Ireland: Accommodations - Golf - Other Activities Ireland Golf Courses Golf has become one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in Ireland. With over 400 golf clubs, Ireland has 30% of the links courses in the world, as well as top championship parkland courses. Choose from links courses where the sea breeze invigorates your game or pick an inland jewel with interesting lake or river shots. Whatever course you choose you are assured of a warm welcome and a great game. There are four main golfing locations in Ireland - the Southwest, the Dublin area, Northern Ireland, and the west. Adare Manor Golf Club Designed by: Robert Trent Jones Sr. Par 72; 7125 yards The course at Adare, current home of the Irish Open, measures 7,125 yards and uses 230 acres of lush countryside. Three lakes, anchor the front nine. The River Maigue meanders through the back nine creating a sense of beauty and challenge. Adare joins the list of top courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. Having designed 45 of the top 100 golf courses world-wide, Mr. Jones sees the 18th hole as being one of the best finishing holes, with water coming into play from tee to green. [BACK TO TOP] Ballybunion Golf Club - Old Designed by: James McKenna. Par 71; 6542 yards Ballybunion – the quintessential Irish links. Founded in 1893 and designed by James MacKenna, this County Kerry links course, is consistently ranked in the top 10 in the world. Often referred to as a golfer’s paradise, many consider the back nine to be the best in the world. The course features many bunkers, raised greens, towering sand dunes with many cliff-edged holes running beside the ocean. [BACK TO TOP] Ballybunion Golf Club - Cashen Designed by: Robert Trent Jones Par 72; 6216 yards In the early 1980’s American course architect Robert Trent Jones was asked to design a second course at Ballybunion. He was so impressed by the terrain that he declared it "the finest piece of linksland I have ever seen". [BACK TO TOP] Ballyliffin Golf Club - Glashedy Links Designed by: Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock Par 72; 7217 yards It was once the best kept secret in golf, but Ballyliffin has recently been described as "the Ballybunion of the North". Situated close to Malin Head on Donegal’s Inishowen Peninsula, Ireland’s most northerly links comprises 365 acres of spectacular duneland as is practically surrounded by rolling hills and mountains - the only other boundary is the Atlantic Ocean. [BACK TO TOP] County Louth Golf Club - Baltray Designed by: Tom Simpson Par 73; 6936 yards This 18-hole course presents great challenges and is situated in an area of great beauty. The course has the natural hazards of blowing winds and heavy rough -- two factors not to be ignored. Although Baltray’s demands are stern, its rewards are many at least in the fun and enjoyment it evokes and the sense of freshness that prevails. [BACK TO TOP] Connemara Golf Club - Ballyconneely Designed by: Eddie Hackett Par 73; 7229 yards Connemara Championship Golf Links is located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. It sits in a most spectacular setting with the Twelve Bens mountains as a backdrop. The natural terrain and unspoiled environment offer the visitor a wonderland of sights, experience, adventure and activities. The championship course is of the highest quality and offers a challenge as good as any golfer is likely to find. The greens are widely acknowledged as among the best in the country. [BACK TO TOP] Donegal Golf Club - Murvagh Designed by: Eddie Hackett Par 73; 6541 yards Officially opened in the 1970s, Donegal Golf Club at Murvagh is one of Ireland's finest courses. It has been called "The Muirfield of Ireland" and boasts a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean as well as the Bluestack Mountains. Pat Ruddy, the designer of Druids Glen, the European Club, Ballyliffen, St. Margerets and other well known courses was involved with re-designing some of the greens. [BACK TO TOP] Dooks Golf Club Designed by: Dr. Alister MacKenzie Par 71; 6500 yards Golf has been played in Dooks since 1889. The course is set out on one of three stretches of sand dunes at the head of Dingle Bay. In the immediate foreground are the sand dune peninsulas of Rossbeigh and Inch. Just a few miles away are the whitewashed houses of Cromane where the fishing village provides an eye-catching distraction. So for the golfer who is seeking a beautiful and tranquil environment to enjoy good golf, Dooks presents a convincing case. Hole number 13 best illustrates the charm and magic of Dooks. It is a throwback hole to the time when golf began. Greens lay where they fell and were the better for it. [BACK TO TOP] Druids Glen