Eddie Hackett: Golf Architect
Dublin native Eddie Hackett designed, extended or modified over 100 golf courses over his lengthy career. No job was too big or too small and his design philosophy remained tastefully minimalist throughout his lifetime. He worked similarly to architects of a bygone era, his layouts using the land mainly as he found it. Hackett did not believe in major earth shifting and was prepared to work on modest budgets resulting in his work being much loved across the country and appreciated by locals and the global community at large.
AGS Golf Vacations has collated a series of 6 tours that explore and recognise the impact of Hackett’s work on the landscape of Ireland and the world of golfing at large. Golfing in Ireland is exceptionally popular and is a wonderful way to explore the beauty of this island. Many of Hackett’s courses are world class, steeped in history and a great challenge for experienced golfers. Explore our series of tours below:
The Eddie Hackett Golf Tour Series
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The Best Eddie Hackett Golf Courses of Dublin and the Southwest of Ireland
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Eddie Hackett Golf Tour Through the West and North West of Ireland
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Eddie Hackett Golf Tour – Around lively Cork City and County Cork
Best Eddie Hackett Golf Courses of Dublin and the Southwest
Eddie Hackett has more of his designs in the Ireland Top 100 course rankings than any other golf architect. In top100golfcourses.com for Ireland, he currently has 16 courses.
Seven of his designs are in the top 20 and eleven in the top 50. In the following Dublin and South West Trail, he has seven ranked courses and Arklow golf Club that could also be played en route.
The Tour:
The South West
Dublin
The South West
Waterville Golf Club (7378 yards, Par 72)
Waterville Golf Club is a very remote course located on a promontory with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the River Rinny estuary on the other. It is a fine stretch of linksland and it has an enviable World ranking with an excellent design initially by Eddie Hackett.
It is in the southern part of the famous “Ring of Kerry” tourist route. There are excellent views of Macgillycuddy Reeks to the north and across Ballinskelligs Bay to the south. In the 1960s the club was in poor shape and was bought by an American Jack Mulcahy.
He had the vision to build a world-class testing links golf course. He engaged Eddie Hackett who was assisted by Claude Harmon, a close friend of Jack and past Masters champion.
The terrain was ideal, and after exhaustive planning and work, the course and its new clubhouse opened in 1973. The full course is very long but several tees are available on every hole so that all standards of golfers can enjoy a game here.
The fairways are moderately undulating and while the front nine is relatively flat the back is more rugged and exposed snaking through high dunes. The signature hole is the 200 yard par three 12th known as "The Mass Hole". It has a great design and historical significance.
The area that Hackett originally planned for the green was sacred ground. The Irish construction workers refused to build the green in the protected valley since this hidden location was a place to celebrate mass at a time when it was punishable by death due to Cromwell’s persecution. Eddie, a devout catholic himself stretched the hole.
He moved the green to higher ground among the dunes thus preserving the sacred ground. The result is a scenic and challenging par three considered one of Ireland's best.
The 17th tee is said to have the best view and is known as “Mulcahy’s Peak” named after the owner who saved the club and initiated its redevelopment.
Killarney Killeen (7252 yards, Par 72)
Killarney is in a wonderful part of Ireland. The relatively small town has historically always catered for visitors. It is in one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland situated in a National Park and part of the famous “Ring of Kerry”.
There is a spectacular mountain and lakeside scenery. The Killen Course is the flagship course of Killarney Golf Club. The course is on the banks of Lough Leane and is a challenge even for long hitters, with water hazards posing problems on nearly every hole.
The Lakes of Killarney and the McGillycuddy Reeks provide a spectacular backdrop. It is said to be a spectacle that is difficult to match anywhere in the world. The course opened in 1972 and was designed by Eddie Hackett.
It is on relatively flat ground with great conditioning, diversity and thrills. On the European Tour, it has hosted the Irish Open four times, won twice by Nick Faldo when in 1992 only three players ended under par. Killeen has also hosted the Curtis Cup and Solheim Cup.
Fortunately for the average player, there is a choice of tees. The par-four fourth is awkward and plays to a green that is visually stunning with water to the right and rear.
