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The Working Manual · Planning Q&A
25 questions Americans ask before an Ireland golf trip.
Tipping, rentals, dress code, shipping, handicaps. Every answer here comes from the five planning essays we send to readers before their first tee time.
- How much should I tip a caddie in Ireland?
- The working range is fifty to seventy euro per bag in the Republic and forty to sixty pounds in Northern Ireland, on top of the club's posted caddie fee. Add another fifty when the caddie reads a course you would have otherwise misread, or when the weather turns and they stay generous with it.
- Is the caddie fee separate from the tip?
- Yes. The fee is what the club charges and passes through to the caddie. The tip is yours to hand over at the eighteenth, in cash, folded, without ceremony.
- Do I tip in euro or pounds?
- Tip in the currency of the club. Euro at Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville, Tralee and Adare. Pounds sterling at Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Ardglass. Bring both if your trip crosses the border.
- Should I tip more for a forecaddie or shared caddie?
- A forecaddie working the group is usually forty euro per player. A shared caddie carrying and reading for two golfers is doing more work than one bag, so add roughly twenty on top of what a single bag would have paid.
- What if the caddie was poor?
- Rare, but it happens. Pay the club fee, add a modest twenty or thirty, and mention it quietly to the caddie master afterwards. Clubs want to know.
- Can I rent clubs at Irish links courses?
- Yes, at every course we recommend. Rental fleets at Ballybunion, Lahinch, Adare Manor, Portrush and Royal County Down are well maintained, current or recent generation, and available in right and left-hand. Reserve at least a week ahead in high season, and earlier for RCD and Adare.
- How much does club rental cost in Ireland?
- Roughly €65 to €85 per round at most Republic links, £55 to £75 at the Northern Irish clubs, and around €100 at Adare Manor. A week of rentals across four or five courses typically runs €320 to €450 per person.
- Are rental clubs any good?
- Usually better than visitors expect. Top shops rent Titleist, TaylorMade, or Callaway sets refreshed every one to two seasons. Most golfers stop noticing the clubs after the first few holes and finish close to their usual score.
- Should I rent or ship my own clubs?
- Rent for a trip of two or three rounds. Ship if you are playing five or more, or if you rely on a specialty putter or wedge that no rental fleet will match. Four rounds is the honest tipping point.
- What should I pack instead of clubs?
- Waterproof shoes broken in at home, a rain jacket you actually trust, at least one spare glove sealed against the wet, layers rather than a single sweater, warm socks, and a hat that stays on in wind. These matter more to the round than whose name is on the seven iron.
- Do Irish golf clubs require a jacket?
- Not on the course. In the evening dining rooms at Royal County Down, Portmarnock, and Adare Manor a jacket is the standard for men. Collared shirt and tailored trousers are the daytime baseline everywhere.
- Can I wear jeans in an Irish clubhouse?
- At most traditional members' clubs, no. Denim is not welcomed inside the clubhouses we recommend, including the spike bar. Chinos or tailored trousers are the safe default.
- Are shorts allowed on the course?
- Yes. Tailored shorts with mid-length socks are welcome at almost every links in the summer months. Cargo and athletic shorts are not, and the flagship clubhouses expect a change into long trousers after the round.
- What should women wear?
- Collared or mock-neck tops with tailored trousers, skorts, or knee-length skirts on the course. In the clubhouse, the same conventions apply as for men: no denim, no athletic wear, and something jacket-worthy for dinner at the flagship clubs.
- What about hats indoors?
- Off at the door. Every clubhouse, every room, without exception. Back on at the first tee.
- How much does it cost to ship golf clubs to Ireland?
- Round-trip typically runs $250 to $550 per bag through Ship Sticks or Luggage Forward, depending on origin coast and season. Add roughly $30 to $50 for insurance, which is generally worth it, and a small cash tip for the concierge on both ends.
- How far in advance should I ship my clubs?
- We book pickup around ten days before the first tee time. Clubs commonly arrive in five to seven business days, and the extra buffer absorbs a customs spot check or a re-route without any drama on the ground.
- Which courier should I use?
- Ship Sticks and Luggage Forward are the two names most Americans use, and both handle the customs paperwork end to end. Send My Bag is a reasonable budget option. Retail FedEx or UPS without a broker is where trips typically get held up.
- Will I pay import duty on my own clubs?
- In our experience, no. Personal sporting equipment travelling with or ahead of a visitor is generally treated as duty-free when the specialist courier files the paperwork correctly. Keep a copy of the return label with you as evidence the clubs are leaving with you.
- Can I ship clubs between courses within Ireland?
- Yes. Ship Sticks and local couriers commonly move clubs between hotels, typically overnight, for roughly €40 to €70. Useful if you are flying between the south and Northern Ireland mid-trip and would rather not carry the bag through a domestic transfer.
- Do I need a handicap certificate to play in Ireland?
- At the championship links you typically do. Royal County Down, Royal Portrush Dunluce and Portmarnock generally ask to see a current handicap. Most other clubs are softer in practice. Always confirm the latest visitor policy on the club's own website before booking.
- What handicap limit should I plan around?
- Published limits vary by club and season, and the strict clubs tend to sit in a broadly similar range for men and women. Rather than treating any number as fixed, check each club's current visitor page and email the pro shop if any player in your group is close to the line.
- What if a player in our group does not have a handicap?
- Route that player to a resort round or a second course on the day the group plays the strictest club. Most parkland courses and resort layouts do not require a handicap. A letter from a home professional confirming a working handicap is often accepted where a formal index does not exist.
- How should we show our handicap at the club?
- A printed card from your home club or a screenshot from your national handicap system is generally accepted. Bring a printed copy for every player, since cellular data can be thin at pro-shop doors. The check itself is usually a brief formality.
- How strict is the enforcement in practice?
- It varies by club. Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and Portmarnock tend to check. Softer clubs often do not re-check at the tee. In every case, our advice is to confirm current policy before booking rather than testing it on the morning of the round.
When the plan is set
The questions are the easy half. The itinerary is the other.