GROUND-ONLY TAILOR-MADE · GALWAY'S ATLANTIC LINKS

Galway's only true links, out where the Twelve Bens meet the sea.

Ireland golf holidays

Eddie Hackett laid Connemara through the rock of the Ballyconneely peninsula, salt wind off the Atlantic, the mountains at your back. Round it off at Galway Bay, Christy O'Connor Jnr's course on the shore at Oranmore, with a pint waiting in the city after.

4.9 from real golfers · 27 courses · from £165pp (≈ €185) (≈ $215) (≈ CA$305) (≈ AU$305) (≈ NZ$375) (≈ CHF 175) · ATOL-protected where flights are added

See Ireland breaks · from £165pp (≈ €185) (≈ $215) (≈ CA$305) (≈ AU$305) (≈ NZ$375) (≈ CHF 175) ↓ Build your trip

Ireland is where links golf feels least like a novelty and most like the natural order of things. The courses sit where the land meets the Atlantic — tumbling dunes, firm turf, weather that changes the round hole to hole — and the welcome in the clubhouse afterwards is as much a part of the trip as the golf itself. From the great south-west links of Kerry and Clare to the championship parkland of Kildare and the storied stretch of Portmarnock north of Dublin, a week here is a pilgrimage that golfers talk about for years.

We have arranged Irish golf since 1981. Every itinerary on this page is hand-built and hand-priced around your dates, your group and the courses you want to play.

Why play golf in Ireland

Ireland rewards the golfer who came for the real thing: genuine links, played in sequence, with the craic to match.

  • The densest run of world-ranked links anywhere — Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee, Waterville and Portmarnock within a single trip
  • Two natural touring loops: the south-west (Kerry & Clare) and the east (Dublin & Kildare)
  • Championship parkland too — Carton House and the K Club, host of the 2006 Ryder Cup
  • Castle-and-links stays: Dromoland Castle, Glenlo Abbey, Killarney's lakeland resorts
  • Easy access from the UK — short flights to Shannon, Kerry, Dublin or Knock, then drive and play

The courses you’ll play

Ireland's links divide cleanly by region. In the south-west, Kerry holds the headline names — Ballybunion (Old), Tralee, Waterville, Dooks, Dingle (Ceann Sibéal) and the two championship courses at Killarney (Killeen & Lackabane) — with the Ring of Kerry for the views. Neighbouring County Clare adds Lahinch and Greg Norman's Doonbeg, with parkland at Dromoland Castle. Around Dublin, the Portmarnock links and the par-72 championship courses define east-coast golf, while County Kildare brings the inland big-hitters: Carton House and The K Club. Further north-west, Galway (Connemara Championship Links, Galway Bay) and Donegal (Ballyliffin, Rosapenna) reward those who want the wilder, quieter end of the Irish coast.

You are never locked into one course — tell us how many rounds you want and we will build the rota around the base you choose.

Where you’ll stay

Where you stay decides which courses you play, so we group Ireland into a few easy bases. For the Kerry links, Killarney's lakeland hotels make a comfortable hub for Ballybunion, Tralee, Waterville and Dooks. For Clare, The Lodge at Doonbeg and Dromoland Castle put Lahinch and Doonbeg on the doorstep. Around Dublin, the on-site Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links and city hotels suit the east-coast courses, while in Kildare the K Club and Carton House are full resort stays in their own right. In the west, Glenlo Abbey and The Ardilaun anchor a Galway trip.

Tell us your group size and budget and we will match the hotel to the golf, not the other way around.

Best time to play golf in Ireland

The Irish links season runs from April to October, with May, June and September the sweet spot — long evenings, driest turf and the best chance of settled weather. Summer brings the warmest days and the liveliest towns; spring and early autumn give you the courses at their firmest and the green fees at their friendliest. Links golf in Ireland is a year-round pursuit for the committed, but for a first trip we steer most groups to late spring or early autumn.

