Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 15
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 15
A rocky uninhabited island, called "Ireland's Eye," sits off the coast from Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - clubhouse
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Portmarnock Golf Club - clubhouse
A rainbow shines on the clubhouse at Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 10
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 10
This mammoth pot bunker fronts the 10th green at Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 12
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 12
Three of the deepest bunkers on the course flank the 12th green at Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - yellow course
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Portmarnock Golf Club - yellow course
The yellow course, aka the third nine, at Portmarnock Golf Club is an excellent loop among the dunes. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - bunkers
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Portmarnock Golf Club - bunkers
Trouble lurks inside bunkers like these at Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - yellow nine - dunes
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Portmarnock Golf Club - yellow nine - dunes
Shadows creep along the dunes at Portmarnock Golf Club's yellow nine. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 15
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 15
The par-3 15th at Portmarnock Golf Club runs along the shore of the Irish Sea. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 18
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 18
Portmarnock Golf Club's par-4 18th finishes near the clubhouse. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 4
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 4
The fourth is the toughest par 4 at Portmarnock Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 1
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Portmarnock Golf Club - hole 1
the green of the first hole at Portmarnock Golf Club. Courtesy of Portmarnock G.C.
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Portmarnock Golf Club: The most revered links playground in County Dublin, Ireland

COUNTY DUBLIN, Ireland -- The 27-hole Portmarnock Golf Club is the most revered links playground in Dublin.

Ranked 30th in the world by Golf Digest, Portmarnock dates to 1894 and has hosted 13 Irish Opens in the modern era of the European Tour, crowning champions from Ben Crenshaw in 1976 to Jose Maria Olazabal in 1990 and Michael Campbell in 2003.

The clubhouse celebrates this history with pictures and memorabilia hanging inside. The 7,466-yard championship course won't wow visitors with its views or heavy dune cover. It just pummels them with strong holes and length.

Portmarnock Golf Club's extra nine, added in the 1950s, plays just as strong, even offering two surprises the championship course can't: a scenic walk along the shore and an outstanding drivable par 4.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Portmarnock Golf Club: The most revered links playground in County Dublin, Ireland