For those travelers who're fortuitous enough to make a left turn out of Shannon, Connemara Golf Links, in the wilds of rural Galway, is truly a hidden gem of Irish Golf. Winding its way at times through great slabs of rock, Connemara is a raw and exposed place, wide open to the relentless Atlantic winds. Ballyconneely's remote setting further enhances the overall experience. Set between the mountains of connemara and the deep blue sea, this is golfing "on the edge of Europe." At times stark and understated, the ancient limestone landscape of Connemara captivates a sublime beauty.

Built entirely by the local community, after a design by Eddie Hackett, the links at Connemara is golf at its most elemental -- a striking example of a course dictated by nature, and all the better for it. Now extended to 27 holes; the third nine has been completed on the plan originally laid out by Eddie Hackett. It is a stern and intriguing test in its own right, over land that could not have originally been used for golf when funds were impossibly tight.