Connemara Golf Links
On a wild peninsula between Clifden and Roundstone, Connemara is one of the great remote links of the west of Ireland. Eddie Hackett laid it out in 1973 across raw Atlantic ground beneath the Twelve Bens mountains, and the formidable back nine, played into the prevailing wind over rock and dune, is rated by many the equal of any in the world. Here is the verdict, the facts, the holes and how to get on.
Photograph: Connemara Golf Links, via Google.
The verdict
Connemara is a course you play for the scale of it, the scenery and the sheer challenge. Eddie Hackett, the master of working with the land rather than against it, routed the links across rugged ground where exposed rock, heather and dune sit beneath the dramatic backdrop of the Twelve Bens and the open Atlantic. It is a big, demanding test, particularly the back nine, which stretches out long and into the prevailing wind and is widely held to be among the finest closing nines anywhere.
For the travelling golfer it is the centrepiece of a west of Ireland adventure. The remoteness is real, the weather can be ferocious and the golf asks for everything you have, but the reward is a links of genuine grandeur far from the crowds. Pair it with Carne and the Sligo links to the north and you have a wild Atlantic itinerary that few who make the journey ever forget.
Connemara Championship Golf Links at a glance
- Opened
- 1973
- Designer
- Eddie Hackett
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,200 yds
- Green fee
- Around €220
Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026. Connemara Championship Golf Links was designed by Eddie Hackett and opened in 1973, expanding to 27 holes in 2001. The championship layout plays par 72 and stretches over 7,200 yards from the back tees, with the 210 yard par 3 13th its signature hole. Indicative green fees are around 220 euro from April to October and around 160 euro from November to March; fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Connemara is a course of two distinct halves. The front nine eases you in across more open links ground, giving you a chance to build a score before the land and the wind turn serious. From the turn the course changes character entirely, stretching out long and exposed over rockier, more dramatic terrain with the mountains looming and the Atlantic close, a back nine that asks for length, control and courage in equal measure.
The signature is the 210 yard par 3 13th, a brute of a one shotter that is all carry to a green defended by the elements, but the strength is the whole inward run, where par is a fine score in any breeze. The greens are true and the bunkering and natural hazards are unforgiving, and when the wind comes off the ocean, as it usually does, the closing holes are as stern as anything in Irish golf. A 27 hole complex since 2001 gives the club a further nine to round out a visit.
Played in a real Atlantic wind, Connemara is an epic, physical examination set in scenery that takes the breath away. It is golf at its most elemental, and the kind of round that defines a trip to the west.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A welcoming members and visitor club open through the season, with the championship 18 and an additional nine |
| Green fee | Indicative green fees of around 220 euro from April to October and around 160 euro from November to March, with the C9 nine hole option from around 90 euro |
| Booking | Book ahead through the club for summer; the remote location means times are usually easier to secure than the famous southern links |
| On the day | A walking links across rugged Atlantic ground, exposed and demanding; bring layers and prepare for wind |
| Getting there | At Ballyconneely between Clifden and Roundstone in Connemara, around 90 minutes west of Galway city |
| Best months | May to September for the longest days and best weather; the exposed site plays very tough in strong wind |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Connemara Golf Links or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Clifden, the capital of Connemara, is the natural base, a characterful town a short drive from the links with hotels, guest houses and good restaurants. Staying in or near Clifden lets you enjoy the wider region, the coast, the mountains and the famous scenery, around your golf.
For a full western tour, base yourself in Connemara and Galway and play north to Carne Golf Links in Mayo and the Sligo links of Rosses Point and Enniscrone, a rugged Atlantic itinerary best given several days and a sense of adventure.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Connemara and the west of Ireland.
Stay and play in Connemara and the west
We book Connemara alongside Carne and the Sligo links, sort a base around Clifden and Galway and handle the drive through the west. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Connemara Championship Golf Links questions
Who designed Connemara Golf Links and when did it open?
Connemara Championship Golf Links was designed by the renowned Irish architect Eddie Hackett and opened in 1973, with a further nine holes added in 2001 to make it a 27 hole complex. Hackett was famous for routing courses naturally across difficult ground, and Connemara is one of his finest works.
What is the par and yardage of Connemara?
The championship course at Connemara plays as a par 72 and stretches over 7,200 yards from the back tees, making it one of the longer links in Ireland. Its defences are the exposed Atlantic ground, rock and heather, a long demanding back nine and the prevailing wind beneath the Twelve Bens.
How much does it cost to play Connemara?
Indicative green fees are around 220 euro from April to October and around 160 euro from November to March, with the C9 nine hole course available from around 90 euro. Green fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
What is the signature hole at Connemara?
The signature is the 210 yard par 3 13th, a long and exacting one shot hole that is all carry to a green exposed to the elements. It sits within a back nine that is widely rated among the finest closing stretches in world golf, played out long and into the prevailing wind.
Is Connemara worth the journey?
For golfers who love wild, remote links it is well worth it. Connemara delivers grand scale Atlantic golf beneath the Twelve Bens far from the crowds, around 90 minutes west of Galway. Most visitors pair it with Carne and the Sligo links for a memorable west of Ireland tour.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.