Custom Golf Vacations to Ireland
Tee up at some of the world’s most scenic and iconic courses
Ireland is a golfer’s paradise, with many of its glorious golf courses rated among the best in the world. A golf tour around Ireland offers unrivaled scenic views of rolling countryside and dramatic coastlines, along with welcoming pubs, friendly people and toe-tapping traditional music.
Ireland is known as the ‘green of dreams’ and has over 400 golf courses, including 58 of the 247 true links golf courses in the world. Moreover, Ireland plays host to seven of the top 100 golf courses in the world, making it the ideal destination for a golf break.
Ireland Golf Tours
There are incredible golf clubs and courses around the entirety of Ireland, alongside plenty of other things to see and do. Each individual region has a selection of beautiful courses.
Dublin Golf Tour
Near Dublin, golf courses including Portmarnock, K Club, Royal Dublin and European Golf Club are must plays. These can be enjoyed alongside the vibrant culture of the Republic of Ireland’s iconic capital city.
6 nights & 6 rounds from $3,700
Northern Ireland Golf Tour
Northern Ireland is home to Royal Portrush, host of the Open Championship in 2025, Portstewart, Castlerock, and Ardglass. Royal County Down Golf Club, nestled at the foot of the majestic Mourne Mountains, is not only ranked the top golf course in Ireland, but the top golf course in the world.
6 nights & 6 rounds from $5,500
North West Ireland Golf Tour
Among the best golf courses on the north west coast of Ireland are County Sligo, Carne, Enniscrone and Ballyliffin, each unique and beautiful. Also not to be missed is the magnificent golf resort at Rosapenna, which now boasts three stunning links courses. The newest, St Patrick’s Links, just debuted at No.55 in the latest Golf Digest World Ranking.
7 nights & 5 rounds from $4,500
South West Ireland Golf Tour
South west Ireland has a variety of brilliant courses including Ballybunion, which is considered one of the finest links courses in the world. There’s also Lahinch, Tralee, Waterville and Old Head, all of which could be played on the same trip.
6 nights & 5 rounds from $5,025
Premier Golf can arrange a luxury golf vacation to Ireland based on your specific requirements. With an office in Killarney, Ireland our local representatives can recommend the perfect combination of popular clubs and hidden gems throughout Ireland, all paired with superb accommodation that’s selected to suit your taste. From luxury boutique hotels to larger resorts, there’s something for everyone.
What makes golfing in Ireland special?
Planning Your Irish Golf Adventure: 9 Must-Play Courses in Ireland
Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, and Ballybunion make the top 20 of most world lists, and rightly so. However, outside of these spectacular, unmissable venues, what other courses on the Island of Ireland are must-plays for your next golf trip?
More reasons to visit Ireland
There are plenty of other exciting things to see and do on the emerald isle that you can fit in around teeing off. Ireland has some of the most beautiful and exciting natural beauty spots, including the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry.
You can’t visit Ireland without drinking a pint of Guinness or a glass of Irish Whiskey. You’ll never get a better stout than when you are enjoying the warm welcome of a quaint pub listening to traditional Irish music and eating local delicacies.
Whatever you do and wherever you stay in Ireland, you’ll make friends and memories that will last a lifetime.
“There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.”
W.B Yeats
Take an Ireland golf vacation with Premier Golf
Premier Golf has been arranging golf tours to Ireland since 1988 and with a full-time office in the country and close relationships with ground handlers, you will be well looked after when booking a trip through us. Expect to be greeted by a Premier Golf representative when you arrive in Ireland and begin your Irish golf holiday.
Our golf travel specialists develop specific programs for each individual trip to ensure you get the most out of your experience. With direct flights from multiple US cities, Ireland provides an ideal golfing vacation.
Get in touch with our representatives to create your own custom luxury golf trip to Ireland.
Where to play on your Ireland golf trip
Ireland Golf Reviews
Thank you for making it happen
We loved ALL the courses. Adding St Patrick’s was really special. So glad Bill Hogan suggested it.
Adare was our least favorite, but everyone agreed it was ideal for the day we got off the plane to practice for the tournament we ran on the final four courses. Everyone’s favorite was Royal County Down (and mine especially because I had 3 birdies including the 18th!).
Drumshanbo was a huge hit. The Shed Distillery tour was fun, and we got a kick out of how everyone in the town knew about our helicopter within an hour. .
Wonderful Trip & Service
Thank you for all your guidance and help on our tour of Ireland. Allan O’Connor’s service – quick response and dealing with whatever we threw at him with a smile is really what made this trip so great.
Ireland is a beautiful country and I cannot wait to return on another trip with Premier Golf.