The view from the tenth is outstanding with a mountain and lakeside backdrop. It appears to be a relatively short par three but you must carry a man-made pond and hit the green. Anywhere long or short will be in the lake or pond.
The 13th is Index 1 and is a long demanding par four with a stream at the front of the green. On the seventeenth, you need to avoid the right side of the fairway which has a hazardous water feature.
The approach shot is difficult and you are advised not to attack the pin if it is left of the very deep pot bunker. The 18th is a testing finishing hole with water all the way down the left adding pressure particularly to your approach shot onto a tricky green.
Dooks Golf Club (6511 yards, Par71)
Dooks Golf Links is at the edge of Dingle Bay and has wonderful scenery as well as a technological challenge for golfers. It was founded in 1889 and is one of the oldest Golf Clubs in Ireland. The word ‘Dooks’ originates from the Irish ‘Douaghs’ meaning dunes.
The Wild Atlantic Ocean can be seen from practically every hole and Ireland’s highest mountain range, the McGillycuddy Reeks, overlooks each shot. For a century the links consistently stayed a quirky 9 holes.
Due to lack of funds, it was extended to eighteen holes in1970 by the members under the guidance of Eddie Hackett. This is typical Hackett helping clubs in a manner that they can afford.
The course is not as exposed to the winds as many links and features an amazing variety of gorse, heather and wildflowers.
The Natterjack Toad has been adopted as the club's emblem. It is rare and its habitat is preserved. The course also has both hares and rabbits which is unusual. Dooks is a delight environmentally with migratory geese, ducks and waders off the estuary, with a large variety of gulls, ravens and choughs.
The chorus of the skylarks can be heard and there are kestrels, cuckoos swallows, sand martins, stonechats, wagtails, pippets and more. The course is perfect for the golfer seeking a tranquil environment. Its defence is not distance but layout rewarding the strategic thinker.
The par-three fourth is 170 yards from an elevated tee. Go for the middle of the green. There is out of bounds on the left and a cunningly placed bunker on the right. If uncertain, use the bailout area on the right.
The par-four seventh has a narrow gap at the end of the landing area You need a long accurate drive to make regulation. There are bunkers short of the green that slopes from the left making the approach demanding.
On the par-five 9th the drive is not for the fainthearted. Sacrifice length for keeping it straight. The green has bunkers in front and to the left and the huge green can have a pin position at the very back. A par can feel like a birdie.
The par four 18th needs a good straight drive towards the distant chimneys. It is tricky into the prevailing wind. With a short drive, it is advisable to lay up the second shot short of the dunes and try to chip close for ’up and down’.
Dingle Golf Club (6737 yards, Par 72)
The Dingle Golf Club is the most westerly in Europe, located at Ballyferriter on the Dingle peninsula in County Kerry. This is a Gaelic area where its name is Ceann Sibéal Golf Club.
It is set in a beautiful landscape on the Wild Atlantic Way. The Club was founded in 1924 and had two homes near Dingle before Eddie Hackett developed the first a nine holes golf course at Ballyoughtra (Ceann Sibeal) in the early seventies.
It is considered by many to be one of his most enthralling creations. Hackett was designing Waterville at the time. He was tasked to create an 18 hole course but there was only enough money for nine holes. Later taking inspiration from Hackett’s plans, Christy O’Connor Jnr completed the second nine which opened in 1991.
The setting is spellbinding, having the Three Sisters rock high behind the course while the sea booms against the craggy cliffs below. Every hole is full of undulations and swales, with hazards laid down long before the game of golf was thought of, including a winding stream that meanders through the entire course.
The panorama of the Dingle Peninsula is revealed as you play. There are fishing villages, glorious hills, bays, mountains and the Blasket Islands out in the Atlantic. Many of the holes were "found" not made, Hackett said many times "I try to dress up what the Good Lord provides".
The par three tenth is quite tricky, at 197 yards it is uphill with out of bounds on the left. The green is blind because of a large sandhill and three pot bunkers guard the right.
The eleventh and thirteenth are doglegs requiring careful thought.
In between them is a crafty par three with a contoured green set at an angle to the tee shot.
