Why it matters
Doonbeg sits on a two-mile crescent of beach in west Clare and was opened in 2002 as a Greg Norman design that wraps the dunes more closely than almost any modern Irish links. It went through ownership turmoil in the 2010s and was bought by the Trump organization in 2014; the club is run as Trump International Doonbeg today. The course itself remains a serious links — the dunes are real, the wind is real, and the routing has matured well.
How to play it
Walking encouraged; caddies available. 90 minutes north of Shannon, 30 minutes south of Lahinch. Pair with Lahinch Old for a Clare two-course day. The resort is the natural stay — drive-in stays in the village are limited.