14 - Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play Lough Erne

Stay and Play Lough Erne. Golf Monthly takes a look at the Top 50 places to Stay and Play in the UK and Ireland

Lough Erne

14 - Top 50 UK & Ireland Stay and Play Lough Erne

Having opened in 2007, Lough Erne near Enniskillen may be a relative youngster, but the resort has already earned a reputation as one of the finest in the UK. Set on a 600-acre peninsula between Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne, it was awarded ‘Best Hotel' at this year's Northern Ireland Tourism awards and, in 2010, it was named ‘Golf Resort of the Year' by the Irish Golf Tour Operators. The resort's Faldo Course was the first design in Ireland by the six-time Major champion. It's a superb layout with fantastic views over the lough and the Fermanagh lakelands. For those looking to work on their game, the resort boasts Europe's first Faldo Academy where professionals combine Faldo's teaching methodologies with state of the art instruction technologies. Staying at Lough Erne, accommodation options are varied. Guests can choose one of the elegant suites or rent one of the luxurious loughside lodges. Besides the golf, Lough Erne is an excellent destination for fishing and guests can learn from the best, the resident game angling instructor Packie Trotter is one of only 140 master casting instructors in the world. The overall package warrants such a lofty new entry.

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Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x