A sense of Ireland

History & heritage

Few golf destinations wear their culture so lightly or so well. A day's golf in Kerry or Clare ends in a town where the music is live, the Guinness is poured properly and the conversation finds you. Killarney sits beside its national park and lakes; the Wild Atlantic Way threads the whole western coast past Dingle, the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry; Dublin offers Georgian streets, Trinity College and a city break for the non-golfers. The welcome is the point — Irish clubs treat the visiting golfer as a guest, not a green fee.

Food & wine

Ireland's food has quietly become a reason to come. The Atlantic delivers the seafood — Galway oysters, Dingle crab, Kerry lobster — and the inland counties the beef and lamb that fill a clubhouse carvery after eighteen holes. Resort dining at Dromoland and the K Club is genuinely fine; the village pub does chowder and brown bread that you will remember just as long. And the drink, of course: a pint by the fire, or a tour of the new wave of Irish whiskey distilleries on a rest day.

Beyond the fairways

Non-golfers are spoiled. The Ring of Kerry and the Wild Atlantic Way are among the great coastal drives; Killarney National Park has lakes, jaunting cars and Muckross House; the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren sit beside the Clare links; and Dublin is a full city break of its own. Castles, gardens, horse country in Kildare and the live-music towns of the west mean a golf group and its non-golfers can share a base happily for a week.

Getting around & exploring

Ireland is a drive-and-play destination. Hire a car at the airport — four to a car keeps costs sensible — and the touring loops are comfortable: the Kerry and Clare links sit within an hour or so of each other, and Dublin's courses are a short hop from the city or airport. Roads are quiet by British standards once you leave the cities, and the scenery between courses is half the holiday. We set the driving order so you are never doubling back.

Getting there

Access is easy from the UK and beyond. Shannon and Kerry airports serve the south-west links directly; Dublin serves the east coast and Kildare; Knock opens up Galway and the north-west. Most British golfers fly in under ninety minutes, collect a hire car and are on the first tee the same day. Flights are an ATOL-protected add-on to any package — or bring your own arrangements and we will handle the golf and the hotels.

Good to know

  • Book the marquee links (Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee, Portmarnock) well ahead — tee times are limited in peak season
  • Pack for links weather: layers and waterproofs even in summer
  • Caddies and buggies vary by club — we confirm what's available when we build your itinerary
  • Most courses welcome visitors but have preferred visitor days; we handle the bookings around your hotel
  • Handicap certificates are requested at some championship clubs — we'll tell you which

The courses you’ll play in Ireland

Adare Manor Golf Course — Ireland golfAdare Manor Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Athenry Golf Course — Ireland golfAthenry Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Ballybunion Golf Course — Ireland golfBallybunion Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Bearna Golf Course — Ireland golfBearna Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Beaufort Golf Course — Ireland golfBeaufort Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Carton House Golf Course — Ireland golfCarton House Golf CoursePlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →

Golf resorts — stay & play on-site

Portmarnock Golf Links Hotel — Ireland golfPortmarnock Golf Links HotelPortmarnock Links Golf Course · Portmarnock Golf Coursefrom£470 (≈ €535) (≈ $615) (≈ CA$875) (≈ AU$885) (≈ NZ$1,075) (≈ CHF 495)per personDiscover this resort →The Lodge at Doonbeg Hotel — Ireland golfThe Lodge at Doonbeg HotelDoonbeg Golf Course · Lahinch Golf Coursefrom£715 (≈ €815) (≈ $945) (≈ CA$1,335) (≈ AU$1,345) (≈ NZ$1,645) (≈ CHF 755)per personDiscover this resort →

