The County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point (Colt Championship)

A centenarian with all the dignity and maturity of age, this is one of Ireland’s great championship links. The course which was designed by the legendary Harry Colt and has hosted most of Ireland’s major championships in its long and venerable history. Three large beaches beneath the cliffs keep the Atlantic Ocean at bay as Benbulben Mountain competes with the ocean for scenic splendour on the land side. Many believe that Rosses Point offers the finest 18 holes in the country. Among the most beautiful holes on the front nine is the short par four 2nd hole. Measuring just over 278 metres, the hole plays severely uphill and your approach can be very difficult to judge, while the panoramic view from the green is as vast as it is sensational. The wind from the sea is a constant factor but the 3rd and 5th holes have very satisfying downhill drives to compensate. The 7th may appear straightforward for a hole rated as the index one but when your approach makes an unscheduled visit to the brook in front of the green, your comprehension of this rating will grow. The homeward journey will not disappoint and the 10th and 11th holes, which offer excellent views of the great Benbulben Mountain, are two excellent par fours. The par four 14th, measuring some 394 metres from the championship stakes, is Tom Watson’s favourite and is an extremely testing hole, which when the wind is blowing is almost a par five. Your drive at the 15th needs to carry quite a distance over some very wild dunes close to the shore, while the pick of the final three holes is probably the par four 17th, which is rated as the second most difficult hole of the course and requires a long second shot to an amphitheatre green.