Ireland
Ireland is quite simply a golfers paradise. Golf courses are everywhere - and their numbers are growing as each year passes. Whether it is coastal links gems you are looking for, usually complete with stunning sea views, or parkland treasures away from the coast, no country is better equipped than Ireland to meet your needs.
If quantity and variety are well catered for, so to is quality. Every golf course in Ireland, including all the great name courses, are accessible to visiting golfers. There are no courses here which are exclusively for "members only". If you are on a tightish budget, there are always good value courses to be found in any neighbourhood, and many hidden gems can be counted in their number. To make the most of your golfing trip, and to help in your planning, you can look up the location of the best courses in Ireland on our customised maps.
(Closed in 2017)
Wexford
Peter McEvoy
(Closed in 2019)
Dublin
Mel Flanagan
Mon, Thur, Fri, Sun
Dublin
Major improvements made by Peter McEvoy (1990s).
Not Saturdays
Dublin
James Braid
Not Saturdays
Belfast
Current course designed in the early 1920s by the firm of Colt, Mackenzie & Alison (Harry Colt, Alister Mackenzie and Charles Hugh Alison).
Not Saturdays
Belfast
Harry Colt
Not Weds or Sat
Belfast
Championship Links: original nine-hole layout by Scottish schoolteacher, keen golfer and Honorary Secretary of Royal Belfast Golf Club, George L. Baillie (1889). Extended to 18 holes by Old Tom Morris (1889/90). Various modifications (early 1900s) made by George Combe (Club Capt), James Braid, J.H. Taylor, Harry Vardon and Ben Sayers. Harry Colt made further modifications (1925), creating the famous par-3 4th and par-4 9th holes. Further changes by Donald Steel (1997 & 2004).
Annesley Links: originally laid out by Old Tom Morris.
Reopens in 2023
Dublin
Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock
Resort guests prioritised
Limerick
Original design by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1995); significantly revamped by Tom Fazio (2017).
Visitors welcome
Cork
Dr Alister MacKenzie redesigned the course, extending it to 18-holes in 1927. Major renovation by Martin Hawtree (2010).
Visitors welcome
Wexford
Frederick G. "Fred" Hawtree & J.H. Taylor.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Frederick W. "Fred" Hawtree
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Patrick J. Merrigan
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Des Smyth & Declan Branigan
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Seve Ballesteros & Jeff Howes
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Original nine-holes designed by Willie Park Jr. Redesigned and extended to 18-holes by James Braid (1934).
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Eddie Hackett
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Tom MacKenzie (of Donald Steel & Co) designed the 2005/06 revamp of the Luttrellstown Castle course.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Unknown
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Patrick J. Merrigan
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Capt. H.C. Tippet
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Philip Walton
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Five Enterprises (Dublin)
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original design by Dr William (Billy) O'Sullivan & Fred Hawtree, with a subsequent redesign by Tom MacKenzie (2006).
Visitors welcome
Kilkenny
Original design by Cecil Barcroft (1899). Later modifications to greens and bunkering by Tom Simpson & Molly Gourlay (1937).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
A Jack Nicklaus Signature Course
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Tony Carroll
Visitors welcome
Derry
Pat Ruddy with input from owner Frank Casey Snr.
Visitors welcome
Dundalk
Christy O’Connor Sr & Jr
Visitors welcome
Dundalk
New course designed by Christy O'Connor Jr (2000). The original nine holes of the Old course date from 1930; it was extended to 18 holes in 1956.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Palmer North course: designed by Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay (1991).
Palmer South course: Arnold Palmer Design Company (2003; lead designer Harrison Minchew).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Christy O'Connor Jnr & Peter McEvoy
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett & Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Derry
Ballyliffin's original nine-hole course dated back to 1947. Between 1970 and 1973 a "new course" was brought into play on neighbouring ground, replacing the original nine holes. This new layout (now known as the Old Links) was designed by Eddie Hackett with input from local agricultural adviser Martin Hopkins, and English course architects Frank Pennink and Charles Lawrie. Recent modifications to the Old Links were made by Nick Faldo (2005). The Glashedy Links dates from 1995.
