Golf Courses in Dublin
Tour Dublin for an Authentic Golfing Experience
Dublin gives a perfect blend of golf and history. Golf, one of the oldest modern sports, traces its origin to the British Isles. While Florida and the Caribbean are renowned for their white sand and vibrant beaches, Ireland provides a more exotic and authentic experience.
Dublin is a mecca for tourists visiting Ireland. The surrounding towns offer a wide range of familiar attractions such as the famous Guinness Storehouse and the Jameson Distillery. Dublin itself is home to hundreds of golf courses including the Royal Dublin Gold Club, which is the second-oldest golf course in Ireland.
Here are the top 10 golf courses in Dublin, Ireland
Dublin and the surrounding regions are dotted with golf courses. The golf courses below are all reachable from the city.
1. The Island
The Island tops the list of the unique golf courses thanks to its big and picturesque dunes. If you are looking for a links course where each hole is unique and offers a thrilling experience, this is the place to be. The links course combines long and short holes featuring blind shots, ridges, huge dunes, hollows, and several surprises. With the opening run of 8 consecutive par fours, and the back nine makes this a must-visit.
If you are looking for a perfect blend of history and golfing experience, the 14th tee located on the foundation of the original clubhouse will quench your thirst. For almost a century now, golfers from all corners of the globe have sailed across the seas for a golfing experience on this golf course. In earlier days it was only reachable by rowboat!
2. Portmarnock
Portmarnock is a favourite for golfers from all over the globe. This link features low scenic dunes and green complexes. The subtle game experienced here demands a unique level of skills and strategy. Although it does not offer the same level of thrill, or the same size as The Island, the artistry in both golf courses makes them a must visit.
All except the 5th tee gives you a clear view making it easy for you to decipher the holes although smart positioning off the tee is essential after which you can easily focus on the ideal putting positions. A tip you might want to keep in mind is to use your bump-and-run skills and endeavor to target the centre of the green, as the consequences of missing are severe.
3. Druid’s Glen
No golf course in Ireland can rival the colours, variety, and the intrigues that the Druid’s Glen golf course is known for. The course and club offer a unique collection of par threes with the 8th, 12th, and 17th being uniquely drenched in water. Although the back nine is has a lot of water features, it only adds to the unique golfing experience. The 18th tee is the toughest yet the most magnificent finishing par four which extends all the way up toward the green where the legendary Woodstock House, currently the clubhouse, act as the backdrop.
4. The European Club
Voted as the world’s best modern links course, The European Club is the place to be for anyone up for a stern challenge. Located in the Co. Wicklow coastline, The European Club is a muscular golf course designed by its owner Pat Ruddy, who is also the host at the club.
This links is extremely challenging off the tee and affords a splendid view of the infamous railway-sleeper bunkers, which only makes it even more challenging. The club offers 20 holes, and that back nine are likely to be on your mind the rest of your golfing life with holes such as 11, 12, 15 and 17 being the most thrilling.
5. Co Louth
Located just about 45 minutes north of Dublin, the Co Louth Golf Club (Baltray) has been around since 1892 and is still ranks high as one of the best links in Ireland. Having being around for well over a century, the links boasts a rich history and hosts an old school charm that combines both strategy and finesse. The numerous steep slopes will make this perfectly clear.
The high tee boxes will give you a perfect display and thrill of many holes, especially when you get to the big dunes close to the sea. From the 12th to the 16th holes, brace yourself for drama and challenges. You need to be a smart and a tactical golfer especially with the winds hitting you from all sides.
6. Portmarnock Links
Besides hosting an enormous hotel that overlooks the 1st and 18th hole, this links promises you a comple golfing experience. The course is located on an unpredictable terrain compared to its neighbors. The numerous gentler dunes dotting the landscape provides golfers with a unique starting warm-up for the complexes before you getting to the bigger dunes.
Since opening its doors in 1996, the course provides a natural feel thanks to its designer, Bernard Langer. You may have to up your skills for the challenge that awaits you on the 16th and 18th holes.
7. Carton House Montgomerie
The 5-star Carton House resort hosts two courses and lies 15 miles west of Dublin. Designed as an inland links, the Carton House Montgomerie has been around since 2002. The landscape is dotted with tumbling and tricky fairways as well as deep bunkers coupled with glorious greens with a few trees.
Of all the courses that Dublin has to offer, this is one of the toughest, especially once the golden rough is up when it is at its best. Be advised to choose the right tee. Avoid being heroic as course can be extremely deceptive while the bunkering can be really punishing.
8. K Club (Palmer)
Home to the 2006 Ryder Cup, the K Club is a spectacular parkland course. The landscape features several rivers, lakes, ancient trees, and plenty of space. The K Club course enjoys an exceptional reputation for its frills and thrills. Flowing alone one of its edges and threatening three holes is the River Liffey. However, the other water features make the course a relaxing place to enjoy your golfing experience. This course is easily playable for all golfers provided you choose the right tee. The exceptional resort featuring a clubhouse and world-class facilities makes the Palmer a worthy course.
