Home to Portmarnock, Baltray and The K Club, East Ireland is a Mecca for golfers from all around the world. Situated within easy reach of Dublin airport, the golf courses and resorts on the east coast are always popular with visitors from abroad. Once you have tasted the alluringly challenging links golf on offer here, it's easy to see why. This page gives full details of the best and a directory of the rest.
This traditional links course has changed very little since it was redesigned in 1938 by noted architect Tom Simpson. Length and accuracy on an unforgiving course which is both long and narrow. Steady, no-frills golf which keeps the ball safely on the fairway will pay dividends. Would-be crowd-pleasers that go wrong could land you in another area code.
| Hole | Par | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 423 |
| 2 | 5 | 476 |
| 3 | 5 | 534 |
| 4 | 4 | 334 |
| 5 | 3 | 148 |
| 6 | 5 | 521 |
| 7 | 3 | 153 |
| 8 | 4 | 397 |
| 9 | 4 | 409 |
| 10 | 4 | 388 |
| 11 | 4 | 470 |
| 12 | 4 | 410 |
| 13 | 4 | 408 |
| 14 | 4 | 322 |
| 15 | 3 | 142 |
| 16 | 4 | 375 |
| 17 | 3 | 169 |
| 18 | 5 | 527 |
One of Ireland's most famous and prestigious golf courses, Portmarnock is also among its most expensive. Having hosted an impressive back catalogue of major tournaments, this picturesque course enjoys a global reputation for relatively open and surprisingly forgiving links golf. Avid fans may recognise the distinctive dogleg-left 14th hole (par 4) with a raised green which, at least visually, is perhaps the highlight of the course.
| Hole | Par | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 372 |
| 2 | 4 | 357 |
| 3 | 4 | 377 |
| 4 | 4 | 435 |
| 5 | 4 | 380 |
| 6 | 5 | 583 |
| 7 | 3 | 171 |
| 8 | 4 | 379 |
| 9 | 4 | 417 |
| 10 | 4 | 364 |
| 11 | 4 | 415 |
| 12 | 3 | 141 |
| 13 | 5 | 549 |
| 14 | 4 | 375 |
| 15 | 3 | 183 |
| 16 | 5 | 514 |
| 17 | 4 | 434 |
| 18 | 4 | 393 |
Visitors from the United States will find the parkland golf on offer at The K Club very familiar. Mainly because of the many televised tournaments held here; The Ryder Cup in 2006 and the 2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, for example. With Pinehurst, Sawgrass and Doral all much closer to home, many US tourists may choose to stay away in favour of courses which showcase the links golf which makes the Irish game so different. But those who bypass this iconic club will be missing out on meticulous course maintenance, flawless greens and top-class amenities.
| Hole | Par | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 449 |
| 2 | 3 | 179 |
| 3 | 5 | 603 |
| 4 | 4 | 394 |
| 5 | 4 | 403 |
| 6 | 4 | 436 |
| 7 | 5 | 600 |
| 8 | 3 | 144 |
| 9 | 4 | 464 |
| 10 | 5 | 551 |
| 11 | 4 | 365 |
| 12 | 3 | 214 |
| 13 | 4 | 468 |
| 14 | 4 | 394 |
| 15 | 4 | 376 |
| 16 | 4 | 457 |
| 17 | 3 | 202 |
| 18 | 5 | 578 |
When visionary golf-course designer Pat Ruddy flew over Brittas Bay in the 1980s, he beheld the same stretch of sand dunes and coastal grassland that countless others had witnessed before him. But what Ruddy envisaged what so much more than that, and the result is what we now call The European Club. With undulating, meandering fairways and skilfully placed bunkers, this is not a course for beginners. But experienced golfers should make this a firm fixture on their bucket list.
| Hole | Par | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 449 |
| 2 | 3 | 179 |
| 3 | 5 | 603 |
| 4 | 4 | 394 |
| 5 | 4 | 403 |
| 6 | 4 | 436 |
| 7 | 5 | 600 |
| 8 | 3 | 144 |
| 9 | 4 | 464 |
| 10 | 5 | 551 |
| 11 | 4 | 365 |
| 12 | 3 | 214 |
| 13 | 4 | 468 |
| 14 | 4 | 394 |
| 15 | 4 | 376 |
| 16 | 4 | 457 |
| 17 | 3 | 202 |
| 18 | 5 | 578 |
It's hard to imagine a more pleasant or more picturesque start to a day's golf than the par-five first hole at Wicklow Golf Club. From then on, be warned that the day might get worse on a course that takes no prisoners. The coastal links-like terrain is hilly and lined with strategically placed gorse and incredibly deep bunkers. The rough varies from very tricky to borderline impossible. The course is technically a parkland, but oftens feels and plays like a links. In short, this is a course for experienced golfers.