Golf Club – Championship Designed by: Tom Craddock, Pat Ruddy Par 72; 7058 yards The mystique of Druids Glen creates an exceptional golfing experience that is unique with its distinguished surroundings and spectacular views. The owners and designers of Druids Glen were greatly aided by their chosen location -- four hundred acres of gently rolling, wooded countryside in one of Ireland’s most beautiful counties. Golf perfection was achieved while remaining faithful to the graceful maturity of the original estate and wildlife. [BACK TO TOP] European Club Designed by: Pat Ruddy Par 71; 7149 yards The European Club presents a stunning golf and visual experience as it tumbles through almost 200 acres of glorious sand dunes, and runs along the beach on Ireland ’s lovely east coast, just South of Dublin. The links opened in 1992 and has gained recognition as one of Ireland’s six greatest golf courses. [BACK TO TOP] Galway Bay Golf Club Designed by: Christy O'Connor Jr. Par 72; 7180 yards The Galway Bay golf course is located on one of the most historical sites in the west of Ireland, the Renville Peninsula. This Championship course was designed by Christy O’Connor Jr., a native of Galway. In his design of the course, O’Connor did all he could to maintain the ancient sites which lie on and surround this course. [BACK TO TOP] The K Club – Palmer Designed by: Arnold Palmer Par 72; 7178 yards The Kildare Country Club, more commonly known as "The K Club," has been home to the Smurfit European Open since 1995, and was the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2006. The Arnold Palmer-designed course is recognized as one of the finest in Europe. [BACK TO TOP] Lahinch Golf Club – Old Designed by: Tom Morris / Dr. Alister MacKenzie Par 72; 6882 yards Considered one of the great golf courses in the world, “ The St. Andrews of Ireland,” Lahinch, was founded in 1892 and designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie with improvements made by Old Tom Morris. Located near Limerick, a short drive from Shannon Airport and two miles from the Cliffs of Moher, Lahinch is a spectacular seaside links course featuring blind shots and high dunes set in a natural terrain. [BACK TO TOP] Old Head Golf Links Designed by: Joe Carr, Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, & Eddie Hackett Par 72; 7121 yards Old Head Golf Links is one of the most remarkable developments ever conceived in the history of golf; an Atlantic promontory that will never be rivaled in terms of drama and beauty. It rises hundreds of feet high above dramatic cliffs, surrounded by the ocean on all sides and commanding the most spectacular views from virtually every part. [BACK TO TOP] Royal County Down Golf Club Designed by: Old Tom Morris and Mother Nature Par 71; 7167 yards The Championship course at Royal County Down course is not only one of the most challenging courses in the world but also one of the most beautiful. It consistently rated in the world’s top ten courses. (In 2007 Golf Digest ranked it the best course outside the US.) This course is thrilling to play with great swathes of heather and gorse lining fairways that tumble beneath vast sand hills and wild tussocky-faced bunkers defending small, subtly contoured greens. [BACK TO TOP] Royal Dublin Golf Club Designed by: Harry Colt Par 72; 7250 yards The course at Royal Dublin is 6,855 yards in length and is laid out in the old traditional links style, resembling St. Andrews. Fine fescue grasses provide an ideal base for greens and fairways, and a wandering wind adds that extra hazard. Fine bunkers, close lies, superb greens and subtle trappings are all features of Royal Dublin. [BACK TO TOP] Royal Portrush Golf Club Designed by: Harry Colt Par 73; 6845 yards Royal Portrush was founded in 1888 and named in 1893. This Championship course is the only one in Ireland to have hosted the British Open. Royal Portrush provides much variety in its game because of a tangle of sand hills and sweeping contours of dunes all around. This course is famous for its lovely setting, magnificent turf, and superb holes. [BACK TO TOP] Tralee Golf Club Designed by: Arnold Palmer Par 71; 6890 yards Arnold Palmer promised members of Tralee that this course would turn out a masterpiece. Palmer won the tender from a host of the world’s leading golf course designers, and sure enough, it is a masterpiece. His favorite part of the course is the spectacular par-three 3rd hole. It conjures up the frightening aspects of a Pebble Beach and Cypress Point, where the mid-iron shot has to be hit by the edge of the cliff and against the distracting background music of pounding Atlantic waves. [BACK TO TOP] Waterville Golf Links Designed by: John A. Mulcahy, Eddie