Dingle town itself is a great place to spend the night. It has a reputation for fantastic seafood and you can enjoy one of the town's lively pubs with traditional music and a turf fire.
Other courses in this area are Bantry Bay and Ring of Kerry.
Dublin Area
The Island (6903 yards, Par 71)
The Island Golf Club is a top 10 ranked course in Ireland and one of the oldest, being founded in 1890. The detailed history is well recorded elsewhere. In summary four golfers from what is now Royal Dublin hired a boatman to take them to what they thought was a possible golf links site on an Island.
They found an excellent site with large dunes but it was on a peninsula surrounded by sea on three sides and wide open to the wind. Part of their motivation was to avoid the restrictions on Sunday golf at Royal Dublin.
From 1890 until 1973 when an access road was made the only realistic access was by boat. The early course is not attributed to any designer and was seemingly eighteen individual holes laid out by the members without serious earth-moving with fairways following the valleys between the sand dunes.
From this, the existing course evolved over time and its rugged beauty cannot fail to impress. The breath-taking dunes 25ft high, elusively stellar crevasses running through the terrain before reaching the challenging greens.
In 1973 the British architect Fred Hawtree was engaged to reorganise the course. His brief was liberal in scope. He was to retain the distinctive character of the course but to make whatever changes he considered necessary to “modernise” it.
Progress was quite slow, perhaps controlled by finance available. Eddie Hackett had trained with the Hawtree firm and he appeared to take over from Fred who had many other golfing interests.
Eddie was engaged in the eighties and made more improvements. He would have enjoyed working on this fabulous piece of linksland. His minimalist style and flexibility working with the available budget made him a natural choice.
The links have quirky charm, require excellent shot-making skills and have many superb holes. The most notable holes are those closest to Malahide and the original Jetty. The 13th, 14th and 15th are on some of the best land where they are surrounded by water
The classic par three 13th known as “Broadmeadow” requires a 210-yard tee shot across the Broadmeadow Estuary back to the mainland. A memorable hole, it has a high plateau green close to the water’s edge. Tricky If played when the wind is blowing from the sea up the cliff face. Out of bounds on the right. You can play safe down the left side and chip onto the green.
The 14th known as “Old Clubhouse” is an intimidating short par four. The fairway at its widest point is just 15 paces across and subject to strong crosswinds. Anything right is in the bay, left is in deep rough it must be the narrowest fairway in Ireland,
The 15th known as “Prairie” is a great links hole across some rough undulations and ridges. It is best played down the left side of the fairway toward a large dune that frames a delightful green site, where a greenside bunker awaits the wayward shot.
St Anne’s Golf Club (6717 yards, Par 71)
St Anne’s Golf Club is a links golf course located on beautiful Bull Island which is a world-famous Nature Reserve. It shares the Island with Royal Dublin Golf Club. The club is only 4 miles from the centre of the capital city but its unique location is tranquil, unspoilt and natural.
The island is also a world-famous nature reserve. The club was founded in 1921 and the original 9 holes were laid out by club members. Eddie Hackett was employed to develop the course to 18 holes which is compact on just 70 acres.
The 18 hole links opened in 1989 and it is said that the standard of play increased considerably. It is an impressive traditional links golf course, relatively flat with three par fives and four par threes.
The fairways are tight, the greens fast and there are many water hazards. Even on a calm day, it presents a severe yet exciting challenge. Add some wind and it becomes a major factor in how the course is played.
The location enjoys splendid panoramic views of Howth Head and across Dublin Bay to the Wicklow mountains.
The seventh hole is Index 1, a par four of 476 yards known as “Brent”, and a very tough hole. It doglegs slightly left and requires an accurate drive to the right of the fairway to open up the semi-blind green. There is an OOB on the right.
The 164-yard par-three 10th is unusual for a links course as the approach to the green must carry an ample water hazard. The change in wind strength can have you hitting a different club to this hole every time you play it.