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Eddie Hackett designed the original 18-holes (1993), now called the Hackett Links. On the Wild Atlantic course, holes 1 thru' 7, and 17 and 18 are part of the original Hackett layout; they are played as holes 1 thru' 7, and 8 and 9 when you play the Hackett Links. The middle section of Wild Atlantic (holes 8 thru' 16; sometimes called the Kilmore Nine) was added later and designed by Jim Engh & Ally McIntosh (2013).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original layout designed by the club members, with several subsequent makeovers. Substantial redesign by Martin Hawtree (2005).
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Original design by Eddie Hackett, with later modifications by Pat Ruddy (1998).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original Harry Colt design dates from 1921. Modifications by Martin Hawtree (2002).
Visitors welcome
Kilkenny
Jack Nicklaus
Visitors welcome
Dublin
David McLay-Kidd
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Colin Montgomerie & Stan Eby
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Mark O'Meara & Tim Lobb
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original layout designed by American course architect Brook L. Wigginton (1961). Significant improvements made by Ron Kirby and Joe Carr (2003).
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Paddy Merrigan
Visitors welcome
Cork
A collaborative design involving Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins, Eddie Hackett and Dr. Joe Carr.
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Eddie Hackett designed the expansion from nine to 18 holes (1974). Donald Steel added a further nine holes (1999).
Visitors welcome
Belfast
Original course at this location designed by Commander John Harris from C.K. Cotton & Assocs (1962). Later modifications by Frederick W. "Fred" Hawtree (1965).
Visitors welcome
Derry
Front-nine (Strand-nine) designed by Pat Ruddy (2009). Back-nine (Valley-nine) originally designed by Old Tom Morris (1893), with later modifications by Harry Vardon & James Braid (1906), and Harry Colt (1911).
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Original 9-hole layout (1931) redesigned by John McAlister from Dublin (1939); course extension to 18-holes by Eddie Hackett (1973).
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original layout by Old Tom Morris. Significant later modifications by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1920s); MacKenzie left untouched Morris's best holes (e.g. par-5 4th, par-3 5th). Further enhancements by Martin Hawtree (2003).
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Peter McEvoy
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Pat Ruddy
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Peter McEvoy
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Sir Guy Campbell & Henry Longhurst
Visitors welcome
Coleraine
Harry Colt (1932).
Visitors welcome
Derry
Harry Vardon (six-time winner of the Open Championship, and golf course designer).
Visitors welcome
Belfast
Harry Colt
Visitors welcome
Derry
Michael Doherty, long-time golf professional at City of Derry Golf Club.
Visitors welcome
Kilkenny
Jack McDaid and Jim Cassidy
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Original nine hole layout from 1939. Extended to a full 18 by Maurice Fives (1997).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original design by Bernhard Langer in association with Stan Eby of European Golf Design (1995); reworked by Jeff Lynch of ReGolf Design (2022).
Visitors welcome
Galway
Robert J. "Bobby" Brown
Visitors welcome
Wexford
Philip Walton's debut course as a golf designer.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett
Visitors welcome
Derry
Original design by Charles Thompson (golf professional at Portrush GC).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original layout created by various members. Major redesign and improvements subsequently made by Frederick W. "Fred" Hawtree, Eddie Hackett (1985) and Martin Hawtree.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original design by Greg Norman (2002); redesigned by Martin Hawtree (2014).
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Redesigned by Dr Arthur Spring in 1994.
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Original design at this location by John McAllister (1938). Subsequent modifications by Hawtree & Co. (1972), and Eddie Hackett (1990).
Visitors welcome
Derry
Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Pat Ruddy
Visitors welcome
Coleraine
Original design of the 18-hole Mussenden course by Ben Sayers. Later modifications by Harry Colt (1926) and Martin Hawtree (2018).
