A lighthouse is there to show the way,

A beacon at night and sight by day.

Follow the course from out to in,

No matter the score, you surely win.

Up and down hills, through mounds you go,

Take your time but not too slow.

The challenge is real and beauty abounds,

County Sligo presents a heck of a round.

Rosses Point Peninsula. Sharing its name with the seaside town that is just 5 miles from the now populated city of Sligo, this land mass has much history.  From findings of the Neolithic time, extensive maritime tradition, pirates, smugglers, and poets, Rosses Point is part of the fabric of northwestern Ireland.  Eventually becoming a seaside resort during the mid 1800s, Rosses Point was the summer home of W.B. Yeats (poet) and J.B. Yeats (artist).

By the middle of the 19th century, the Scottish soldiers and British regiments, and quite possibly the freemasons, were laying the foundation for golf in different locations throughout Ireland. The earliest “formed” golf clubs were founded in and around Dublin and Ulster, spreading throughout the country not much later.  With Rosses Point, and specifically Bomore, being a training ground for the Sligo militia, it is thought that the first holes were laid out very near what is now the 9 hole course at County Sligo. It would be later in the century that a local serviceman would make the call, forming a new golf club on Rosses Point Peninsula. On October 19, 1894, in the Sligo courthouse, Lieutenant Colonel James Campbell and two others would form the golf club now known as County Sligo Golf Club.  They would lease a parcel of land from Sir Henry Middleton, the piece of his estate locally known as the “Greenlands.”  Overlooking Sligo Bay, the location would be ideal for at least 18 holes of golf.

The first nine holes were designed by George Combe, founding member of the Golfing Union of Ireland, and eventual creator of the world’s first golf handicap system.  As a scratch golfer, Combe would layout a brilliant track that would extend over 1.5 miles.  Remember, in those days, the golf ball didn’t fly very far, so this was a rather lengthy achievement.  It wouldn’t be until 1906 that County Sligo Golf Club would add another 9 holes that would extend along the sand dunes, across Bomore.  The design would originate from Campbell’s brother, a skilled golfer in his own right.

Original clubhouse

A golf club of Rosses Point’s magnitude, would need a clubhouse, and the first of which would be a house, which would then extend into a newly erected Royal Hotel.  According to The Sligo Champion, the “clubhouse” was well appointed.  An excerpt from the newspaper from August 1896:

“I strayed into the Club house lately and found it a very compact, neat affair, where the comforts of the members are well looked after. On the ground floor are the reading-room and smoking-room, lavatories, etc. The two former are comfortably furnished. The rooms upstairs are principally reserved for the lady members, and in the lower storey the gentleman can stow away their clubs and lay by their paraphernalia when not in use. There is a fine kitchen with necessary cooking arrangements attached; a cellar containing whiskeys, wines, mineral waters, etc. Indeed throughout all the interior there was an air of comfort. There is a large yard, and stabling for several horses at the rear of the Club-house. We believe it is the intention of the Committee to improve the grounds attached to the house by converting a portion of the land into a neat flower garden.”

Due to the increase in membership and local use, a new clubhouse was outlined and constructed in 1911.  A Tudor-style building with exposed timber and wood work, a lovely long deck overlooking the golf course, and a magnificent stained glass window encompassing the golf club emblem, stands today as a remembrance of the club’s beginnings.

New clubhouse

Appearing in a travel guide produced by the Midland Great Western Railway, circa 1914:

“SPLENDID GOLF COURSE. Among its many inducements to extended patronage is the fact that it possesses an improved eighteen-holes golf course, which is justly regarded as one of the finest in Ireland. The Club that maintains it has spared no pains to render this fine sea course as perfect as it is possible to make any links. Several new bunkers have been recently made; the course has been greatly improved, and is bound to increase every year in popularity. A new and commodious club house has lately been erected at considerable cost. The Golf Links Hotel is most pleasantly situated, and is under courteous and efficient management. In addition, there are several small, but acceptable places of accommodation in the village. One of the charms of Rosses Point is “grand golf at small expense” – visitors’ fees, Gentlemen 2s. per day, 10s. per week; Ladies 1s. 6d. per day, 7s. 6d. per week; Sunday play allowed with caddies. The Club is affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland … the visitor next becomes aware of the strength and invigorating freshness of the air, which is Rosses Point’s most favourable asset. So many seaside places become relaxing in Summer; but three rounds of 18 holes on the Co. Sligo course scarcely tire one, a fact due to the air and the very pleasant walking. A strong point of the Sligo Club is the very warm welcome extended to visitors, who need never be afraid of being left out in the cold, even if they do not know any resident.”

