County Louth, known in Ireland as Baltray, is one of the great under-the-radar courses in the British Isles. Redesigned in 1936 by the great Tom Simpson, who did most of his work in Europe, the course should be a staple of any golf or golf-adjacent trip to the Dublin area. Baltray’s subtle landscape and minimal water views aren’t ideal for setting Instagram on fire, but the entire place is tremendous for anyone seeking an unadulterated links experience.

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Take Note…

Championship golf. Every year, Baltray hosts the East of Ireland Open Championship. This prestigious Irish Amateur event is open to all who qualify on handicap—meaning any amateur (including Americans) can go play a great match-play championship on this links course.

Alternate routing. The original routing by Simpson was different from the current iteration. The change happened in the 1980s, before the club made changes. The course started on what is now No. 4, played through today’s ninth, and finished the front with holes 1, 2, and 3. This routing would have made the opening stretch one of the best in Ireland, and that’s saying a lot! The back nine remains mostly unchanged, except that it started on what is now 11 and concluded with 10.

Amateur victory. Shane Lowry famously won the 2009 Irish Open at Baltray as an amateur.