Beach Park (6315 yards, Par 72)
The Beach Park Golf Club is located at Rathcoole village, Co. Dublin, just 40 minutes’ drive from Dublin City centre. It was originally known as Bodenstown Golf Course, where it had been formed and where it had been in occupation since 1972/73 with an annual tenancy agreement. In 1883 the members decided to move to Beech Park where they could purchase the land. The new course was designed by Eddie Hackett. With the help of many members a temporary course of nine holes was in use by July of 1983 and the full course renamed Beach Park Golf Club was opened in 1985.
This immaculate, impressive-looking, well maintained and manicured parkland course starts quietly and fools you into thinking it’s easy before building to an impressive climax. The 2nd half of the course has Beech Park’s own 'Amen Corner' to test your skills. The 9th hole is a dog leg right par 5 where the fairway slopes right to left so the best tee shot is a long slight fade.
The 9 th green is elevated with a heavy right to left slope and severe undulations. There is an enormous bunker protecting the front left. This starts a run of holes that are heavily lined with woodland that will test a tentative approach and reward the brave. There are tight fairways and quite small greens adding to the challenge. The 11th is very picturesque with the green set beyond a wide stretch of lily pond. The 16th drive is downhill from an elevated tee into the turn of a dogleg left. A water hazard waits to trap the well hit drive from long hitters, forcing them to hit 3-irons off the tee. The par four 18th has a slight left-to-right dogleg that requires a carefully placed drive. Too straight a drive can reach a lateral water hazard. On the right you risk hitting a Copper Beech tree that guards the right-hand-side of the fairway.
A long second shot is required to reach the long narrow green protected by large, deep bunkers on both sides and out-of-bounds looms behind the green.
Elmgreen (5,807 yards, Par 70)
Elmgreen Golf Club is situated at the City’s threshold, in Dunsink Lane, just off the Navin road and M50 at junction 6 in Dublin 15. It is a tranquil parkland course set in a secluded estate with mature forestry, tree lined fairways and splendid views of the Dublin Mountains. This Eddie Hackett designed course is beautiful and immaculately kept. It is relatively short but an enjoyable test of golf offering an interesting challenge for players of all abilities. Accuracy is the key to score well.
The par four fourth is tough with trees lining both sides of the fairway ready to punish any wayward shots. The green is well bunkered and slopes severely from left to right calling for an accurate approach. The par three seventh is slightly downhill from the tee to a green playing somewhat less than its 194 yards. Any shot pulled left will be out of bounds.
Anything right will end up in thick rough. The par four ninth is the toughest on the course, needing an accurate tee shot. Finding the right hand side of the fairway leads to the best approach. It doglegs left to right and good strong driving can cut the corner. The risk is out of bounds or a second shot blocked.
The approach is uphill to a two-tier green. The short par four tenth tempts big hitters to reach the green but trouble waits everywhere. The green is a narrow target with trees on both sides of the fairway and a hazard just short of the green. It is a typical risk/ reward strategy with conservative play being an iron from the tee. The par five sixteenth is deceiving as its narrow fairway slopes progressively uphill so that it plays more than its yardage. From the tee there is out of bounds and dense woodland to the right. The best strategy is two careful shots leaving a short iron approach to the green.
The par three seventeenth has a nice view of Dublin City, it is not long but needs a good tee shot. The green is well bunkered claiming anything short either side of the green.
Beaverstown Golf Club (5922 yards, Par 72)
The Beaverstown Golf Club was founded in 1985 at Donabate north of Dublin. The course was on land which was formerly a fruit farm. The purchaser of the land was a local businessman who planned to create a Golf and Country Club. Despite heavy advertising and the retention of Eddie Hackett to design the course, the project ran into financial difficulties but was saved by investment from some members. Intensive recruitment built the number of members by 1990. The course is a unique challenging parkland layout set in 140 acres of lush orchards. The design makes the best use of its many natural features including 6 lakes, 36 acres of mature apple trees, the shores of Rogerstown estuary in North County Dublin and a meandering stream through the course. The orchards border the fairways, tees, fairways and undulating greens on 8 of the holes. The streams and lakes come into play on 12 holes. The course is particularly picturesque when the apple trees bloom in May. There are strategically placed bunkers throughout to add to the existing natural challenges.