As golf continued to build in Ireland, it was becoming more competitive.  Courses were designed for championships, and Rosses Point had to keep up.  Therefore, in June of 1927, Harry Colt visited the little seaside town and was hired to rework the original layout at County Sligo Golf Club.  It is to note, the original 18 circled the land in a clockwise direction, but Colt’s decision to work the holes anti-clockwise, paralleled that of many famous courses, including the Old Course at St Andrews, Prestwick, and Royal Troon.  The holes of the original layout were all but destroyed, except for just a couple of holes.  All in all, every hole has been updated to where they stand today.

Welcome signage at Rosses Point - County Sligo GC

Arriving Rosses Point is a drive unlike many others in Ireland.  With beautiful holiday homes on the right and the bay on the left, winding this way and that will finally take you to the tip of Rosses Point, a view of the lighthouse, and ultimately the golf course.  To the far right is the Yeats Country Hotel, straight ahead is the century old clubhouse, and to the left is the view out of the Atlantic.  Behind it all lies 18 holes (27 in total) of some of the best golf in Ireland, if not the world.   So park the car, grab your clubs, and walk up to the clubhouse.  Take a few minutes to roam around as the photographs that hang throughout are special.  Grab some hot tea, a few extra golf balls, most likely your weather gear and head just to the front of the clubhouse, and the putting green.  Find your way to the practice tee, the short game area, and take a few swipes through the practice bunker.

Figuring out the greens before play

Let’s Play the Course!

The first tee at County Sligo is front and center for all to see.  Tee it up, take a breath, and grip the club all the way to the tip.  You can let the shaft out on the first hole.  Though straight as an arrow, the fairway does slope a bit left to right.  Looking out into the distance, there is a house just past the green.  This is a great line.  A bunker down the left side and a couple down the right, all of which should be missed.  Play the opening hole smart.  Take the approach to the middle of the green, splitting the two green-side traps.  Putts break back to front and then to the right.

Aim for the house at the 1st

No smirking from the second tee box.  Yardage might not be a factor, as the hole is very short, but positioning and the severity of the uphill is.  Keeping the tee shot left is ideal as the green nuzzles up and to the right.  You might not need a driver on this par 4, but then… why not?  The only real trouble is a pot bunker to the right and another 50 yards further on the left.  Splitting the two is perfect.  The green slopes in every direction on the approach, so middle of the green is good.  And it is all the way uphill so club up!  The height of the green provides a staggering view.  Enjoy!

What goes up comes down and so be it on the third hole.  The first par 5 on the course is a nice opportunity for birdie by playing the hole correctly.  Prime location for the tee shot is down the right side allowing for the dogleg left.  If you have a little bit of distance behind you, there is a chance to get home in two.  And if not, that is completely fine as a second shot can get you to the path that crosses the fairway just about 75 yards from the green.  Aim for that and you have a short approach to a green that is long and narrow.  Bunkers do come into play both off the tee and then again at the green, so just be mindful.  Short is better than long as a links style bump and run is a good play to the putting surface.

Gan Gaineamh - or “without sand.”  The fourth hole is one of the best par 3s in northwest Ireland, and there really is not much to it.  There are other more picturesque holes, but due to the severely domed and narrow nature of the green, throw in a bit of wind, and it is one tough hole.  Just take enough club to fly to the front part of the green.  Anything short will roll back down.  Long left is a good bail out, but just shoot for the middle.