Hackett Par 72; 7184 yards Golf at Waterville is an almost mystical experience – the beauty of classic linksland, surrounded by the sea, yet forever challenged and shaped by the elements. Over 100 years old, Waterville is rated among the top five courses in Ireland and the top 20 links courses in the world. [BACK TO TOP] druids heath golf club Located just outside Aldridge, near Walsall, Druids Heath Golf Club is a member of the Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs. The 6,665 yard (competition tees), Par 72 course provides a challenging test of golf all year round. Opened for play in 1974, it has matured into an attractive tree lined course with many fast sloping greens and strategically placed bunkers. Its location affords impressive views of the Staffordshire countryside. One of the plus points of Druids Heath is that it is well known as a course which is not unduly affected by wet conditions. Its elevated position and quick draining land means that it is rarely closed and in summer is always extremely well presented.  [BACK TO TOP] royal belfast Founded on November 9th 1881, The Royal Belfast Golf Club is the oldest club in Ireland and its formation proved to be the inspiration for the growth of the game in Ireland. The founding of the club is primarily due to Mr. Thomas Sinclair who, having played golf with friends at St. Andrews whilst visiting Scotland in the summer of 1881, was smitten by the game. [BACK TO TOP] county sligo golf club County Sligo Golf Club is situated at Rosses Point, a seaside village eight kilometres north west of Sligo town, and is one of the oldest and best known links courses in Ireland. Founded in 1894 on land leased from Henry Middleton, an uncle of W.B Yeats the famous poet and Nobel Prize winner for literature and his brother Jack B Yeats the noted landscape painter. [BACK TO TOP] enniscrone golf club Welcome to Enniscrone Golf Club. Situated beside the picturesque seaside town of Enniscrone, the golf course affords panoramic views of Killala Bay, Bartra Island and sandy beaches with Nephin and the Ox Mountains forming the backdrop.  Founded in 1918, redesigned by Eddie Hackett in 1974 and by Donald Steel in 2001, this championship course is one of Ireland's finest links courses. Apart from the championship links  known as The Dunes, there is also the splendid 9 hole Scurmore course.  [BACK TO TOP] carne golf links Carne Golf Links lies in magnificent unspoiled sand dunes overlooking Blacksod Bay and the wild Atlantic Ocean near Belmullet Co. Mayo in the west of Ireland. Carne was the last links course to be designed by the late Eddie Hackett and it is now believed by many who have played it to his greatest challenge. [BACK TO TOP] Dingle golf links For many it is the truly special people of the Dingle Peninsula that make their time here so memorable. For others the quite breathtaking scenery of the peninsula revealing as it does its hidden bays, small fishing villages, glorious mountains and the Blasket Islands. It may be the Dingle's reputation for fantastic seafood and a night in one of the towns lively pubs enjoying traditional music and a turf fire. [BACK TO TOP] fota island golf club A new course designed by Christy O'Connor and Peter McEvoy was developed at Fota Island in 1993. Large scale redesigning of the course was undertaken by Jeff Howes Golf Designs. The course reopened with 18 greens in September 1999. The Fota Island Golf Club has hosted several Golf Championships including the European Seniors Open, the Irish Open, the Irish PGA Championship and the Irish Amateur Open. [BACK TO TOP] the island golf club The Island Golf Club is one of Ireland's Premier Links Courses. A mere 15 minutes from Dublin Airport, this Championship Links Course is located across the estuary from Malahide, just North of Portmarnock. The Island Golf Club was established in 1890 and, surrounded by the sea on three sides, it enjoys a unique setting. Until as recently as 1973 the club was approached by boat from Malahide across the estuary. [BACK TO TOP] killarney golf and fishing club Killarney Golf and Fishing Club lies on the main road to Killorglin just three miles west of the town center of Killarney. As you drive west, the terrain slopes up a hillside. On the left is the flat plain beside the lake. Across the lake, the Macgillycuddy's Peaks rise 3,000 feet. To the East toward the town and further south around the lake is the magnificent Killarney National Park. [BACK TO TOP] portstewart golf club Universally acknowledged as one of the truly great links courses, Portstewart is situated to the north side of Dublin, about 12 miles from the city centre. Its quality and location have made it a splendid venue for some of the game’s