Doonbeg Golf Resort in County Clare, Ireland

Staff Reports
Jan 24, 2011 12:00 AM ET

Situated along a secluded cove along Ireland's Atlantic coast, Doonbeg Golf Resort sprawls from the centuries-old sand dunes along the crescent-shaped beach inland to the verdant rolling hills.

Greg Norman, who designed the Doonbeg golf course, saw the enormous potential of the rugged and diverse landscape. He is known for creating golf courses that blend seamlessly into their surroundings. The ideal terrain practically made the course itself, with 14 greens and 12 fairways that required no changes, just a simple mowing of the grass.

The par-72 course has a relatively simple layout, a single loop of nine holes out and nine holes back, but the speed and direction of the wind along with the beautiful views of the Atlantic make the Doonbeg a unique challenge. The unpredictable winds also guarantee that every round is different. The golf course is routed along the existing dunes, resulting in an uncommon combination of five par 3s and five par 5s. In addition to the course, Doonbeg provides an expansive 20-bay driving range for golfers to use.