arquinta

One of my favourite courses, in excellent condition, particularly the greens. The layout winds its way around an old estate and the large specimen trees are the main feature, but there are also excellent views to the Wicklow hills. Can be heavy in winter; May is probably the best time, as the rhododendrons and azaleas are spectacular.

Have played Athy many times over the years and always enjoy it. Course was in excellent condition and, despite being crowded, play moved along reasonably well. There is also always a pleasant welcome. Highly recommended.

Not the first time to have played the West course, but always very enjoyable. Great, if challenging, layout with various punishments for poor or wayward shots. Sand was well maintained in (the many) bunkers but recent rain made it extraordinarily heavy to get out of.Greens good but speeds varying. My playing companion went for a buggy which is not my usual choice but certainly left me a lot less tired than I would otherwise have been, it's a long and hilly course.

Have played Borris quite a few times over the years and always enjoyed it. Nice welcome and enjoyable (if idiosyncratic) layout, with some very nice views. Lots of wildlife, including very tame pheasants and many rabbits. Very humid when I played and flies were annoying but otherwise very enjoyable.

Have played 9 holes here before but got the full 18 in yesterday. Highly recommend the layout & views from the course; there are also some quirky & unusual holes which may catch the visitor out. Greens were good although slow, having been heavily watered. Summer conditions were kind, but wind could be a big factor here. Busy for a rural course.

Pleasant course in good condition for the time of year (end April). Some nice views and also a decent clubhouse. Staff v friendly, although catering limited. Holes generally long and quite open, so would particularly suit longer hitters, even if you are a bit wild - extra length gave substantial advantage every time, with little penalty for being off target. Very decent bunkers (proper sand), which is always a good sign.

Played Rathsallagh in glorious early June weather, although windy. The fairways were hairy and the greens remarkably soft and slow, although the layout (with mature trees etc) is still fantastic. The condition of the fairways & greens made little difference to my enjoyment of the game, but the rough was another matter. A ball in the rough meant a lost ball, almost no matter where it happened. This was annoying. Overall, very good value for the €16 I paid, but I wouldn't be keen to pay a lot more. BTW, no clubhouse facilities on my visit.

Played early morning (practice/exercise on my own); 18 holes in 2 hours 45mins. The course was in good condition for the time of year, greens reasonable. The layout is fantastic, with a unique piece of landscape providing both subtle and varied challenges. My €16 fee was a 'Hot Deal' bargain. would need to be playing a much more serious game to pay €35.

Palmerstown is a lovely layout, taking up a considerable area, so that the holes are well spread out, with lots of water. This has the advantage of keeping holes separate, so that you are not aware of other players as you progress around the course, as well as giving great variety. It is a long course, at a tad under 7000 yards off the 'Silver' tees I played, and 7420 from the back. Many par 4s are 440+ yards, with water in front of the green, so It's monster driving off the tee or a lay-up. The course was reasonably maintained, with good greens, but the fairways were patchy and (frequently) squelchy wet, which may reflect our unending winter this year. 'Play as you lie' was a bit unreasonable, as it was effectively winter conditions. The bunkers (of which there are a great many) were terrible, like concrete and with stones in them - it was necessary to pick away the stones and play the ball 'clean' to get out. Despite these misgivings, it's a super course and I'll definitely be returning.

My son & I played 15 holes late last Saturday afternoon and enjoyed the course very much (time constraints of our own forced an early finish). The golfnow.ie green fee was excellent value, the course in good condition and we had no problems, despite arriving late - a phonecall beforehand had warned the cordial pro. The initial holes were straightforward and fairly short, but things got trickier with some well placed water hazards later on. Certainly not the longest or most difficult stretch you'll ever play, but well maintained and enjoyable none the less.