The Ireland Edit
The Luxury Golf Trip to Ireland: Where to Stay, What to Play, and How to Plan It
We have played over forty courses across Ireland. In sideways rain, in blinding sunshine, and in that perfect grey light that makes every links hole look like a painting. Here is how we would plan the ultimate trip if we were flying over for the first time.
Quick Answer
Ireland is, without exaggeration, the best golf destination in the world for the money. The links courses are world-class, the parkland courses are stunning, and the people are genuinely delighted to have you there. We recommend basing yourself in three hubs. Dublin for the east coast courses, the south-west for Killarney, Waterville, and Old Head, and the west coast for Lahinch, Doonbeg, and the Connemara courses. Allow seven to ten days. Fly into Dublin, fly out of Shannon (or vice versa). Book your tee times at least three months ahead for the top courses. Budget €200–€400 per round for the marquee links, and €80–€150 for the hidden gems that are just as good.
A note from Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
At a Glance
Quick Picks
| Hotel | Best For | Price Range | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our PickAdare Manor | Best overall luxury golf resort | €600–€1,200/night | Check Availability → |
| Trump International Doonbeg | Best links course with on-site resort | €350–€700/night | Check Availability → |
| The Europe Hotel Killarney | Best spa resort for golfing couples | €300–€550/night | Check Availability → |
| Dromoland Castle | Best castle with championship course | €350–€800/night | Check Availability → |
Neighbourhood Guide
Dublin & the East Coast
Start here. Dublin gives you access to Portmarnock, The Island, Royal Dublin, and the K Club. All within an hour. The east coast is where Irish golf was born, and the courses here are steeped in a quiet, old-money tradition that feels very different from the west. We always spend two nights here before heading south or west.
Dublin City Centre
The Shelbourne Dublin
We always start at The Shelbourne. It is the grand dame of Dublin hotels, and after a transatlantic flight, there is nothing better than collapsing into one of their suites overlooking St Stephen's Green. The concierge team here is exceptional. They have booked us tee times that we could not get ourselves. The Horseshoe Bar is the perfect place to plan your golf itinerary over a whiskey.
Why It Stands Out
- •Iconic location on St Stephen's Green with legendary Horseshoe Bar
- •Concierge team that can secure tee times at private clubs
- •Twenty minutes to Portmarnock Golf Club
Best for: Golfers who want a luxury city base before heading to the courses
Stay Here If
- ✓You want to combine a night in Dublin with east coast golf
- ✓Your partner is not a golfer and needs Dublin shopping and culture
- ✓You appreciate old-world hotel grandeur with modern service
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Straffan, Co. Kildare
The K Club
The K Club is Ireland's answer to the American resort golf experience. Two championship courses, a luxury spa, and a level of service that feels familiar to anyone who has stayed at Pinehurst or Kiawah. The Palmer and Smurfit courses are both excellent, and having 36 holes on-site means you can play a morning round, have lunch, and play again without getting in a car. We stayed for three nights last autumn and barely left the property.
Why It Stands Out
- •Two championship courses including the Ryder Cup Palmer Course
- •Full-service resort with spa, restaurants, and estate grounds
- •Forty minutes from Dublin Airport. Ideal first or last stop
Best for: Golfers who want a self-contained resort experience near Dublin
Stay Here If
- ✓You want two courses without leaving the property
- ✓The Ryder Cup Palmer Course is on your bucket list
- ✓You want a resort feel rather than a city hotel
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Editor's Note
Not sure which Dublin & the East Coast hotel fits your trip?
We've stayed at every property on this Dublin & the East Coast list and answer reader emails personally. If you'd like a quiet second opinion before booking, send us a note.
Email the editors → hello@theirelandedit.comNeighbourhood Guide
The South-West: Kerry & West Cork
This is where Irish golf gets dramatic. Waterville, Old Head of Kinsale, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, and Tralee. These are courses where the Atlantic Ocean is your backdrop on every hole. The south-west is also where you will find the best food in Ireland, which makes the après-golf as good as the golf itself. We recommend three to four nights here, based in either Killarney or Kenmare.
Killarney, Co. Kerry
The Europe Hotel & Resort
The Europe sits on the shores of Lough Leane with views of the Killarney National Park that are genuinely stop-you-in-your-tracks beautiful. We stayed here during a golf trip last May and woke up to mist rolling off the lake every morning. The ESPA spa is the best in the south-west, and the hotel is ten minutes from Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. Waterville is an hour south. Old Head is ninety minutes east. It is the perfect base.
Why It Stands Out
- •Lakefront location with ESPA spa. Best in Kerry
- •Ten minutes to Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
- •Within striking distance of Waterville, Tralee, and Old Head
Best for: Golfers who want a luxury lakeside base in Kerry
Stay Here If
- ✓You are playing Killarney, Waterville, or Tralee
- ✓Your partner wants a world-class spa while you play
- ✓You want dramatic scenery without sacrificing comfort
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Sheen Falls Lodge
Sheen Falls is the quieter, more intimate alternative to The Europe. Set on the edge of Kenmare Bay with a waterfall in the grounds, it feels like a Scottish sporting lodge transplanted to Kerry. The restaurant is outstanding. We had the best lamb of our lives here. And Kenmare itself is one of Ireland's most charming towns. Ring of Kerry Golf Club is fifteen minutes away, and you can reach Waterville in an hour.
Why It Stands Out
- •Country-house intimacy on a waterfall estate
- •Outstanding restaurant and wine cellar
- •Gateway to Ring of Kerry Golf Club and Waterville
Best for: Golfers who prefer boutique country-house charm
Stay Here If
- ✓You want an intimate alternative to the larger resorts
- ✓Kenmare's dining scene appeals to you
- ✓You are combining golf with the Ring of Kerry drive
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Editor's Note
Not sure which The South-West: Kerry & West Cork hotel fits your trip?
