The Faldo Course at Lough Erne is one of the most picturesque inland courses in the world. It can be put up with the likes of Mount Juliet as one of the best inland courses in the entirely of Ireland. 

 

The Faldo is very similar to Loch Lomond, with the course playing along the edge of water at points throughout a round of golf. 

 

Lough Erne also has a second course – the Castle Hume Course – which is also a championship layout, having hosted the Ulster PGA Championship ten times. 

 

  

You can read our full piece on the Lough Erne Resort here. 

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 The history of the Lough Erne Resort as a whole only dates back to 2007. Two years later, the Faldo Course opened, having been designed by Sir Nick Faldo. 

 

That year, the course hosted the Lough Erne Challenge between Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington, with the Northern Irishman winning by two shots. 

 

A year later, the Northern Irish pairing of McIlroy and Darren Clarke downed the Irish duo of Harrington and Shane Lowry. 

Only opened in 2009, the signature course at Lough Erne was designed by Sir Nick Faldo. Much of the track is placed on a strip of land between the River Erne and Lough Erne to the northeast, and Castlehume Lough to the west, meaning that there are incredible views throughout the round. Measuring more than 7,000 yards from the tips, it is not a short course. Add the fact that water is in play on 11 of the 18 holes on the Faldo Course, and you have one hell of a prospect lying ahead of you. 

 

The first five holes are in the woodlands to the south of the water, with Lough Erne itself coming into play from the 6th hole onwards. It all starts on the opening hole, which has Castlehume Lough on its right. The 1st and 2nd are both short par 4s, a gentle start to a round on the Faldo Course, before a run of par 3, par 5, par 3, par 5. 

 

Both the 3rd and 5th holes on the Faldo are relatively long par 3s, with the latter being played entirely over water to reach the green. The 4th is the shortest of the five par 5s on the course at 550 yards from the tips, with five huge bunkers (two in the fairway and three by the green) awaiting any errant shots. The 6th is the second of those par 5s, and the first hole that takes you on to the strip of land between the two expanses of water. At 575 yards, it is a lengthy hole, but the only dangers are the seven bunkers. 

 

The water comes back into play at the 7th, a dog-leg right par 4 which sees you hit your approach with Lough Erne in the background. 8 is a lengthy par 4 of more than 475 yards, while the 9th, at 625 yards from the tips, is the longest hole on the course. It is one of two par 5s on the Faldo that measure more than 600 from the tips, and the 9th brings the opening side to a sublime close. Water and trees down the right side, more trees down the left, and a green that is placed over the water from the fairway. Take a par and run to the 10th tee. 

 

10 is one of the signature holes on the course, along with the 17th. They could both be seen as drivable par 4s depending on which tees are being played from. Both greens are surrounded by water on three sides, with the only bail out on 17 being the bunker to the left of the green. The tee shot on the penultimate hole is also played over the water.  

 

11 and 12 are long par 4s, with the 13th being one of two par 3s on the back nine hitting at least 215 yards. The 14th and 16th are the par 5s on the closing side, with the former being the other 600+ yard hole on the course. The closing hole on the Faldo Course is also a long par 3, measuring 225 yards from the back tees. Like 17, it plays over water and the only miss is left. Anything right, and you will be reaching into your bag for another ball. 

Where is Lough Erne located?  
Lough Erne is on the banks of Lower Lough Erne, just five miles from the town of Enniskillen. The venue is also the only Northern Ireland-based resort on the NCG Top 100s: GB&I Golf Resorts list.

  

Both Belfast Airport and the City of Derry Airport are within two hours from Lough Erne. Belfast is by far the bigger and busier of the two, as the busiest airport in Northern Ireland. Jet2.com, easyJet, Ryanair and TUI Airways all have bases at Belfast Airport, with flights from those and other airlines to most European countries and to North America. The nearest train station to Lough Erne is actually in Ireland, due to Northern Ireland’s lack of rail service. Sligo is the nearest station, but over 40 miles southwest of the resort.   

What golf facilities does Lough Erne offer?  
Along with two 18-hole golf courses, Lough Erne also has The Academy. The driving range facility, which is all under cover and played from mats, uses TrackMan 4 technology. Advanced tech combines cameras and radars to provide full data on shots, including trajectory, carry, spin rates and much more. Lough Erne also has a great short game area as part of its practice facilities. 

  

There are two shops at Lough Erne, each housing a range of branded clothing which can be bought as a souvenir of your time at the venue. Glenmuir, Peter Millar and Galvin Green apparel is also available to purchase from both shops. 

What are the green fees at Lough Erne (Faldo Course)?  
The price of a green fee at Lough Erne (Faldo Course) changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Lough Erne, visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit the Lough Erne website here. 

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.