Having enjoyed the best courses in the West of Ireland for the past 5 years now – SM Links 2014, SM Links 2015, SM Links 2016, SM Links 2017 & SM Links 2018 – the 6th Annual Tournament of The Social Media Links Challenge will take place at 2 of the finest links courses in Ireland over 3 days when it tees off in late August. Carne Golf Links & Enniscrone Golf Club once again provide stern but very different golfing tests from Thursday 22nd – Saturday 24th August 2019!

The First Day’s play will be hosted at the exquisite Enniscrone Golf Club, on Thursday 22nd August 2019. It has been the host course for the Final Round over the past 4 years of the event and provides an excellent venue in all aspects. It will again host the Final Round this year but also provides the venue for the Opening Round in 2019. This world renowned course will test each and every player as they strive to get into the leading groups from Day 1.

Day 2 on Friday 23rd August will take in the awesome Carne Golf Links in Belmullet, Co Mayo. Our competitors faced beautiful and windy conditions last August and we are hoping for more of the same come the 2nd Round next year. This is one of the more remote courses in Ireland but as a result of that it has one of the most amazing locations for a golf course anywhere in the World!

The Final Day of the 2019 Social Media Links Challenge will be played at Enniscrone Golf Club on Saturday 24th August. This outstanding links course will provide a fitting finale to 3 days of sublime links golf on the West Coast of Ireland. The winning team this week will certainly deserve their prize!

The entry fee per person is only €175 Golf Only (€350 per Team of 2). Accommodation is available at The Great National Hotel Ballina which is less than 1 hour’s drive from Carne and approximately 15 minutes from Enniscrone GC. The Play & Stay packages are as follows:

• 2 nights’ B&B and 3 rounds of Golf – €279 per person sharing / €558 per Team
• 3 nights’ B&B and 3 rounds of Golf & Prize Giving Dinner – €345 per person sharing / €690 per Team
• 4 nights’ B&B and 3 rounds of Golf & Prize Giving Dinner – €395 per person sharing / €790 per Team

(The 3 & 4 night packages include Prize Giving Dinner at Hotel Ballina on Saturday 24th August)

Following their successful Inaugural Tournament in July 2018, Social Media Open North will return to Donegal in July 2019 with Narin & Portnoo, Donegal Golf Club and Portsalon GC once again providing the venues and a considerable golfing test for 3 days from Tuesday 16th to Thursday 18th July 2019 (Open Championship Week)!

Narin & Portnoo is a gem of a links course with amazing views surrounding the golf course from all angles. The County Donegal course will be the venue for Day 1 of #SMOpenNorth on Tuesday 16th July 2019. The course is situated in a beautiful seaside resort in southwest Donegal and is considered one of the finest natural and scenic 18-hole links courses in Ireland, with sweeping views of Gweebarra Bay. Extensive course work will be undertaken from October 2018 to April 2019, the design work done by Gil Hanse so expect an even more awesome course when the season begins in mid 2019!! A warm and friendly welcome awaits you from the Narin & Portnoo Team and we are very much looking forward to beginning our Inaugural Tournament at Narin & Portnoo next July!

Day 2 will be hosted at the delightful Donegal Golf Club, or “Murvagh” as it better know by the locals! We will be here on Wednesday 17th July 2019 for #SMOpenNorth “Moving Day”! The course was built on a promontory of 182 acres that extends out into the Atlantic Ocean. The land was inhabited in past centuries due to the land being of geological significance. The course is a par-73 for both ladies & gents and consists of five Par 5’s, four Par 3’s and nine Par 4’s, stretching over 7400 yards from the tips, with five regulation tees from each hole, plus a beginner tee. The outside loop plays along the dunes and the ocean, providing stunning views of the surrounding area.

The Final Day of The Inaugural Social Media Open North will take place at the picturesque Portsalon Golf Club on Thursday 18th July 2019! As the contenders for The Open Championship will be trying to starting their opening rounds at Royal Portrush the teams at #SMOpenNorth will also be trying to claim the trophy on this beautiful links course in County Donegal! Portsalon Golf Club was founded by Colonel B.J Barton in 1891. The course was designed by Charles Thompson, the Portrush professional. The links quickly earned a reputation as one of the best around and attracted visitors from near and far. In 2000 a major redesign of the links was undertaken under the guidance of renowned architect, Pat Ruddy. He was tasked with upgrading the links to keep pace with the modern game which results in the course being lengthened considerably while 9 completely new holes were added. It will provide a fitting finalé for Social Media Open North!

