Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club

Where Dunes Meet the Maiden Tower

The golf course at Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club was formally established in 1909, after George Daly gathered local golfers to complete the earlier work begun near Mornington by Tom Gilroy. The first club layout had nine holes; a second nine followed in 1917, creating the full course.

W.C. Pickeman and Cecil Barcroft both contributed to its development, while long-serving professional R.J. Browne refined the layout over almost five decades. Their combined work left a compact course shaped by angles, uneven lies, and the natural movement of the dunes rather than modern length.

The opening holes run close to the beach, and the inward half brings the Maiden Tower into view. The 13th, named Lighthouse, is a demanding dogleg where the green remains hidden from the tee. Three short par fours and only three par threes give the round an unusual rhythm, with changing winds affecting decisions throughout.