Hotels — play the area’s courses

Ballyliffin Lodge Spa Hotel — Ireland golfBallyliffin Lodge Spa HotelBallyliffin Golf Club · Rosapenna Golf Coursefrom£760 (≈ €875) (≈ $1,005) (≈ CA$1,415) (≈ AU$1,425) (≈ NZ$1,745) (≈ CHF 805)per personDiscover this hotel →Carton House Hotel — Ireland golfCarton House HotelCarton House Golf Course · The K Club Golf Coursefrom£750 (≈ €855) (≈ $985) (≈ CA$1,395) (≈ AU$1,405) (≈ NZ$1,725) (≈ CHF 795)per personDiscover this hotel →Castle Dargan Golf & Wellness Resort Hotel — Ireland golfCastle Dargan Golf & Wellness Resort HotelLough Erne Golf Course, Enniskillen · Tuam Golf Coursefrom£475 (≈ €545) (≈ $625) (≈ CA$885) (≈ AU$895) (≈ NZ$1,085) (≈ CHF 505)per personDiscover this hotel →Clayton Galway Hotel — Ireland golfClayton Galway HotelGalway Bay Golf Course · Galway Golf Coursefrom£470 (≈ €535) (≈ $615) (≈ CA$875) (≈ AU$885) (≈ NZ$1,075) (≈ CHF 495)per personDiscover this hotel →Conrad Dublin Hotel — Ireland golfConrad Dublin HotelPortmarnock Golf Course · Portmarnock Links Golf Coursefrom£710 (≈ €815) (≈ $935) (≈ CA$1,325) (≈ AU$1,335) (≈ NZ$1,635) (≈ CHF 755)per personDiscover this hotel →Druids Glen Resort Hotel — Ireland golfDruids Glen Resort HotelDruids Glen Resort Golf Course · The European Club Golf Coursefrom£510 (≈ €585) (≈ $665) (≈ CA$945) (≈ AU$955) (≈ NZ$1,165) (≈ CHF 535)per personDiscover this hotel →

Ireland

from £470 (≈ €535) (≈ $615) (≈ CA$875) (≈ AU$885) (≈ NZ$1,075) (≈ CHF 495) pp

Ireland East Coast

12 hotels & courses See Ireland East Coast breaks
from £165 (≈ €185) (≈ $215) (≈ CA$305) (≈ AU$305) (≈ NZ$375) (≈ CHF 175) pp

Galway Coast

10 hotels & courses See Galway Coast breaks

Ireland South West

13 hotels & courses See Ireland South West breaks

Ready to play Ireland?

Tell us your dates and group — we’ll build a tailored itinerary and hand-priced quote, usually within 15 minutes.

Plan my Ireland trip →Talk to a specialist · 01277 284284

ATOL & PTS protected · Tailor-made since 1981

Frequently asked questions

Golf holidays in Ireland — answers to the questions our golfers ask most.

How much does a golf holiday in Ireland cost?

Golf holidays in Ireland start from £165 (≈ €185) (≈ $215) (≈ CA$305) (≈ AU$305) (≈ NZ$375) (≈ CHF 175) pp with Golf Planet Holidays. That is a tailor-made ground package, and the final price depends on your hotel, the courses you play and the season.

When is the best time to play golf in Ireland?

May to September, with the longest daylight and the firmest links. May, June and early September tend to be kindest for weather and tee times.

How many golf courses are there in Ireland?

We feature 27 courses and 16 resorts across Ireland including The K Club Hotel and Ballyliffin Lodge Spa Hotel. Your specialist matches the courses to your group's standard and budget.

Are flights included, and is a Ireland golf holiday ATOL protected?

Our Ireland holidays are tailor-made and ground-only, so flights are arranged separately, and we are happy to book them for you. When we book your flights the trip is ATOL protected and your money is held safe until you travel.

Are flights included?

Our golf holidays are arranged ground-only — hotel, golf and transfers. You can add flights through us, and those flights are ATOL protected as part of your booking.

How do golf holidays with Golf Planet Holidays work?

Every trip is tailor-made. Tell us your group, dates and the destinations you fancy, and we build a personal itinerary — hotel, golf and transfers — around them. There are no fixed packages to squeeze into; we shape the whole break to suit how your group likes to play.

Still have a question? Ask our golf travel team — a free, no-obligation quote, no call centre.

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