The signature hole is the par four fourteenth where an ominous stream can only be carried with a well-hit drive. A further hazard to avoid is the towering ash tree that sits at the centre of the fairway and the groves of trees from the orchard surrounding the green on three sides. The undulating sand-based greens test all standards of golfers and with the well-drained fairways guarantee play throughout the year.
Malahide Golf Club (5960 yards, Par 71)
The Malahide Golf Club was initially a links course close to the Grand Hotel in Malahide Village. It is one of Ireland’s oldest clubs founded in 1892 by Nathaniel Hone,one of Ireland's foremost painters. The estuary began to erode the dunes in the 1920’s and quite soon this excellent links course was becoming a beach.
Purchase of inland fields started the development of an inland course of nine holes that was played until 1990. In the meantime the club purchased the Beechwood estate in 1987 between the beautiful seaside resort of Malahide and the village of Portmarnock. Construction of 18 holes of parkland began in 1988 with Eddie Hackett appointed as golf architect. The 180 acres of mature wooded parkland was drained and more trees planted. A clubhouse was built with scenic views across the bay to Howth Head and The Wicklow Mountains.
The new 27-hole course was opened by An Taoiseach, Charles J. Haughey in 1990..Malahide is an imposing gently undulating parkland course, boasting thought-
provoking and impressive golf holes. The natural landscape comprises hardwood copses, ponds and rivers with wonderful flora and fauna. Their strategic placement ensures a variety of shots are required in every round.Deceivingly simple and attractive in design, each hole presents the golfer with its own challenge, needing care on the many doglegs and shots over the water hazards. Many of the greens are raised needing accurate club selection and discretion. Golfers will find a beautiful course in prime condition with a combination of trees, bunkers and water hazards to test the most skilful players.
Eddie Hackett has made typically good use of the Beechwood site. The 27 hole complex affords great flexibility in that it is possible to combine the playing of the Beechwood Nine with either nine of the Championship Course. The three loops of nine holes each finish with a great hole near the clubhouse. The course always presents a challenge for golfers offering variety, inspiration and a genuine test of golf that you're unlikely to forget in a hurry. The sea is not far away and so wind can play a part even on this parkland course. The motto of the Malahide Club is "A light heart and a friendly spirit".
Lucan Golf Club (6539 yards, Par 71)
The Lucan Golf Club is one of Ireland’s older clubs. It was formed in 1897 and affiliated to the Golfing Union in 1905. The original Lucan course was opened by Captain Colthurst-Vesey in September 1897 and was initially located in the Moor of Meath. This arrangement did not last long and the club moved to its present location adjoining the Spa Hotel in 1900. James McKenna, the professional at Carrickmines Golf Club laid out the first nine-holes. In 1988 an eighteen hole course was designed by Eddie Hackett.
The club now boasts a magnificent mature parkland layout in the tranquil suburbs of Liffey Valley and is only 15 minutes by car to the centre of Dublin. The course features mature trees, streams, bridges and water hazards that come into play on several holes. There are undulating fairways making accuracy essential and well guarded greens ensuring your approach shots must be of the highest order.
Lucan exhibits some very testing and unusual holes The par three fourth hole is unusual in that the tee shot crosses the main road. The other par threes are tough as is the number one index fourteenth, a parfour with a stream protecting the front of the green. There are countless challenges to look out for during your round, take care until you are safely back in the clubhouse.
Kilcock Golf Club (6221 yards, Par 72)
Kilcock Golf Club is a championship standard eighteen hole golf course located just 10 minutes outside Dublin. The club is just 2 miles from Kilcock off the N4(main Dublin/Galway road). Shortly after the M4 ends, take the exit for Kilcock. After 200 yds take a right and then the first left. The Golf course is on this road about 1 mile from the crossroads. The club was first founded in 1984 as a 9 hole golf course by the local landowner Gerry Canning. In 1990 land adjacent to the course was purchased and the renowned golf architect Eddie Hackett was engaged. He laid out a testing but fair eighteen hole course.
The course has undulating tree-lined fairways with light rough that is quite forgiving to somewhat errant shots. There are mature trees, many water features and a wide array of challenging bunkers. The greens are known to be fast with imperceptible breaks that pose a challenge to all golfers.
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