The Format will be Pairs so Team of 2, both golfers will hit off each tee then picking the best tee shot and playing Better Ball from there! 2 scores are to count on holes 9 & 18 with 1 score to count on holes 1-8 & 10-17, 3/4 Handicaps will Apply.

• Golf Only – €358 per Team of 2 / €179 per person
• Golf & 2 nights’ B&B – €658 per Team of 2 (€329 per person sharing)
• Golf & 3 nights’ B&B – €798 per Team of 2 (€399pps)
• Golf & 4 nights’ B&B – €918 per Team of 2 (€459pps)

If you would like to enter #SMOpenNorth please call +353-64-6622830 or email Tom Kennedy. We hope to see you in Donegal in July 2019!

Following on from a successful Inaugural Tournament, the Parkland Challenge returns to its 2018 venues in 2019 with Woodbrook Golf Club, Powerscourt East & West courses providing 3 fantastic tests of golf over 3 days – Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June 2019 (US Open week)! We received some great feedback on the Event Format and also the Venues and it is great to get some golf in on 3 of the finest parkland courses in the country.

Day 1 will take us to Woodbrook Golf Club in County Wicklow on Friday 14th June 2019. Although a flat course, the wind plays a most significant role at Woodbrook. When it blows from the North, 9 holes are affected, including 3 out of the last 4 which will make it a great closing stretch of holes for the Opening Round. When it’s from the South, the 10th plus the par three 11th, and the par five – 12th, 14th and 16th, all become very difficult long holes. A crosswind from the East affects almost every hole on the course and calls for shot making of the highest calibre. With its configuration of five par threes and five par fives, Woodbrook’s layout is unusual but, in the opinion of those who have played there, it is a championship course in every meaning of the word. We are very much looking forward to having Woodbrook host the Opening Round of #ParklandChallenge in June next year.

Round 2 of #ParklandChallenge 2019 takes us to Powerscourt’s East course on Saturday 15th June 2019. “The East” was designed by successful Walker Cup Captain Peter McEvoy and it is enjoyed by members, corporate clients, societies, visitors and guests alike. It has hosted the 1998 Irish PGA which three time major winner Padraig Harrington won in a playoff. The East course also hosted the 2001 Irish Seniors Open. The course is maintained phenomenally and has some of the best greens in Ireland.

The Final Round of the #ParklandChallenge 2019 will be hosted at Powerscourt’s West course on Sunday 16th June 2019. “The West” was designed by David McLayy Kidd (of Bandon Dunes fame!) and his experience and detail for creating a challenging, rewarding and highly enjoyable golf course comes to the fore here at Powerscourt. The beautiful scenery and the greens from the West course can be heard talked about in the clubhouse all evening long from golfers who want a second chance at it. At the end of 54 holes The Inaugural Champions will have well and truly earned their triumph!

The Format for our Inaugural Tournament will be Pairs so Team of 2. Both scores are to count on 9 & 18 while 1 score is to count on holes 1-8 & 10-17, 3/4 Handicaps Apply with Stableford scoring.

Our Tournament Packages are as follows with accommodation available at the marvellous Martello Hotel in Bray which is just 10 minutes from Woodbrook GC and 15 minutes from Powerscourt GC!

• Golf Only – €318 per Team of 2 / €159 per person
• 2 night Play & Stay – €598 per Team of 2 / €299 per person sharing B&B
• 3 night Play & Stay – €718 per Team of 2 / €359 per person sharing B&B
• 4 night Play & Stay – €838 per Team of 2 / €419 per person sharing B&B

We will also be arranging some social “meet-ups” each Evening, stay tuned for details of these! If you would like to enter a Team please call +353-64-6622830 or email Tom Kennedy at Experience Ireland Golf & Travel. We look forward to seeing you in June for #ParklandChallenge 2019!