Thank you so much again for all you have done to make this dream of ours a reality.
Thank You Premier
Northern Ireland was a blast. We were there with the Davidson group and the hotels Bushmills and Slieve Donard were very nice. Our driver was a true gentlemen and took great care of us. Royal Portrush and Royal County Down were our favorite courses, and Ardglass and Ballyliffin were great surprises. I’m so glad we had a driver because after golf we had some of the local Bushmills product each day in the golf clubhouses. 🙂 Next time we will spend more time in Belfast, there is so much to do there. Our half-day tour was not enough, but overall the trip was superb. Thanks to Bill and Matthew and Allan for all the hard work.
Better than advertised!
We worked with your company and Bill Hogan set up the trip. When we got to Ireland Allan had everything perfect, and we wish we could have stayed longer. Kinsale was a nice town to start, and Killarney was our base for five nights to play the courses around that area. Loved Ballybunion and Waterville, they are spectacular. Our last round was at Lahinch and that might have been he best course of the bunch. Thank you to the team at Premier for the great time. We’ll be back!
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Ireland Golf FAQs
For a country its size, Ireland has a lot of golf courses, with some estimates placing the number at more than 400, including 9- and 18-hole courses. Three of Ireland’s most prestigious courses are Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, and Portmarnock.
The oldest golf course in Ireland is The Royal Curragh Golf Club, located in the heathland of the Curragh in County Kildare. There are records of a match being played there as early as 1852. Other old courses in the country include Royal Belfast (1881) & Royal Dublin (1885).
There are 4 great golf regions on the Island of Ireland, each with its own charms and unique offers. They break down as follows:
- Northern Ireland and the North Coast – Home to some of the most challenging and famous links courses, including Royal County Down, Portstewart, Castlerock, Ballyliffin, and Royal Portrush.
- Southwest Ireland – Find the highest concentration of world-ranked courses like Ballybunion, Waterville, Lahinch, Old Head, and Tralee.
- Dublin/East – Get a mixture of sights and golf in the capital, with fantastic links courses such as the European Club, The Island and Portmarnock and parkland courses such as The K Club.
- Northwest Ireland – Discover the hidden gems and undiscovered courses, including natural and rugged links like Donegal, Enniscrone, Carne and the new St Patrick’s Links at Rosapenna.
These are just some of the best regions, but you will find more, given the sheer number of options available in Ireland.
The best time to visit is subjective for most people and depends on budget, preferred weather, interests, and availability. Generally, however, the golf travel season in Ireland is from April to October when the weather is favorable, and courses are in peak condition.
To avoid the crowds, the shoulder months of April and October offer more value, but you must pack warmly and prepare for wind and rain. We recommend May and September, a month after the season begins and a month before the season ends, respectively, to get better weather and avoid crowds.
The best stay-and-play golf packages depend on what the golfer wants and factors such as availability, weather, preferred courses, budget and more.
To offer an expansive and full experience, we have 4 recommended stay-and-play packages in Ireland; Northern Ireland, The Southwest, Dublin & East Ireland, and The Northwest. They allow you to sample entire regions for a complete experience.
Based on sources that provide rankings of golf courses in Ireland, the courses most considered best, including by golfing enthusiasts, pros, and architects, include; Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Ballybunion, Lahinch, Rosapenna & Portmarnock.
There are several ways to book a golf tour in Ireland, depending on your preferences and budget. Some of the options include:
- The easiest option is to book via a travel agency, using packages that include almost everything you will need. For instance, Premier Golf specializes in luxury golf tours to Ireland, with a team based in Killarney that will take care of everything for you.
- Book it yourself via online platforms, check tee times, and act as a one-person golf tour agency. This is higher risk though – as certain courses have restrictions and requirements, such as the need for a caddie.
- Booking via a local golf resort or club, where stay-and-play packages include accommodation and golfing at their own courses and other amenities.
Depending on which option you choose, your experience will vary.
The most prestigious golf tournament to be held in Ireland is the Open Championship, which is one of the four major championships in professional golf. The 153rd edition of the Open Championship is scheduled to take place in 2025 at the iconic Royal Portrush Golf Club.
In addition, the 2027 Ryder Cup will be held at Adare Manor and was previously played at the K Club in 2006.
The prices vary depending on the season, currency, course, package, etc. Generally, playing in the off-season or just before or after the peak season costs less. Northern Ireland golf packages can cost more than similar tours in other parts of Ireland, and it’s worth noting that Northern Ireland uses the British Pound and not the Euro.
The courses you choose also affect the rates, with the most prestigious commanding higher prices.
At Premier Golf, we offer 6-night, 6-round packages that start at $3,700 per golfer.