Ballybunion Prints

Linda Hartough's Ballybunion print is of the 11th, the hole most often chosen to stand for the course: a par 4 running along the cliff edge, the fairway falling in terraces to a green above the sea.

The Old Course is a links of large dunes, deep hollows and small, raised greens, with the Atlantic along much of its length. Several holes play along the cliffs above the beach, exposed to whatever the weather brings off the ocean. The land does most of the work: few courses make such use of natural dunes, and many of its greens sit in hollows or on shelves between them.

Ballybunion was long known mainly to Irish golfers. That changed after Tom Watson first played it in 1981; he returned many times, spoke widely of its quality, and later advised the club on changes to the course. The club hosted the Irish Open in 2000.