Two courses with quite different traditions have been nominated to represent Ireland in the inaugural Hertz International Golf Travel Awards, the winners of which will be announced in London today.

Mount Juliet, which played host to the Irish Open for three years, is the only Irish club nominated in the European Resort of the Year category, while Ballybunion (Old) is the country's only representative in the European Course of the Year category.

Mount Juliet's rivals in the European Resort category are Turnberry, Gleneagles, La Manga, Quinto do Lago and Domain Royal d'Evian, while Ballybunion's challengers for European Course are Valderrama, San Lorenzo, Sotogrande (Old), Le Golf National and the Ailsa course at Turnberry.

Ireland has also been nominated in the Destination of the Year category.