 72. There are only two par 5's, which come at the 7th and 8th, so scores must be protected at the five par 3's. All the holes have their charms, but our favorite stretch is the finish. The 14th is a great par 3 - 218 yards from the back to a green nestling in the dunes with a variety of humps and bumps to clear from the tee, and the flag only partially in view. The green will gather the ball - if the wind allows it anywhere close! This is followed at the 15th by a mighty par 4, which doglegs right from the tee and requires a long carry across a narrow neck of fairway to another pretty little green.

The task at the 16th is to gain position for a mid iron second to a raised green surrounded by bunkers, while at the 17th, another long par 4, only a good drive will allow the option to take on the carry over cross bunkers to the green. The nine ends, as did the front nine, with a par 3, and, at over 200 yards through a cross wind, it will normally test the mettle of the best players. And, as you would expect of a club like this, the 19th does not disappoint.

Nearby is the excellent Hotel Maes-y-Neuadd, which has a glorious rural setting and is patronised by locals and visitors, alike. Menus combine Welsh, English and French influences to good effect and the rooms are well-appointed, if a little small. From Harlech, a short and scenic drive brings you to the Mawddach river, one of Wales' best salmon rivers, and the recently refurbished Penmaenuchaf Hall, which overlooks the estuary. Fourteen lovely bedrooms, charming public rooms and fine cuisine await you here, and one of the best pubs in Wales (George III Hotel) is virtually at the bottom of the drive. This has two bars, with the first floor lounge bar serving excellent food and enjoying delightful views of the estuary which is just feet away.

No wonder Bernard Darwin felt his pulse racing each time he took the train ride to Aberdovey: the single gauge railway, which runs parallel to the road, is at times almost on the beach! The station is in the golf club car park, and those arriving by car must cross the railway tracks to reach the fine new clubhouse.

Not many golfers stand on the first tee peering through a herd of grazing cattle at the distant flag. But all those playing Aberdovey can add that experience to their golfing memories. We must thank Col Arthur Buck, a member of Formby Golf Club, for his foresight in seeing the potential here in 1886, which led to the founding of the club in 1892. His brother, Major-General R M Buck, assisted in this and later became President of the Welsh Golf Union. Darwin was a nephew of the Bucks.

Aberdovey may not be a great golf course, but it has a number of great holes, and playing there is a most enjoyable experience. The outward nine reach out to the northern end of the course, with the land levelling out after the first three holes (the 3rd is a gorgeous, blind short hole over dunes and bunkers). Turning for home generally means facing the wind - and it's now a different course. The short 12th, reminiscent of Troon's "Postage Stamp" but longer and harder, can be almost impossible into a strong breeze. Little respite follows as the railway is tight to the fairway on the left of the last few holes, with water and sand additional distractions, and the 18th, at 443 yards off the back tees, can be a monster!

Aberdovey has a variety of friendly pubs and attractive cafes. It also has a number of good hotels including The Penhelig Arms, right on the water's edge, with a wood-panelled Fisherman's Bar and a celebrated restaurant.

A few miles to the south lie the old links of Borth and Ynyslas, the oldest links course in Wales, and, some say, the most natural. Further south, the big names are Royal Porthcawl, Southerndown and Ashburnam. But, to this list should be added Tenby, St Pierre, which has hosted the Solheim Cup, Pennard, Pyle and Kenfig and Celtic Manor, which is now hosting European tour events.

Few courses offer golf in more spectacular settings than Tenby and, for history buffs, it offers the added bonus of being the oldest constituted golf club in the Principality. Ashburnam, too, is as well-known for golf as the nearby towns of Swansea and Llanelli are for rugby, while Royal Porthcawl is arguably the finest course in Wales.

The sea is visible from every hole here and, while the first three holes run alongside the beach, many of the others climb high above sea level to afford panoramic views of the Bristol Channel and across to Exmoor. The greens are considered to be some of the best in Britain.

Southerndown, perched on a headland across the river, looks down on Porthcawl and has even better views. It also requires shot-making of a high order to negotiate narrow, gorse-lined fairways in the inevitable wind which accompanies play. A more natural course would be hard to find, and it remains a "hidden gem" in that it does not enjoy the fame and reputation outside Wales, which it deserves.

Pennard has charm and challenge in equal measure, with a majestic coastal setting, undulating fairways, fierce rough and often howling winds. Pyle and Kenfig is another cracker - again, little known outside Wales. The back nine here have been described as "astonishing" and the club enjoys the benefit of a renowned 19th hole.

A convenient place to stay is Coed-y-Mwstwr, at Coychurch near Bridgend. Also now part of the Branson empire, this imposing country house occupies a secluded position up a long, narrow lane and is only 15 minutes' drive from Southerndown. Rooms and food are excellent, and the inevitable wedding parties attracted to the hotel are catered for in a separate function room, away from the main building, which means you can admire the bride without being kept awake by the dancing. An additional benefit is the new golf course, which affords an opportunity for gentle practice between the sterner challenges described above. Miskin Manor near Cardiff is baronial, with superb rooms, as is the aptly named Great House at Laleston. For those who prefer the modern look, with leisure center and related amenities, Celtic Manor fits the bill.