Top 10 Golf Courses in Ireland

Ireland is known for it’s beautifully built yet challenging golf courses. Here are some of our favourites:

  1. Royal County Down
    Located in Newcastle at the foothills of the Mountains of Mourne, Royal County Down enjoys a drier climate than the rest of the Emerald Isle.The course has attracted many professionals. Tiger Woods and Tom Watson have played there for preparation for the Open Championships Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland’s current star, often plays a round. Royal County Down has hosted The Irish Open in 2015.
  2. Portmarnock Golf Course
    The Canada Cup, The Walker Cup, and The Irish Open are just some of the championships that have been played at this course located outside of Dublin’s fair city. The practice facilities boast of a driving range, short game area, putting and chipping green, which are all at a championship standard.
  3. Royal Portrush Golf Club
    The Royal Portrush, which is the only club in Ireland to have hosted The British Open, houses both the challenging Dunluce Links championship course and the lesser known but also challenging Valley Links course. The Dunluce Links were voted number 12 in the world by Golf Magazine.
  4. Waterville Golf Club
    Located in the south of Ireland, Waterville hosts a practice facility and short game area with fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding hills. The practice facility is surrounded by hedge walls providing relief from the winds.
  5. Ballybunion Golf Club
    The Old Course features challenging holes nestled in grassy dunes and has been frequently rated among the top courses in the world. The Cashen Course on Co. Kerry’s shoreline is a more wild looking course with rolling dunes.
  6. Lahinch Golf Club
    Called the “St. Andrews of Ireland” by Herbert Warren Wind, Lahinch features two challenging courses and hosted the South of Ireland Championship.
  7. Tralee Golf Course
    The Tralee Golf Club was named to the Top 10 Ocean Courses with good reason. Each hole has a picturesque view and a story behind it. Designer Arnold Palmer said about the course, “I designed the first nine [holes] but surely God designed the back nine.”
  8. K Club
    Arnold Palmer designed the two courses at this club located in the Kildare countryside. The courses provide plenty of challenges with water hazards, rolling fairways, and long greens. After a round of golf, guests can stay at the five star Kildare Hotel, Spa, & Country Club.
  9. County Louth (Baltray)
    County Louth (Baltray) has hosted National and International events at the amateur and professional level. The natural beauty of the area combined with the strength of the course led “Golf World” magazine to call the course, “one of the best kept secrets of Irish golf.”
  10. Adare Golf Club
    The newly renovated Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort. The 18 hole championship course features aquatic challenges of a 14 acre lake in the first nine holes and the River Maigue throughout the course. Adare is a short drive from Shannon Airport.