Ireland’s new contender
When we next refresh our World Resorts list, there is every chance there will be an additional GB&I entry in the shape of a recently overhauled Portmarnock Resort
Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links sits at No.23 in our Great Britain & Ireland Top 100 Resorts. It is somewhere we have always been extremely fond of, a characterful resort in a wonderful location with, that great rarity, a true links course attached to it.
That position in the GB&I list put it on the cusp of this World Resorts ranking. The reality, though, might well be that it is more than good enough to be gracing the 100.
On and off the course, Portmarnock Resort – as it is now known – has been raised to another level. While the luxury hotel – which mixes modern opulence with historic charm – has been impressively refreshed, it is the course that has seen the biggest changes.
It has undergone a multi-million euro renovation that has given it even more breathtaking moments and further increased its consistency.
All the reports we have had back on it so far have been glowing. As more of us experience the renovated course – now known as Jameson Golf Links – the improvements will be acknowledged in the GB&I Top 200 ranking in 2024, which will lead in to the refreshed GB&I Resorts list, the Ireland courses ranking and ultimately what we expect to be the next World Resorts list.
The remodelling of this championship course, originally laid out by Bernhard Langer and European Golf Design in 1995, was masterminded by Jeff Lynch, Senior Architect at (RE)GOLF.
Lynch’s enhancements include the elevation of greens and tees from the 8th hole all the way through to its breathtaking finishing stretch. They allow golfers the chance to marvel at picture-postcard views of Portmarnock’s Velvet Strand beach, Dublin’s city skyline and the famous uninhabited island – known as Ireland’s Eye – which greets visitors as they land at nearby Dublin Airport. The reinvigoration of the layout and the rerouting of certain holes have led to several significant changes in the closing 10 holes.
Previously a dog-leg, the 8th has been transformed into a straighter par 4 following the development of a new fairway, green complex and grass pathways. An irrigation lake has been moved and that also improved the course’s water collection capabilities and sustainability credentials.
Both the 12th and 14th holes – previously par 4s – have been redesigned as par 5s, with the raised green area on the former providing fabulous views of the Velvet Strand, Howth Head, Lambay and Ireland’s Eye. In between those new par 5s, the 13th has been transformed from a par 5 into an exacting, stroke index-one par 4.
The 15th has been shortened from a par 4 to a 3, and plans are in place to do the
reverse on the 17th, which will provide another birdie chance over the closing holes.
The links’ new name derives from the fact it sits on a site inextricably linked to the famous Jameson whiskey dynasty, a family who played an instrumental part in introducing the game of golf to Ireland.
In the 1850s, John Jameson III – one of three of the Jamesons who are laid to rest in the graveyard to the right of the 1st hole – built his own private course on the site for the use of friends and family coming over from Scotland.
‘The Jameson’ nine-holer weaved among the dunes that stretch from the house (now the hotel) to the current 15th at neighbouring Portmarnock GC. Jameson leased land at the southern end of the peninsula to founder members of Portmarnock GC, which opened in 1894, and because he was made President of the new club, The Jameson course was no longer maintained.
Golf returned to the old estate in the 1990s. Construction started in 1992 on the links, which was designed by Bernhard Langer in association with Stan Eby of European Golf Design, and it opened for play in 1995 with three of the ‘The Jameson’ holes incorporated in the 8th, 9th and 15th.
Construction work started on the hotel that year and opened the following year with IMG founder Mark Mccormack one of the owners.
The investment has continued off the course too, with upgrades to the awardwinning hotel that has always oozed elegance as well as being steeped in history.
Acquired by the Sandman Hotel Group in 2019, it has been entirely reimagined to complement a breathtaking seaside location and accommodate the expectations of the modern guest seeking an escape.
It boasts an award-winning Spa and three dining outlets where guests can choose from fine dining options, traditional afternoon tea or a pub-style meal.
The famed Jameson Bar is an essential part of what is one of Britain and Ireland’s premier stay-and-play experiences. The resort is a 30-minute journey from the heart of Dublin and is an ideal base from which to explore the array of world-class links along the north Dublin coast, headed by legendary Portmarnock, memorable The Island and classy Royal Dublin.
It all combines to be one of the finest golf resorts in Britain and Ireland – and after the astute renovation of this coastal escape, do not be surprised to see it as a new entry in the next World ranking.