Down the hill you go off the tee of #5

Ready, set, launch.  The tee box is high above the fairway, giving sight to all areas of the golf course and beyond.  Eight bunkers, four on the right and four on the left protect the landing area but the middle is wide open.  Take the driver, set your feet and swing out of your shoes… well, keep the shoes on.  Another six bunkers are waiting at approach.  Depending on where your drive lands, you might very well have a chance at this par 5 in two.  Longer rough is left but too far right will kick the ball on down the road.  The green is at least a 3-4, perhaps 5, clubs from front to back so selection is key.  Putting can be the challenge on the 5th due to multiple breaks and the sheer coverage of the putting surface.

The approach at the 6th green

One tough driving hole, but if you keep it down the left side of the 6th, you are golden!  There are a few fairway bunkers guarding this strategy, and there is a little left to right movement in the fairway, so a right to left spin with the ball is ideal.  The hole bends to the left before arriving at the green.  The approach is interesting.  There is a bank on the left side that will kick the ball onto the green and a bit of a trough to the right and short.  If you are in between two clubs, pick the longer one on this par 4.

The 7th hole has a little bit of everything.  A pretty good carry from the tee, threading the needle of bunkers, and a burn that guards the green.  Playing this hole with integrity and courage will bring both power and finesse.  Picking a target off the tee, perhaps one of the trees behind the green, will help focus on the job at hand, blocking out anything else.  A longer par 4, the approach might require a lot of club, so if you are feeling a little shorter, then play the shot short of the burn to then play a higher lofted club into the green.

A big hole comes in at the 8th, making the tee shot important.  There are four fairway bunkers, three right and one left that hit at the elbow of the dogleg (right).  The target off the tee is the shack off in the distance.  This will take you down the left side of the fairway, perfect for the incoming shot into the green.  A large burren or “creek” rests about 30 yards from the green, so either take enough club to reach the middle of play it short to rely on your short game.  One of the harder par 4s on the course demands great golf shots.

Picturesque shot at the 9th

Rounding the front side is the beautiful 9th, a par 3 that may not look harsh, but keep your focus.  The green is surrounding by bunkers front, left and right, and there is a grass bunker in the back.  Hitting the middle of the green is the name of the game, no matter the pin position.  A little left will give you that “member’s bounce” back to center, but anything right will roll back into the fall out.  Take a putt or two and move onto the back nine.

Backdrop off the 10th tee

The 10th hole is aptly named Benbulben as the tee box offers clear views of the flat-topped rock formation that is part of the Dartry Mountains.  Not that you will need any further walking after the round, but the trekking around the protected site is serene.  Flora and fauna abound, much of which doesn’t exist anywhere else in Ireland.  But back to golf.  Tie up your shoes, zip up your jacket, straighten your hat.  Here we go.

Standing on the tee box at 10, just look around, regardless of weather, the hues of colors are mesmerizing.  Greens, blues, purples, golds, grays, white… they are all apart of the countryside and waters in front of you.  This par 4 is fairly straight away.  There is a pretty slippery mound in the middle of the fairway that will kick your ball towards the one fairway bunker that sits on the left side.  Scaling the right will help keep you in the middle but staying just left of center, though bold, will grant you a better view to the green.  Another lone bunker takes residence to the left side of the green, but shouldn’t be in play.  Stay focused as the sleepy holes can wake you up quickly!

Severe slopes from left to right on #11

Crikey, a big par 4!  The teeth of the course are starting to bare, as if they hadn’t already.  The 11th hole parallels the 10th but back into the wind, at least when we were there.  With one bunker guarding the left side of the fairway, one would think that taking your drive down the right would be stellar, but the landing area slopes steeply left to right scooting any left to right spin or slightly missed right shot into the rough on the right.  Aim for the inside corner, stay with the shot, and no peeking.  The approach can be long.  There are two bunkers that split the right and left side.  Taking the ball in low and left is a good call - first, the wind and second, the greens falls off short and right.  The green is flat so just get to it and the rest will be fine.

Even though the 11th hole is called Lissadell, the best view of the Lissadel House is from the 12th tee box.  There is a lot of history in that estate across the water, another side journey after golf, but for now take hold of your thoughts and aim your sights for the left side of the fairway, just to the right of the fairway traps.  This is a tough driving hole, and it is a par 5, so it a 3 wood or driving iron comforts you, by all means this is the hole do back down from the driver.  Named for the lighthouse in the distance, follow the light for as many shots as it takes to get to the green.  The dogleg will take heed as well.  A fairly undulated green awaits.  Best to stay middle of the green as back left will kick the ball off the green, leaving a very testy shot.