great events, from the British Amateur Championship of 1949, to the Canada Cup in 1960, quite apart the 1991 Walker Cup(teams pictured below) and 12 stagings of the revived Irish Open. [BACK TO TOP] castlerock golf club Castlerock Golf Club is situated in the seaside village of Castlerock, which lies approximately 5 miles due West of the town of Coleraine on the North Coast of Northern Ireland. Castlerock is a fabulous links course set among rolling sand dunes. Its scenic qualities embrace the river Bann flowing out to the Atlantic, and also eye-catching views of Donegal and on a clear day towards Scotland and the Isle of Islay. An ideal retreat in which to play golf. The Championship Mussenden Course is a par 73 with five par-5's, four par-3's, and nine par-4's. The best-known hole is the fourth, called the Leg o'Mutton, a 200 yard par-3 with a railway line to the right, a burn to the left and a raised green. [BACK TO TOP] mount juliet golf club Mount Juliet Golf Course is set in a world of its own, on lush parkland in the south east of Ireland, and only 20 minutes from Kilkenny ; The Jack Nicklaus designed golf course at Mount Juliet is a centerpiece of one of Ireland's finest golf courses. Blessed with this unique setting, Nicklaus has created a challenging championship golf course and is presented in excellent condition throughout the year. [BACK TO TOP] carton house golf club Carton House Golf Club boasts two distinctly modern courses, the second of which is the Monty course designed by seven times European number 1, Colin Montgomerie. A very different challenge to it’s neighbour, O’Meara course, the Monty is a unique inland links style creation, which earned the 2004 Best New Design award in Golf World Magazine and was ranked in the top 10 courses by US Golfer’s Digest Magazine in 2005. It’s a long and often demanding modern layout, which came of age as the venue of the 2005 & 2006 Irish Opens. [BACK TO TOP] lee valley golf club Renowned for its breathtaking scenery and overwhelming hospitality this family run Golf Club is a must for anyone visiting Cork. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, quality of our product and service. There is always a member of the family on hand to ensure that your experience is made truly unique and unforgettable. [BACK TO TOP] portmarnock golf club The Jameson family’s private golf course, developed in 1858, was one of the earliest courses in Ireland. Bernhard Langer affectionately incorporated part of the original layout in his design of the championship links, which opened for play in 1995. The use of dunes and natural terrain should please the most ardent links purists. Elevated tees and greens, blind approaches and doglegs, not to mention typical links sea breezes, keep you thinking through every round. [BACK TO TOP] rosapenna golf club Just a short stroll down the road is the fishing village of Downings. Situated on a beautiful beach, its sandy shores ideal for children and where caves and rock pools are just waiting to be explored. Down at the local pub rugged faced men, with a boyish twinkle in their eyes, tell stories and relate folklore over a pint with such ease that time itself might well stand still. Where traditional music can stir the blood and the craic can be mighty and continue late into the night [BACK TO TOP] westport golf club Situated on the shores of Clew Bay, at the base of the holy mountain Croagh Patrick , Westport Golf Club is located in an exceptionally scenic spot. The course is set over 260 acres of rolling parkland of the former estate of Lord Sligo. The course has a good intuitive layout and plays long but fair, with some excellent par 3s and par 5s. [BACK TO TOP] doonbeg golf club The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club, located on the stunning south west coast of Ireland, only 45 minutes from Shannon International Airport, is Ireland's new premier 5 star golf and spa resort destination. Introducing luxury to links golf, Doonbeg Golf Club combines our spectacular Greg Norman-designed golf course, sumptuous hotel accommodations, picturesque Irish coastal location, and impeccable service to offer our Members and guests the ultimate links experience. [BACK TO TOP] seapoint golf club The challenge begins from the first tee embarking onto a testing 7,150 yard Par 72 course set on 260 acres of magnificent links land. There is an abundance of natural vegetation and wonderful dunes awaiting any errant shot. Every club in the bag is required to play this championship course. Progress through a front nine with a slightly heath land feel with an abundance of gorse and mature tress lining the boundary off the course. Water comes into play on 5 of the holes. [BACK TO TOP]