In Volume 1 of The Confidential Guide to Golf Courses, Tom Doak published that.

“If the lakeside Killarney does not qualify for the category, then Carlow may indeed be the finest inland course in Ireland, as the locals claim. Simpson and Gourlay modified Ballybunion on the same trip to Ireland, but Carlow provided much less dramatic terrain for their suggestions.“

Carlow Golf Club received a score of 4 out of 10 from Tom Doak and a score of 5 out of 10 from one of his co-authors.