The magnificent 13th

This is easily my favorite par 3, not that the others don’t provide a challenge or view, but this one is beyond memorable.  It is one you write in your journal about.  Standing on the tee box, looking out to the shore and into the mountains.  What a moment in time and you are standing at the edge of northwest Ireland, in a little town of Rosses Point.  The hole is manageable by length but the green is highly defended by five of those deep sod stacked pesky bunkers.  Short is a little better than long as there is a ditch lining the back of the green.  Landing the ball in between the first bunker on the right (that is about 12 yards from the green) and the front fringe is the call.  Let the ball bounce up and nuzzle next to the pin.

And here we go.  A par 5 for ladies makes it not as difficult that the 4 for men, but it is still a challenge all the same.  A dogleg from right to left, midway down the fairway, demands a tee shot that will land just short of the fairway end, leaving a very long and severely uphill approach into a green that slopes back to front.  The false front is very disillusioning if not taken seriously.    Coming in higher is much better than lower as anything short will roll all the way back down.  That said, if the pin is middle or back, the play is short of the pin as putting downhill can also take a “Ride on the Reading.” County Sligo names the 17th as their signature hole, to which we agree, even though there are a few others that deserve the same fame.

From the middle of the fairway at 15

Continuing the walk along the Atlantic shoreline, the par 4, 15th, takes the contour of the coastline, doglegging right to left.  Lining up to the left fairway bunkers is the ideal line, though make sure your driver can’t reach them.  There is another one to the right that is fairly hidden off the tee so just keep that in mind.  The approach into this hole is long and narrow.  With winds coming off the ocean, keeping the ball low is critical.  The green is very large with many nuances throughout.  Short is better than long as the fall off is pretty steep.  Note - this is one of the hardest holes on the course (at least for me!).  Playing for one more shot to the green could ease the mind.

The rough at 16

The final par 3 of the day an dit is a doozie.  Up against the coastline, winds most likely whipping, the 16th asks a lot of you at this point.  Club selection is important as the shot is all carry to a green that slopes every which way but loose.  Two steep-faced bunkers line the left ready to devour any wayward shot or wind blow Pro-V1, XXIO, Callaway, or previously owned golf ball.  Shoot for the middle, take your par, and move on to the 17th.

False front on the 17th

And here we go.  A par 5 for ladies makes it not as difficult that the 4 for men, but it is still a challenge all the same.  A dogleg from right to left, midway down the fairway, demands a tee shot that will land just short of the fairway end, leaving a very long and severely uphill approach into a green that slopes back to front.  The false front is very disillusioning if not taken seriously.    Coming in higher is much better than lower as anything short will roll all the way back down.  That said, if the pin is middle or back, the play is short of the pin as putting downhill can also take a “Ride on the Reading.” County Sligo names the 17th as their signature hole, to which we agree, even though there are a few others that deserve the same fame.

And the final hole at Rosses Point.  It does not disappoint.  Like so many course in Ireland, there has to be one with a blind tee shot, and this the one.  It puts your faith at the test, believing that the single white stone in the fairway will show you the way.  But it does.  Taking your ball, the stone and something else behind it, keep that line and trust.  Chances are you will not know where your ball lands until you take the walk up the hill, then down the other side.    Once on the clubhouse side of the hole, the approach into the green is not as difficult as some but does need respect.  The putting surface is hard to stay on if missed left, right, front, back, so middle is the key.  Stroke that last putt, take a breath, turn in a circle, smile.

Walking off the last hole at County Sligo is a bit sad, but glorious all the same.  If you are like everyone else who has never played this gem in northwest Ireland, what a day you just had.  It might not have the name, or perhaps the monumental dunes, but the fame is coming, and the hills hold their own.  Let the knowledge of history, the challenge of the course, and the natural beauty of the land inspire you to write your own poem, one that W.B. Yeats will smile down upon.

Apres to LIssadell - Yeats Country and now a private home