| Hole | Par | Yards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 512 |
| 2 | 4 | 374 |
| 3 | 4 | 244 |
| 4 | 4 | 284 |
| 5 | 4 | 293 |
| 6 | 4 | 346 |
| 7 | 3 | 112 |
| 8 | 4 | 360 |
| 9 | 3 | 138 |
| 10 | 4 | 326 |
| 11 | 3 | 165 |
| 12 | 4 | 383 |
| 13 | 4 | 336 |
| 14 | 5 | 536 |
| 15 | 4 | 296 |
| 16 | 5 | 446 |
| 17 | 3 | 158 |
| 18 | 4 | 339 |
Adare is a small town in Co. Limerick, known for its quaint and colourful thatched cottages. Adare is considered to be one of Ireland's most beautiful towns so stop and take in the view. Don't forget your camera today - the perfect chance to capture the essence of old Ireland.
Explore Adare Village along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Take a journey through this once troubled city. See the murals of the Loyalist Shankill Road & Nationalist Falls Road. The Troubles took their toll on the economic life of Belfast, but the past ten years of peace have returned much prosperity while the genuine friendliness of the city never left.
Originally built in 1823, Blarney Woollen Mills was mainly used for the spinning and weaving of wool. After it closed in 1973, it reopened in 1975 — as an Irish heritage shop.
The Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre commemorates the last pitched battle fought on British soil, in April 1746. Learn more about the Jacobite intent to overthrow the House of Hanover and return the House of Stuart to the British throne.
Located within Glenveagh National Park, Glenveagh Castle was built by Captain John George Adair between 1870 and 1873. Having made his fortune through land speculation in America, Adair return to Ireland and began large amounts of land in County Donegal. The castle was built in the Scottish Baronial style and is surrounded by a garden and commands stunning views of the nearby mountains, lakes, woodlands and valleys.
About Highland Folk Museum is a museum and open-air attraction located in the Scottish Highlands. It is designed to showcase the domestic and working lives of the early highland people.
Located alongside the River Shannon in County Limerick, on King's Island. Dating back to 922, to a time when Vikings were the inhabitants of the island (Thormodr Helgason, the Viking sea-king, built the first settlement here. The castle itself was built in 1200, under the instruction of King John of England.
Located alongside the River Shannon in County Limerick, on King's Island. Dating back to 922, to a time when Vikings were the inhabitants of the island (Thormodr Helgason, the Viking sea-king, built the first settlement here. The castle itself was built in 1200, under the instruction of King John of England.
Located close to the Killarney National Park, Moriarty's is an Authentic Irish Gift Store and Restaurant. Hand crafted Irish jewellery, Waterford Crystal and classic and modern tweed fashions and furnishings are all on offer at the gift store. The restaurant is an 85 seater offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Mount Congreve Gardens. Located in Kilmeaden, County Waterford, Mount Congreve Gardens is an 18th century Georgian estate and mansion. It was designed by the same architect that created both of Waterford's cathedrals, John Roberts.
Recently recognised as being one of the top 10 gardens in the world, Mount Stewart is a rich tapestry of planting plant life and stunning walking trails. The house dates back to the 19th century, and was the Irish seat of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family.
Located on the grounds of the expansive and idyllic Killarney National Park. Muckross House, and its 11,000-acre grounds, was donated to the Irish state in 1932.
Located on the grounds of the picturesque Muckross House and its impeccable gardens. Take a step back in time and see the Irish farming lifestyle of the 1930s and '40s. A time when the horse was responsible for much of the labour and the weather was the be all and end all in terms of production.
The Quiet Man Museum. A reproduction of the quaint thatched cottage from the John Wayne starring, John Ford directed movie of the same name. all costumes, artefacts and furnishings have been recreated in precise detail, to reflect the setting of the 1952 classic. Located in the picturesque village of Cong, County Mayo.
As a local Irish company, we at My Ireland Tour are passionate about our country and our local community. We're thrilled that you're interested in visiting the place we call home. That's why we put together this definitive travel guide for anyone who wants to come to Ireland and discover this amazing place for themselves.
This is a completely free resource covering everything from top tourist attractions to the nearest yoga centre. We hope it helps!
