The European Golf Club

The European Golf Club is one of the hardest golf courses in Ireland – and one of the best.

Writer-turned-architect Pat Ruddy owns The European Golf Club, runs the club and designed the course. Never has a course been dominated by one man as here.

After your game, expect to find this force of nature in the modest clubhouse, wondering what you thought of his course.

RELATED: Lahinch Golf Club review

It is very likely you will utter something like ‘well, it was a test because no-one – not Tiger Woods, not Padraig Harrington, not Mark O’Meara – has come to The European and found it anything other than exacting.

That is Ruddy’s trademark; from Ballyliffin to Rosapenna to Donegal and his renovations at Ireland’s other great links, his calling card is often relentless challenge.

The European is a bold, modern links with robust holes that will test your brain and brawn.

Golf World Top 100: Best Golf Courses & Resorts

It has memorable holes and is a memorable experience; in fact, when you travel to Dublin, it is an essential experience along with Portmarnock.

Harrington played the Irish PGA here to warm-up for The Open, thinking that if his game was good enough for The European, it was good enough for anything Birkdale and co could throw at him.

READ NEXT: Golf World Top 100 Links Courses in Great Britain and Ireland

• Course has: Bar
• Course does not have: Buggy Hire
• Course has: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course does not have: Dress Code
• Course has: Club Hire
• Course has: Handicap