Hidden GemGreat Value

Glasson Golf Hotel & Country Club

Athlone, Co. Westmeath · Designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr · Est. 1993

Glasson Golf Club was founded by local farmer Tom Reid and his wife Breda, who converted their 1780 farmhouse into a clubhouse and handed the surrounding land to Christy O'Connor Jnr to design a course. O'Connor Jnr looked at what he had and said: "One of the most scenic pieces of land I've ever seen in my life, with the first nine holes overlooking Lough Ree and the second nine Killinure Bay." He was right. It may be the only course in Ireland where water is visible from every single hole.

Lough Ree stretches 29 kilometres from north to south and straddles three counties; Glasson sits on its south-eastern shore, 13 kilometres north of Athlone. The course plays to par 73 over 7,119 yards from the back tees, with mature trees and the lough providing constant framing. In 2007 and 2008 it hosted two European Challenge Tour televised events, both of which received strong reviews from players and organisers. Glasson is now operated as Glasson Lakehouse following an acquisition by the McKillen family, but the course and its setting remain unchanged.

Athlone is 8 miles south: a working Shannon town with a Norman castle on the river, good restaurants on the quayside, and Sean's Bar — reputedly one of Ireland's oldest licensed pubs — on the west bank. The midlands have a reputation for being transient but Glasson makes the case for stopping.

Highlights

Water visible from every hole
Lough Ree shoreline
Challenge Tour venue 2007–08

Good to know

→The village of Glasson is 10 minutes from the course — a small terrace of rose-covered houses on the N55 and a village restaurant that locals rate highly.
→Athlone is 8 miles south: Sean's Bar on the west bank is one of Ireland's oldest pubs, and the quayside has a good restaurant scene.
→Lough Ree has excellent pike and perch fishing — boat hire available in Athlone if non-golfers need a day on the water.
→The drive along the N55 from Glasson to Roscommon gives you the sense of the midlands at their most classic — quiet, wide-skied, and completely different from every other part of the country.

Visitor Information

Getting There

1h 15min drive

Common questions

Who designed Glasson Golf and what is special about it?

Glasson was designed by former Ryder Cup player Christy O'Connor Jnr and opened in 1993 on the eastern shore of Lough Ree in the heart of Ireland. The course is surrounded by the lough on three sides, with sweeping lake views throughout — the first nine overlooking Lough Ree, the back nine overlooking Killinure Bay. At over 7,100 yards from the back tees it is a genuine test, and has earned a strong international reputation as one of Ireland's best inland courses.

Is Glasson Golf worth visiting in the midlands?

Yes — Glasson is one of the genuine hidden gems of Irish golf. The Lough Ree setting gives it a visual quality that most midlands courses cannot match, and the Christy O'Connor Jnr design makes it a proper challenge. It is the natural flagship course for anyone spending time in Westmeath or Athlone.

How do I book Glasson Golf Hotel?

Glasson books through GolfNow with good availability. The hotel can be booked through the Glasson Lakehouse website.

What else is there to do around Lough Ree and Athlone?

Athlone Castle is a 12th-century Norman castle on the Shannon — the centrepiece of the town. The Lough Ree islands, including Saint's Island, can be accessed by boat from the town. Clonmacnoise monastic site is forty-five minutes south on the Shannon. Athlone itself has developed one of the best restaurant scenes in the Irish midlands.