We've stayed at every property on this The South-West: Kerry & West Cork list and answer reader emails personally. If you'd like a quiet second opinion before booking, send us a note.
Email the editors → hello@theirelandedit.comNeighbourhood Guide
The West: Clare, Galway & Connemara
The west coast is links golf at its most elemental. Lahinch, Doonbeg, Galway Bay, Connemara, and Enniscrone. These are courses carved from the landscape, where the wind is part of the game and the views are extraordinary. Base yourself near Lahinch or in the Doonbeg area for three nights and you can play a different world-class links every day.
Doonbeg, Co. Clare
Trump International Doonbeg
Whatever your politics, the golf course at Doonbeg is spectacular. A Greg Norman-designed links that hugs Doughmore Bay with some of the most dramatic holes in Ireland. The resort itself is extremely well-run, the suites are large and comfortable, and the Ocean Bar has the best sunset views in Clare. We played here on a September evening when the light was so golden it did not feel real. Lahinch is twenty minutes north.
Why It Stands Out
- •On-site Greg Norman links course on Doughmore Bay
- •Spacious suites with Atlantic views
- •Twenty minutes from Lahinch. Play two world-class links in a day
Best for: Golfers who want a dedicated links resort on the west coast
Stay Here If
- ✓You want to roll out of bed onto a championship links
- ✓You are playing Lahinch, Spanish Point, or Kilrush
- ✓You prefer resort-style service in a remote setting
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare
Dromoland Castle
Dromoland is the castle golf experience. The on-site course is a beautiful parkland layout that winds through the estate, and the castle itself is the most grand hotel in the west of Ireland. We played here on a misty October morning and had the course almost to ourselves. Deer were grazing by the 7th fairway. Shannon Airport is fifteen minutes away, making it the perfect first or last night.
Why It Stands Out
- •Championship parkland course on a 450-acre castle estate
- •Fifteen minutes from Shannon Airport. Ideal for arrival or departure
- •Full castle hotel experience with falconry, archery, and fine dining
Best for: Golfers who want the castle experience with a top course
Stay Here If
- ✓You want to play the estate course and explore west Clare
- ✓You are arriving or departing from Shannon
- ✓You want the full Irish castle experience alongside your golf
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Editor's Note
Not sure which The West: Clare, Galway & Connemara hotel fits your trip?
We've stayed at every property on this The West: Clare, Galway & Connemara list and answer reader emails personally. If you'd like a quiet second opinion before booking, send us a note.
Email the editors → hello@theirelandedit.comNeighbourhood Guide
The North-West: Donegal & Sligo
This is where the serious golfers go. Ballyliffin, Rosapenna, Portsalon, County Sligo (Rosses Point), and Enniscrone are among the best links courses in the world, and they are played by a fraction of the visitors who flock to the south and west. If you have played the big names and want something truly special, drive north. We did, and it changed our understanding of Irish golf.
Lough Eske, Co. Donegal
Harvey's Point
Harvey's Point is Ireland's most-loved hotel for a reason. Set on the shore of Lough Eske, it has a warmth and generosity of spirit that is uniquely Irish. The rooms are large, the food is excellent, and the staff remember your name. We use it as our base for Donegal golf. Ballyliffin is ninety minutes north, Rosapenna an hour, and Portsalon forty-five minutes. After a day battling the wind on a Donegal links, coming back to Harvey's Point feels like coming home.
Why It Stands Out
- •Ireland's most-awarded hotel for guest experience
- •Lakeside setting with mountain views
- •Central base for Ballyliffin, Rosapenna, and Portsalon
Best for: Golfers who want comfort and warmth after rugged Donegal links
Stay Here If
- ✓You are playing the Donegal links courses
- ✓You value personal service and genuine hospitality
- ✓You want a lakeside retreat between challenging rounds
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Lough Eske, Co. Donegal
Lough Eske Castle
For those who want the castle experience in the north-west, Lough Eske Castle delivers. The spa is excellent after a long day on the links, and the Gallery Restaurant serves some of the best food in Donegal. It is five minutes from Harvey's Point but feels completely different. Grander, more formal, with the kind of old-world elegance that pairs well with a post-round Jameson by the fire.
Why It Stands Out
- •Full castle hotel with spa and fine dining
- •Five minutes from Donegal town
- •More formal alternative to Harvey's Point
Best for: Golfers who want castle grandeur in the north-west
Stay Here If
- ✓You prefer a castle hotel to a country-house lodge
- ✓You want a spa for post-round recovery
- ✓You are combining Donegal golf with sightseeing
If you understand the feeling of this place, you will naturally want to stay.
Check AvailabilityRooms at top Irish hotels sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Editor's Note
Not sure which The North-West: Donegal & Sligo hotel fits your trip?
We've stayed at every property on this The North-West: Donegal & Sligo list and answer reader emails personally. If you'd like a quiet second opinion before booking, send us a note.
Email the editors → hello@theirelandedit.com
Links Week
Greens & Gorse
The Printed Edit
Take Greens & Gorse with you.
Our classic Ireland links route. Tee times, bases, and the dinners worth booking before you fly.
The version golfers print before locking in tee times.
A Quiet Word From the Editors
Planning a special trip to Ireland?
Many American readers email us directly while shaping their itinerary. If you're deciding between hotels, regions or routes, we're always happy to point you in the right direction.
Email the editorshello@theirelandedit.com
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