9. Killeen Castle
Killeen Castle occupies close to 600 acres and is home to a 12th-century castle. Today, Killeen Castle is home to the Signature course and played host to the Solheim Cup in 2011. Being the longest golf course in Ireland, golf players have 5-tees to choose from with generous fairways. The biggest challenge on this course lies in the closely bunkered and sharp green complexes.
The course is marked with plenty of water sources and huge trees yet spacious enough to offer a thrilling golfing experience. This is in addition to the castle looming above the 18th green. The course also hosts the Dave Pelz Golf School to help anyone looking to improve their short game skills.
10. Royal Dublin
The Royal Dublin is one of the oldest links featuring an out-and-back routing design. Located on the Bull Island, it has no dunes and blends natural twists and turns to give you a thrilling bump-and-run experience. Given its location, the course is extremely windy, although this tends to favor golfer on the front nine yet extremely challenging coming home. Royal Dublin features quite narrow and green fairways, the deep bunkering may prove extremely challenging.
There is no doubt that Dublin is a must visit for golf enthusiast thanks to its unique parkland and links courses coupled with luxurious modern and traditional resorts and clubs.
Planning A Golfing Trip In Dublin
Most golf enthusiast planning a golfing vacation to Dublin, Ireland work with travel planners or even golf specialists. With all the logistics involved in the process, it is easy to understand why. In this post, we will break down the various things that must be considered when planning a golfing trip to Dublin.
In normal situations, planning a golfing trip starts by choosing a suitable golf course before filling in anything else. Ireland is known to offer some of the best golf courses, and as such, you should start by planning everything else. Here are some questions to keep in mind:
What is your set budget? You can enjoy an exceptional golfing vacation for just about $1000 per golfer, and if money is not a problem, then you can go for a more memorable golfing vacation in Dublin for $4- 5000.
Are you looking to win some trophies and play in only the best courses that Dublin has to offer? Or are you planning to travel to all corners of the country and explore some of its well hidden golfing gems without much to brag about after your vacation? Some of these hidden gems such as the renowned Rush Golf Club, which is the most northerly links course in Dublin, are located next to the trophy courses, and you can enjoy the similar scenery and quality golfing experience for less. Boasting of excellent standards, the 9-hole Rush Golf Club course offers plenty of features and challenges common with links golf, and it’s only 8 miles from the airport.
Are you planning to on different courses or are you comfortable with the same courses for several days?
What by your definition is a good hotel?
Are you planning to stay in the heart of Dublin or will a small country house next to the golf course work for you?
Are quality meals top of your list?
How will you get around? Not only is driving yourself less expensive, but it is also quite an adventure. You might also consider hiring a driver or a guide to show you some interesting locations.
Are you visiting Dublin for golf only, or are you interested in seeing some of the scenic places in Ireland?
Once you have figured out the priorities and preferences above, you can then proceed to do your research and put together your itinerary.
Why should you consider working with a tour operator? If you choose the right one, chances are they will have done the research and likely to be great listeners ready to help you with your itinerary as per your priorities. Golf courses and hotels that they book for their customers pay most of these tour operators. As such, there is no extra cost incurred by working with one. In fact, the cost of working with a tour operator should be same as doing it yourself.
Having a plan and having a reservation are two different things. The leading golf courses in Dublin have limited inventory. Keep in mind that the golf course you plan to play on a certain day of your trip will certainly have other visitors scheduled for the same day. If you set your tee times, a thoroughly researched hotel should always be booked on the nights you intend to stay there. With this in mind, keep your itinerary as flexible as possible, especially with late bookings in high seasons.
It takes time to plan for the ultimate golf trip to Dublin, regardless of whether you are working with a knowledgeable planner. However, this should not deter you from trying it given that golfing in Dublin is, for many people, a once in a lifetime experience.
If you have never experienced golf in Dublin, you are definitely missing a treat. The hundreds of golf courses in Dublin, and the ancient picturesque building are an experience to die for. The golf courses are set in unique and gorgeous surroundings and are certainly welcoming. Finding a suitable accommodation near these golfs is straightforward thanks to the online golf platforms and they also allow users to book tee times. Remember to ask your hotel if they offer discounts.
Golf started in Scotland around the mid-15th century and is filled with rich history, legends, and traditions. This sport found its way to America in the 18th centuries. If you are a golf enthusiast, the Dublin golf courses will be a thrilling way to explore Ireland. The scenic beauty of the links course spread across Dublin will offer an absolute golfing experience. You do not have to be an experienced golfer to enjoy golfing, visit Dublin and improve your golfing skills in some of the best golf courses the world has to offer.
