"As far off the beaten path as Irish golf gets — the dunes on the back nine dwarf anything at more famous links, and the green fee is a bargain for it."

Eddie Hackett's last and wildest links, opened in 1992-93 on the Belmullet peninsula in far County Mayo, commissioned by locals to bring visitors to remote Erris. Hackett moved almost no earth — tees and greens were simply found among some of the biggest dunes in Ireland, towering ridges with views over Blacksod Bay to the islands of Inis Glóire and Inis Géidhe. A third nine (Kilmore, by Jim Engh and Ally McIntosh, 2013) sits on land Hackett called the most dramatic part of the dunescape, creating the Wild Atlantic Dunes composite routing.

Links romantics who prefer wild over manicured, and anyone doing the west-of-Ireland run who wants the most untamed dunescape of the lot — many rate it Hackett's greatest work.

The original back nine plunging through the tallest dunes is the show — amphitheater greens, heaving fairways, one reveal after another — and the Kilmore nine occupies the ground Hackett himself considered the most dramatic on the property.

Massive dunes, blind shots, wild bounces and a strenuous walk — beginners will lose balls, but the fairways are findable and nobody at Carne stands on ceremony. Bring humility, not a scorecard.

We couldn't confirm a Carne recreation in GSPro. For that giant-dune Irish links feeling on the Clubhouse screens, Royal County Down is in the GSPro library and scratches the same itch with even more pedigree.

A welcoming public club at the edge of Europe — around €140 in high season, far less off-peak, and tee times come easy compared with the famous names. The drive to Belmullet is half the pilgrimage.