Visitors welcome
Derry
Original design by Charles Thompson (golf professional at Portrush GC); substantial improvements designed by Pat Ruddy (2000).
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Nick Faldo
Visitors welcome
Galway
Eddie Hackett
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original course at the Curragh laid out by David Ritchie from Scotland (1852).
Visitors welcome
Waterford
Des Smyth & Declan Brannigan
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original design by Arthur Spring (1994). Course redesigned by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert Golf Course Architects (2007).
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Michael Dolan
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Jonathan Gaunt
Visitors welcome
Dundalk
Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Original nine-hole layout by George L. Baillie (1894). Later revisions by Cuthbert Butchart and then by Harry Vardon (1927).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Dr Arthur Spring
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Original 18-hole layout by Capt William Campbell (1906); substantially redesigned by Harry Colt (1927-31).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original course designed by Harry Colt (1920). New course at the current Ballyman Glen location, designed by Martin Hawtree (2006).
Visitors welcome
Cork
Original Deerpark course designed by Christy O'Connor Jr & Peter McEvoy; modified by Jeff Howes (1999). Howes also designed Fota Island's nine new holes (2006).
Visitors welcome
Coleraine
Simon Gidman
Visitors welcome
Belfast
James Braid
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Nick Bielenberg
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Unknown
Visitors welcome
Derry
The layout evolved over the years from a nine-hole layout (1930) to a full 18 (1965), with inputs from Hughie McNeill, Leo Wallace and various members. Improvements made by Eddie Connaughton (2004). Significant modifications by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner of Hanse Golf Design (2018).
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Original layout by founders George Ross (Capt) and William C. Pickeman (Secretary), assisted by Scottish professional Mungo Park (who stayed for a year as the Club's first pro). Third nine added by Fred Hawtree (1971); modifications to the Championship layout by Fred's son Martin Hawtree (2002).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett & Claude Harmon designed the current layout (early 1970s). Significant changes made by Tom Fazio (2006/7).
Visitors welcome
Dundalk
Current layout by Cecil Barcroft (1914); substantially modified by Tom Simpson & Molly Gourlay (1938).
Visitors welcome
Derry
Tom Doak and lead associate Eric Iverson.
Visitors welcome
Coleraine
Strand course: original design by Mr. A.G. Gow (of Portrush; 1907); modifications by Willie Park Jr (early 1920s) & Des Giffin (schoolteacher and club member, 1986).
Riverside course: original nine holes designed by Des Giffin (1986); extension to 18 holes by Bernard Findlay (course manager) & David Avery (past captain) (1999).
Old course: designers of original nine-hole course unknown (1894); enlarged to 12 holes (1918); extended from 12 to 18 holes by Mr. R.C. Davison & James Rea (1934).
Visitors welcome
Belfast
Annesley Links was first mentioned (in the R&A Handbooks) in 1929. It was described as a nine-hole "relief" course to the main 18-hole championship course. By 1932 it had grown to a full 18-holes, again with no mention of who designed the holes. Significant modifications were made by Donald Steel (1997), and Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert (2014).
Visitors welcome
Coleraine
The current Dunluce Links layout is largely the work of Harry Colt's 1929 redesign.
Visitors welcome
Dublin
Palmer North course: designed by Arnold Palmer & Ed Seay (1991).
Palmer South course: Arnold Palmer Design Company (2003; lead designer Harrison Minchew).
Weekdays only
Killarney
Arnold Palmer designed the course at Tralee's current Barrow location (1984).
Wkends restrictd
Dublin
Paddy Merrigan designed subtantial revisions to the course in 1993.
Wkends restrictd
Galway
Dr Alister MacKenzie laid out the current course in the early-1920s.
Wkends restrictd
Belfast
David Jones
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Original layout by club professional James McKenna. After 8 yrs of closure, a new 9-hole layout was designed by Lionel Hewson (1906), and extended to 18-holes in 1926. Additional modifications made by Tom Simpson (1937) and Tom Watson (1995).
Wkends restrictd
Dundalk
Des Smyth & Declan Branigan
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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