Best golf courses: Ireland - West

Golf in Ireland West has been described by Tourism Ireland as 'warm, wild and wonderful'. This part of Ireland offers fabulous links and parkland courses with varied heritage and beautiful scenery. It is one of our preferred golfing destinations. The links golf courses are world renowned and open for visitors to play.

Make the most out of your golf trip to the west of Ireland. Look up the location of the golf courses on the map; it will help you with your planning to play the best during your holidays. To each golf course visited we have applied a rating. The scale, 5 (highest) to 2 (lowest), attempts to provide an indication of the golfing experience you can expect at each rated course. Hover your on-screen mouse pointer above the rating key hereafter to read our definitions.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Resort guests prioritised
Limerick
Jones Sr & Fazio

Visitors?

Resort guests prioritised

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

Original design by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1995); significantly revamped by Tom Fazio (2017).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Athlone
McAllister, J.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Athlone

Designer

J. McAllister

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Jones Sr, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Sr.

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Simpson, Tom et al

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

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).

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Smyth, Des

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

Des Smyth & Declan Branigan

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Brown, Robert

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Robert J. "Bobby" Brown

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Spring & Mackenzie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Original design by Arthur Spring (1994). Course redesigned by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert Golf Course Architects (2007).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Hackett, Eddie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Sligo

Designer

Eddie Hackett

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Spring, Dr Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Dr Arthur Spring

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Hackett, Eddie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Eddie Hackett

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Cork
MacKenzie, Dr Alister

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Cork

Designer

Dr Alister MacKenzie redesigned the course, extending it to 18-holes in 1927.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Hackett & O'Connor Jr.

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Eddie Hackett & Christy O'Connor Jr.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Hawtree, Martin

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Original layout designed by the club members, with several subsequent makeovers. Substantial redesign by Martin Hawtree (2005).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Kirby, Ron

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

Original layout designed by American course architect Brook L. Wigginton (1961). Significant improvements made by Ron Kirby and Joe Carr (2003).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Cork
O'Connor & McEvoy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Cork

Designer

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).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Galway
O'Connor Jr, Christy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Christy O'Connor Jr.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Galway
MacKenzie, Dr Alister

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Dr Alister MacKenzie laid out the current course in the early-1920s.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Jones II, Robert Trent

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Robert Trent Jones Jr.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
O'Sullivan, Dr Billy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Original design by Dr William (Billy) O'Sullivan & Fred Hawtree, with a subsequent redesign by Tom MacKenzie (2006).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Campbell, Sir Guy

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Sir Guy Campbell & Henry Longhurst

2-star: Reasonably okay course - if better courses not available.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Spring, Arthur

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

Redesigned by Dr Arthur Spring in 1994.

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Morris & MacKenzie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

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).

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Unknown

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Unknown

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Cork
Kirby, Ron et al

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Cork

Designer

A collaborative design involving Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins, Eddie Hackett and Dr. Joe Carr.

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Hackett, Eddie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Eddie Hackett

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Weekdays only
Killarney
Palmer, Arnold

Visitors?

Weekdays only

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Arnold Palmer designed the course at Tralee's current Barrow location (1984).

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Norman, Greg

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Limerick

Designer

Greg Norman

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Hackett, Eddie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Killarney

Designer

Eddie Hackett & Claude Harmon designed the current layout (early 1970s). Significant changes made by Tom Fazio (2006/7).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Galway
Hawtree, Fred

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Galway

Designer

Fred Hawtree

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Tournaments

Chevron Championship: the first women’s major championship of 2023 is played for the first time in Texas, having been uprooted from its home of 51 years at the Mission Hills Country Club, Rancho Mirage, California.

Italian Open: the 80th playing of this prestigious European event will see many 2023 Ryder Cup hopefuls build their “local knowledge” of the Marco Simone course in Rome. (May 4-7). Ryder Cup (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Who's Who

Jon Rahm: dedicated his emphatic Masters Tournament win to the late Seve Ballesteros. “Rahmbo’s” victory came on the day his fellow countryman and golfing inspiration would have turned 66 years of age.

Steve Stricker: four-time senior major championship winner, chases a fifth title as he defends at the 34th Regions Tradition (May 11-14), the first senior major of 2023.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

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.

Costa Cruise & Golf

Costa’s "Cruise & Golf" allows golfers and their families to combine a unique golfing experience with the relaxation and fun of a cruise on board Costa Smeralda. Golf enthusiasts are offered a choice from 23 top-quality golf clubs; their chosen courses are played during the ship’s port calls in Italy, France and Spain. While the golfers are driving the fairways, accompanying non-golfers are able to enjoy the amenities and activities on-board, or explore wonderful places on day excursions organised by Costa. Read more ...

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