Carne Golf Links is the embodiment of mind-blowing golf. I haven't experienced a golf course whose topography felt more ethereal than Carne. Located at the furthest point west of Ireland, or as locals say, the edge of the earth. Carne is a journey that takes a journey to reach. I discovered Carne while watching golf videos three years ago in preparation for my dream trip to Ireland. I decided to scrap my previous itinerary to play the Southwest of Ireland after watching a video of Tom Coyne talking about this course. Instead, I took a more rugged and arduous journey to play the East, North, and West of Ireland, with the most crucial destination being Carne Golf Links.

A trip of this undertaking takes the most skillful and knowledgeable people to organize, and I am fortunate to have one of the best, Curran Golf. Curran Golf built a dream Ireland golf trip. The golf experience was tremendous and seamless. Carne comprises two courses, the original Eddie Hackett, (Ireland Golf Architectural Legend) course, and the Kilmore 9 designed by Jim Engh. Carne created a new course by combining the Kilmore 9 with the back nine of the Hackett course called Wild Atlantic Dunes. Even though I was physically and mentally exhausted, my golf spirit was still strong. So, after playing 18 holes on my 7th day of golf, I played all 27 holes at Carne and was treated to the wildest and most thrilling golf of my life. I played the Hackett 9 first. The layout is fun and is more over and around the large dunes. It is fun and challenging and an excellent addition to the Wild Dunes composite. The Hackett course on its own would be a great experience. But the combination of the Hackett and Kilmore 9s is a pure stroke of genius and provides the best course for golfers.

The Wild Atlantic Dunes is unbelievably good and was much better than my already high expectation. The dunes are beyond massive, and after seven days of playing the dunes of Ireland, Carne has the largest and most impactful design and play of the course. Carne is so uniquely special it is hard to explain the feeling of joy that comes over you as each hole is revealed on the Wild Atlantic Dunes course. Easily the most thrilling 9 hole stretch of golf I have played and the best back 9 I have ever played. The Wild Atlantic course is the wildest ride in my golf experiences. The course feels like something made in a video game but, this course is fun, real, and does not play like a gimmick or odd. The Dunescape at Carne is tumultuous, daunting and will bring a childlike joy as you play. Carne and Enniscrone are the only courses from this trip I must play again. Others are great, but these courses finally made me understand why people become members of clubs they play with several years between them. They are the courses I believe all golfers should play based on how mentally and emotionally the experience touches them. No matter the distance, find your way to Carne Golf Links. In addition, to the great course, Carne has the friendliest Head Pro and staff in Ireland, and I feel this warm and inviting small club has the most heart.

Note: I played Carne the same day that I played Enniscrone (only an hour away). Enniscrone had already completely blown me away, and when I thought it would be hard to top the dunescape of Carne topped them all for the trip.

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