Photo: Wikimedia CommonsLough Erne Resort (Castle Hume Course)
Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh · Designed by John Carroll (1991)
In June 2013, Lough Erne Resort hosted the 39th G8 Summit — the first ever held in Northern Ireland. Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, David Cameron, Shinzo Abe, and the other world leaders were here, in this resort, on the shores of Lower Lough Erne. The choice of venue was deliberate: a Fermanagh lakeland property selected to show a transformed Northern Ireland to the world. The summit made Lough Erne internationally known, but the golf was already serious before the world arrived.
The resort has two courses. The Faldo Course — Nick Faldo's first design in Ireland, opened 2009, 7,167 yards, 14 holes with water in play — is the flagship. The Castle Hume Course, designed by John Carroll and opened in 1991, is the older of the two: a par-72 of over 6,800 yards built through well-drained limestone land between Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne, with more than 7,000 trees and 30 bunkers. It has hosted ten Ulster PGA Championships and has the reputation of the two courses as the more traditional, measured test. At around £60 it is significantly more accessible than the Faldo Course.
Fermanagh is built on water. Enniskillen sits on an island in the middle of the Erne waterway — the only county town in Ireland surrounded on all sides by a lake. Lower Lough Erne has 154 islands, medieval monasteries on several of them, and Marble Arch Caves — a UNESCO Global Geopark — an hour south.
Highlights
- G8 Summit 2013 venue
- 10 Ulster PGA Championships
- Fermanagh lakelands
Good to know
- →The Faldo Course next door is Faldo's first Irish design and a serious step up — book it as a second day if budget allows.
- →Enniskillen is 10 minutes away: a genuine town on an island in the middle of a lake, with Enniskillen Castle and a good restaurant scene.
- →Devenish Island monastic site (6th century) is a short boat trip from the lough shore — one of the finest early Christian sites in Ulster.
- →Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Geopark is an hour south — underground cave systems, consistently rated among Northern Ireland's top attractions.
- →Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Shane Lowry, and Rory McIlroy have all played at the resort for the Faldo Series events.
Visitor Information
Getting There
Common questions
What is the Castle Hume Course at Lough Erne Resort?
The Castle Hume Course is the second course at Lough Erne Resort — a parkland layout on the shores of Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne in the Fermanagh Lakelands. Opened in 1992, it is more accessible than the resort's Nick Faldo-designed championship course and provides a good complement for golfers spending two days at the resort. It has hosted ten Ulster PGA Championships.
What is the Nick Faldo course at Lough Erne like?
The Faldo Course is the main attraction at Lough Erne — Nick Faldo's first design in Ireland, a championship parkland on the shores of Lower Lough Erne with fourteen of eighteen holes featuring water in play. The signature 10th hole, known as Emerald Isle, is a short par four with the green projecting into the lough on three sides — a genuine risk-reward hole that produces very different results depending on conditions and nerve.
How do I book the Castle Hume Course?
The Castle Hume Course books through GolfNow. The Faldo Course and resort packages book directly through the Lough Erne Resort website. Both courses are playable as day-visitor options.
Is Lough Erne Resort worth visiting for golf?
Lough Erne is one of the most scenic resort settings in Ireland — the Fermanagh Lakelands landscape of waterways, islands and low hills is exceptional. The resort hotel is five-star. For golfers who want a resort experience in the west of Northern Ireland rather than pure links golf, it is the standout option in the province.
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