Top 10 Irish Golf Courses: A Golfer's Paradise
Ireland - a golfer's dream
Ireland is one of the world’s truly great golf destinations, combining dramatic landscapes, historic layouts, and genuine hospitality to create an unforgettable golf holiday.
From iconic links carved into wild dunes to manicured parkland gems beside grand estates, every corner of the Emerald Isle offers something special for travelling golfers.
Why Ireland Is a Golfer’s Paradise
Ireland’s golf courses regularly feature among the best in the world, celebrated for their pure links character, challenging designs, and spectacular coastal and countryside settings.
Rugged shorelines, rolling dunes, lakeside parklands, and mountain views combine to deliver a diversity of golf that keeps players returning year after year.
- World‑class golf courses with global reputations.
- Scenic landscapes from towering cliffs to tranquil parkland.
- Rich golfing heritage and over a century of championship history.
- Warm Irish hospitality in the clubs, hotels, and local towns.
The climate is generally mild, making golf possible in every season, and the ever‑changing weather adds an exciting extra dimension that many golfers quickly come to love.
How to Plan Your Ireland Golf Trip
A little advance planning goes a long way when you are building an Ireland golf itinerary, especially if you want to secure tee times at legendary courses during peak months.
Begin by choosing the regions you most want to visit, then work backwards to organise tee times, accommodation, and transport around those key courses and clusters.
- Research and select your priority courses and regions.
- Book tee times six to twelve months in advance for marquee venues.
- Arrange transport (self‑drive or driver/guide) to link coastal and rural clubs.
- Choose accommodation that fits your budget and preferred comfort level.
- Balance golf days with time for sightseeing, dining, and relaxation.
For a smooth, stress‑free experience, consider working with a specialist golf tour operator or using tailored packages that combine golf, hotels, and transfers in one itinerary.
Learn more about our services and expertise on the Quality Golf Destinations About Us page.
Top 10 Must‑Play Golf Courses in Ireland
1. Royal County Down Golf Club
Set in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, Royal County Down is often ranked among the finest golf courses in the world, with the Mourne Mountains providing a spectacular natural backdrop.
The Championship Links offers fast, contoured greens, deep bunkering, and heather‑framed fairways that demand intelligent shot‑making on every hole.
- Location: Newcastle, Northern Ireland, overlooking Dundrum Bay.
- Courses: Championship Links and Annesley Links.
- Reputation: Regularly listed among the world’s top courses.
- Experience: A true, traditional test of links golf in a majestic setting.
2. Ballybunion Golf Club (Old Course)
Ballybunion’s Old Course in County Kerry is an iconic links, renowned for its towering dunes, rugged terrain, and thrilling seaside holes that have captivated golfers for generations.
The layout rewards accuracy and creativity over brute strength, while shifting Atlantic winds provide a constant and exhilarating challenge from start to finish.
- Established: 1893, a rite of passage for links enthusiasts.
- Setting: Wild Atlantic coastline framed by dramatic sandy dunes.
- Endorsements: Frequently praised by major champions and leading architects.
3. Lahinch Golf Club
Lahinch, on the west coast of County Clare, blends historic design with quirky, memorable holes like “Klondyke” and “Dell,” carved naturally into the towering dunes.
The Atlantic Ocean plays a major role here, with wind and weather ensuring that no two rounds ever feel quite the same, and strategy is rewarded on every swing.
- Founded: 1892 and regularly included in leading world rankings.
- Character: Classic Irish links featuring blind shots and dramatic dunes.
4. Portmarnock Golf Club
Located just outside Dublin, Portmarnock delivers pure, traditional links golf, with firm running fairways, revetted bunkers, and subtle greens that reward precision and control.
The course has hosted numerous elite events and is a natural choice for golfers who want to combine time in the capital with championship‑level golf by the sea.
- Opened: 1894 on a sandy peninsula north of Dublin.
- Highlights: Rich championship history and a timeless, uncluttered design.
5. Waterville Golf Links
Waterville, on the Ring of Kerry, showcases sweeping sea views, rolling fairways, and strategic bunkering that make it both visually spectacular and technically demanding.
Its remote coastal setting heightens the sense of drama, as golfers navigate ever‑changing conditions along this storied stretch of the Wild Atlantic Way.
- Location: Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry.
- Appeal: Rugged, traditional links with a welcoming, authentic village nearby.
6. The European Club
The European Club in County Wicklow is a modern links created by Pat Ruddy, routed through natural dunes and fescue to provide a stern but fair challenge along the Irish Sea.
Long, demanding holes, imaginative green complexes, and striking sea views combine to test every aspect of a golfer’s game while delivering a memorable, contemporary links experience.
- Region: East coast, in the so‑called “Garden of Ireland.”
- Style: Modern links design with rugged, natural aesthetics.
7. Tralee Golf Club
Tralee Golf Club in County Kerry is an Arnold Palmer–designed masterpiece, famous for its dramatic back nine that tumbles along cliffs, coves, and long sandy beaches.
Every hole offers a blend of strategic challenge and staggering scenery, making Tralee one of the most photogenic and memorable rounds in Ireland.
- Designer: Arnold Palmer.
- Setting: Rugged Atlantic coastline in County Kerry.
- Highlights: Spectacular cliffside holes and sweeping sea views.
8. Royal Portrush Golf Club
Royal Portrush, on Northern Ireland’s Antrim coast, is a major championship venue and home to the Dunluce Links, widely regarded as one of the world’s truly great courses.
Rolling dunes, elevated tees, and exacting greens combine with dramatic views over the Atlantic to create a thrilling, championship‑level links test.
- Location: Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
- Pedigree: Host of multiple Open Championships.
- Character: Traditional links with superb coastal vistas and demanding holes.
9. Enniscrone Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club in County Sligo is famed for its huge, crumpled dunes and adventurous routing, delivering a pure, untamed links experience on Ireland’s west coast.
Fairways weave through towering sand hills and offer endless variety, rewarding creative shot‑making and appealing to golfers who relish wild, natural terrain.
- Region: West coast, overlooking Killala Bay.
- Style: Traditional links set among some of Ireland’s largest dunes.
- Appeal: Ideal for golfers seeking dramatic landscapes and true links conditions.
10. Carne Golf Links
Carne Golf Links in County Mayo is a remote gem laid out over some of the most spectacular dunes in Europe, offering a raw, authentic links experience far from the crowds.
The course feels wonderfully isolated, with sweeping ocean views, bold elevation changes, and holes that seem to grow naturally from the landscape itself.
- Location: Belmullet Peninsula, County Mayo.
- Atmosphere: Wild, unspoiled links in a truly edge‑of‑the‑map setting.
- Experience: A genuine bucket‑list venue for adventurous golf travellers.
