An Irish proverb says “take the world nice and easy, and the world will take you the same”. Sounds beautiful, right? With well over 300 golf courses on the Emerald Isle, finding a beautiful location to tee off is effortless. Vast lakes, sheer cliff faces, and windswept beaches are amongst the beautiful scenery you can expect to immerse yourself in when you play at Irish golf courses. Some of the most revered belonging to golf in southern Ireland. Also known for its rich heritage and warm hospitality, amongst its winding streets and glistening waterways you’ll be spoilt for choice for charismatic, cozy pubs to play the 19th hole. A golf trip to Ireland offers not only a sensational experience but an ethereal and heart-warming visit not to be forgotten.
Southwest Ireland Golf Design
From Western Kerry to Southern Cork, this region has won the hearts of legends and designers alike for good reason. Eddie Hackett – considered by many in Ireland to be ‘the father of golf course design’ – architected the vast Waterville Golf Links and the challenging courses at Ring of Kerry. Furthermore, Adare Club and the world famous Ballybunion Club were beautifully devised by Robert Trent Sr.
The golf courses in Southern Ireland vary, and golfers are certainly well-catered for. Generous parkways like Fota Island sweep through mature woodland and evoke a feeling that the very land itself was made just to hold a golf course. At courses like Dingle, there are true traditional links layouts where rolling hills give way to the sea and breathtaking views unravel at every turn. There really is something for everybody here. Unearth your perfect tee times in Ireland by exploring our Southwest Ireland golf map.
Golf in Ireland has a rich, colorful, and long-standing history. The first golf club, The Royal Curragh, rose from the ground in 1853. Following this, The Golfing Union of Ireland was established in 1891, making it the oldest national golfing union in the world. Ireland’s ample heritage can be experienced first hand at numerous courses here. The nation’s oldest fairways are not only still standing, but are numbered amongst the finest and most challenging courses to this day. There is no question why Ireland is such a prolific golfing destination. Since the rise of timeless Southwest Ireland golf courses such as Lahinch and Ballybunion in the 1800s, designs have continued to weave and roll their way through the beautiful and diverse landscapes. Ireland is now a true golfer’s retreat as a nation with some of the most courses per capita in the world.
The Birthplace of Golfing Talent
With Ireland’s vast amount of appealing and challenging courses, set over uniquely rugged and free-flowing terrains, it’s no wonder that the Emerald Isle has produced so many notable golfers. The first female Irish golfer, Rhona Adair, made waves at just 17 by nearly beating 77-year-old Scottish ‘Old Tom Morris’ at a course he designed himself! Skim through over a hundred years of history and Ireland has given us names such as Christy O’Connor Sr (and Jr), Paddy Skerritt, Pádraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy, and Graeme McDowell. Rory McIlroy won the 2014 British Open at just 25 – his third major championship victory – making him one of only three golfers since 1934 to win a third major event by that age. The other two, you ask? Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Graeme McDowell, or ‘G-Mac’ as he’s fondly known, beat Tiger Woods himself in a head-to-head at the World Challenge – Woods’ very own tournament.
Ireland has without doubt generated golfing idols, and we believe it has more to do with the nation’s formidable and impressive courses, rather than just good old Irish luck.
