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Ennis Golf Club

Ennis, Co. Clare

Ennis takes its name from the Irish Inis — "island" or "river meadow" — and the town is essentially built on a river island between two channels of the River Fergus. Golf was played here from at least 1897; the club was formally founded in 1907 and settled at the current Drumbiggle location in 1912. The back nine, added after land was purchased across the road in 1949, was largely constructed by volunteer member labour — an unusual distinction that speaks to the community character this course still has. The split-road layout is unusual: holes 1–7 and 18 are on the clubhouse side of the R474; holes 8–17 cross to the other side.

The course plays to par 70 at 5,706 yards with a slope of 122 — shorter than most, but consistently trickier than the yardage suggests. Narrow tree-lined fairways, punishing rough, and steeply sloped greens produce three-putts even for low handicappers. The 12th (par-4, Stroke Index 1) is the hardest hole on the card; the 16th (169 metres) is the longest and most demanding of the par 3s; the closing 18th (par-5, 453 metres) provides a strong finish. Ennis Friary — a Franciscan house founded by the O'Brien kings of Thomond c.1241, with an exceptional collection of 15th-century carvings — is five minutes from the course.

The Burren (30 minutes west) and the Cliffs of Moher (30 minutes) are the county's flagship landscapes. Lahinch (40 minutes), Doonbeg (45 minutes), and Kilkee (50 minutes) complete a Clare links itinerary with Ennis as the comfortable inland base. The Old Ground Hotel in town — a five-minute walk — has the best bar food and the best trad music sessions in Ennis.

Holes worth knowing

112th (par-4, Stroke Index 1) — the hardest hole on the card. Narrow, tree-lined, unforgiving rough on both sides. Par is the target; bogey is the honest result for most.
218th (par-5, 453 metres) — the only par 5 on the back nine, a strong finish requiring two accurate shots to have any prospect of reaching in two.

Highlights

Trickier than it looks: narrow fairways, punishing rough, steeply sloped greens
Back nine built by volunteer member labour in 1949 — unusual community heritage
Ennis Friary (5 min): O'Brien-founded Franciscan house with outstanding medieval carvings
Ideal base for Clare links: Lahinch (40 min), Doonbeg (45 min), Kilkee (50 min)
Old Ground Hotel (5-min walk): best bar food and trad sessions in Ennis

Good to know

→The Old Ground Hotel on O'Connell Street (5-minute walk from the course) is the most reliable option in town: the Poet's Bar does good food and hosts traditional music sessions several nights a week.
→Ennis Friary (5 minutes, free entry) is one of the most important medieval Franciscan sites in Munster — the 15th-century carved panels are exceptional and the friary is almost always quiet. Worth 30 minutes.
→Dysert O'Dea (20 minutes north, free entry) is where the O'Briens defeated the de Clare Anglo-Normans in 1318, ending Anglo-Norman dominance of Thomond. The 12th-century Romanesque church, round tower, and carved High Cross are the finest ensemble of early medieval stonework in Clare.

Visitor Information

Getting There

20min drive

Common questions

What is Ennis Golf Club like?

Ennis is a parkland course in the county capital of Clare — an active, welcoming club at an accessible price. It is well positioned for golfers using Shannon Airport and exploring the Burren and west Clare. Not a destination course, but a reliable, well-run facility that suits a lighter day on a Clare itinerary.

Is Ennis a good base for Clare golf?

Ennis town serves as the practical base for many Clare golf trips: twenty minutes from Shannon Airport, forty-five minutes from Lahinch, and on the road toward Doonbeg. Accommodation and restaurants are good for a county town. The course itself is a comfortable local parkland rather than a links experience.

How do I book Ennis Golf Club?

Ennis books through GolfNow with reliable availability.

What should I visit near Ennis?

The Burren — a limestone plateau of extraordinary botanical diversity — begins just north of Ennis and is unlike anything else in Ireland. Dysert O'Dea castle and archaeological trail, fifteen minutes outside Ennis, is a worthwhile morning visit. Cliffs of Moher are forty-five minutes northwest — worth the trip despite the crowds.