The 10 Best Places to Golf in Ireland
The flush green countryside of Ireland is beautiful to explore and makes it a real-life paradise for golf lovers. When in Ireland, you can play besides the professionals on the finest golf courses or hit the links with your friends while enjoying the crashing waves of the Atlantic. Did you know Ireland is home to about 30 percent of the world’s golf courses? The country is home to some of the best golf courses out of the top 50 golf courses globally and has more than 400 total golf courses.
Let’s look at the ten best places to golf in Ireland:-
- Ballyliffin Golf Club- Ballyliffin has two gold courses- Glashedy Links and Old Links. Together, these two golf courses make up 36 holes, which are some of the best Ireland links. The fairways and greens look like they were dropped from the Donegal landscape, and one constant challenge is natural hazards. Don’t get distracted by the Atlantic and celebrate the Glashedy design Tom Craddock and Pat Ruddy created.
- Ballybunion– this popular seaside resort in Ireland where golfers come for the old gold course of County Kerry. County Kerry is famous for its dramatic landscape, and the natural hazards get surprisingly incorporated into this Atlantic oceanfront golf course. On the first day, you can play on the Ballybunion course and then go to Cashen Course to tackle the area designed by Robert Trent Jones, a famous golf course architect. He has designed many golf courses in more than 35 countries in his entire carrier.
- Royal Portrush Golf Club– this gold club has 36 holes and is one of the most premiers golfing destinations in North Ireland. This golf club has two links- the valley links and Dunluce Links, the more famous of the two. The club first opened in 1888 with a 9-hole golf course, and since then, it has become one of the most pleasurable courses in Ireland to play. You will get to see the most stunning scenery in Dunluce Links than any other course in entire Ireland. The link is set on the coast of the Atlantic with cliffs in front housing the Dunluce castle.
- Portmarnock– the golf course at Portmarnock is spread over a two-mile-long peninsula, which is just a 10-mile drive from Dublin. It opened first in 1894 with nine holes and has grown to become Ireland’s loveliest and most challenging links course. The golf course is surrounded by water on three sides, and the 15th hole has the famous par three. The first Irish Open was held on this golf course in 1927. Portmarnock has been named the best golf course in Ireland by Golf Digest. This golf course was declared “the most enjoyable link course” by Tiger Woods.
- Kildare Hotel– golf insiders, know this place as Klub. This golf complex is built around a manor house of the 1830s and has a classic charm and modern luxury. Arnold Palmer, a golf legend, designed the golf course. K Club was the first Irish course to host Ryder Cup in 2006. Serous golfers consider the Ryder Cup a bucket list item because it is one of the most challenging parkland golf courses.
- Tralee Golf Club– this is a very scenic golf club and is the first golf course designed by the European golf legendary Arnold Palmer. The links use a natural and rugged coastline to create a beautiful and challenging 18 holes course. Take out some time to see this amazing golf course.
- Lahinch– Lahinch is Ireland’s grandest and oldest golf course with 125 years old golfing history. This was first designed by Tom Morris, the standard-setter Irish Golfer. Since then, the golf course has been modernized, but its landscape is truly a classic aspect of this golf course. The goats are the only unpredictable hazards here. Caddie introduced the goats in the 20th century, and the herd can roam around freely.
- Royal County Down– this golf course was established in 1889 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in North Ireland. The golf club has two links, Annesley Links and Championship Course, with 36 holes. This club is located in the landscape of Murlough Nature Reserve near the Mourne Mountains. The Annesley Link is shorter than Championship Link but gives a good experience to golfers among the dunes.
- Mount Juliet– This golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus, the golf course architect. This golf course has some different features resembling American Golf courses. The golf course has many hazards and quirks to challenge the Golfer and offers leisurely play to the professionals. The course also has a beautiful clubhouse and a Michelin Star Restaurant to relax after the game.
- Druids Glen Resort– the resort is located near the Wicklow Mountains outside Dublin, spread over 360 acres of land. This resort offers two championship parkland courses. The resort first opened in 1995 and hosted the Irish Open for four years.