Royal County Down
When our group of 12 lads put together our itinerary for our ultimate Ireland golf getaway, our friends at Lyons Links told us that this journey was not for the faint of heart. We ambitiously wanted to take on a collection of seven of the best courses on the island, and it would require a bit of travel in between stops — but I’m here to tell you that it was more than worth it!
Our trip started out in Dublin as many trips from the United States do as it’s one of the best international airports to fly into.
This was a great starting point as it gave some of the single guys a chance to come in 2-3 days early to enjoy the local bars and fare of Dublin while myself and some of the other married men snuck in about 12 hours early to enjoy a whirlwind tour of the city prior to departure to our first stop of the trip.
A quick tour of the Guinness Brewery, as well as one at their sister property Roe & Co. with a wee nip of whiskey to kick things up a notch, and away we went.
After an evening of mixing it up with the locals, it was off to bed to prepare for Day 1 of an epic golf adventure.
Kicking things off at Portmarnock and Royal County Down
The first day of our trip began as the boys all piled into our bus with our driver Pete, an absolute legend who is used to driving around professional sports teams, so we knew the bar was high for any shenanigans the lads may get into over the following days.
I cannot stress this enough that especially in Ireland, the cost of a driver is incredibly worth it. The roadways are not for the faint of heart, and you’ll be amazed at how working with a top tour operator (we highly recommend Lyons Links for this) can get you with the best of the best when it comes to enhancing your overall experience here.
Portmarnock was the perfect course to get our trip started.
It’s only about a 15-minute drive away from the Dublin Airport, and it’s been the home of prestigious events such as the Canada Cup that was won by Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead in 1960, as well as the Walker Cup in 1991 that featured players like Phil Mickelson and David Duval.
There are rumblings that it could be in line for an Open Championship over the coming years as well.
With 27 holes onsite, you’ll want to play the Red and Blue 9s, which is known as the Championship Links. It was the fairest and most straightforward test of golf on the trip. The fairways felt a bit more open here than the rest of the collection of courses that we played, but there were some incredibly tricky pins and greens as accuracy on your approach shots here is critical if you want to go low.
After our round, we made the two-hour trek up to Northern Ireland to stay at the Slieve Donard, a glorious hotel owned by the Marine & Lawn group that is located steps away from our challenge the next day of the infamous Royal County Down.
Considered by many to be among the finest, if not the finest, golf courses in the world, Royal County Down Golf Club is a pure test of links golf.
The Championship Links will test every shot in your bag.
Be sure to listen to your caddie here, and you should definitely purchase a yardage book prior to your round as you’ll likely be surprised by the number of blind shots that you face throughout the day here.
We found that it really helped to have that visual of the book so we knew where to go.
The stunning vistas of the Dundrum Bay and the Mountains of Mourne will captivate you throughout your round, and if you’re anything like our group you’ll be dying to play it again the next day as we all swore we could save a few strokes after having some local knowledge.
Portmarnock
Enjoying the best of northern Northern Ireland
After one more night at the Slieve Donard, it was time to head to the northern tip of Northern Ireland to take on two of the best golf courses in the country: Portstewart Golf Club and Royal Portrush.
It was about a two-hour drive north to get there, but the journey was well worth it as we began this portion of the trip with a stroll around Portstewart Golf Club. This coastal gem is home to three golf courses in total, but most visitors will end up playing The Strand Course. Portstewart was one of the sneaky favorite courses on our trip as it provided an authentic links-style layout, and it was the perfect round to be played after a tough day at Royal County Down and before we played the home of the 2025 Open Championship, Royal Portrush.
Our crew was excited to take on Royal Portrush as we got there only a few days after Scottie Scheffler had captured his first Claret Jug there, and it didn’t take us very long to see why this golf course was selected to host such a prestigious event. It’s an all-world design, and the team at Golf Digest does a wonderful job of taking you through this incredible layout in this video below. As you’ll see in the footage, there’s a reason Royal Portrush is considered one of the finest golf courses in the entire world.
After our round, it was back to our temporary home at the Curran Gate Luxury Apartments, located right across the street from the famous Shane Lowry mural that you may have seen during the Open coverage. After a fun evening in downtown Portrush with a pint or two at the infamous Harbour Bar, it was back to bed to prepare for a big trip South the next day.
Riding in style to Southwestern Ireland
While our trip included a couple of hours here and there in the bus to this point, we had now hit the morning of truth where we decided to head way south for the next portion of the trip. The group of 12 golfers split into two factions for the trip: the wealthy bunch and the rest of us!
Eight of the golfers in our group opted to book a helicopter ride from a field in the back of our apartments down to Ballybunion, while the other four of us had the bus to ourselves as we made the seven-hour voyage southwest to Ballybunion.
Honestly, the bus ride wasn’t that bad for those of us who opted for that, but for the gents who rode the skies in style they were able to get an incredible look at the whole of Ireland and there was a tinge of jealousy that we didn’t go that route.
At the end of the day, we all ended up at Ballybunion Golf Club, and it was time to make our way around The Old Course here and it lived up to what we had all heard prior to our trip.
It’s evident that the first five holes here were designed before the modern game took hold as there are several tee shots where you are hitting dangerously close to other greens as the routing feels a bit compact, but by the time you hit the 6th green and you get the oceanside backdrop the round really kicks into a whole new gear and you start to understand why so many golfers consider this layout amongst the finest in the world.
In fact, the par-4 11th hole that runs parallel to the ocean was considered by several in the group to be their favorite hole of the trip. The round never lets up from here on in, and everyone agreed it was a wonderful addition to the itinerary.
From Ballybunion, we made the journey inland and East back over to the world-renowned Adare Manor, future home of the 2027 Ryder Cup. Let me tell you…these players are in store for one of the most beautiful parkland-style golf courses anywhere in the world in a land known for links-style golf.
The grounds here are exquisite, and golf groups have their choice of taking residence in the castle known as the Manor House, or in the multi-bedroom Manor Cottages or Lodges.
The course was manicured to perfection, and escaping the thick fescues for one day was a welcomed break by all. Everyone agreed this was one of their favorite stops of the trip, and it’s worth every penny to include Adare Manor on your itinerary.
Adare Manor
One last journey south to Old Head
While logistically including Old Head Golf Links into our itinerary added quite a bit of travel time (about 2.5 hours from Adare Manor to Old Head and then adding an additional hour or so for our trip to Dublin Airport from there), everyone on the trip agreed that the extra time was well worth it.
Located on the Southern coastline of Ireland lies one of the greatest links-style layouts in all the world with dramatic cliffside views and an incredible layout.
From the second you make your way to the second hole here, you’ll understand why you made the trip here as the holes that play along the ocean are simply exquisite.
It was the perfect way to end the trip, and a one-night stay in their limited lodging right in the clubhouse was the cherry on top of the end of one of the greatest golf trips we would ever experience.
Old Head Golf Links
Packing for all the elements Ireland has to offer
When you are packing for a golf trip of this magnitude, making sure you are properly prepared for everything that could come your way is a vital to your success and comfort on the course at these iconic venues. Our friends at FootJoy have put together a list of a few items that would be great to have on-hand for any trip to Ireland:
HydroTour Rain Jacket
The perfect rain jacket for all occasions, the HydroTour Rain Jacket is a full-zip jacket that is easy to wear over a polo only or multiple layers if the weather dictates it, and the 100% waterproof construction and adjustable waterproof cuffs will keep you dry even in the most wet conditions. We especially love the zip-up side pockets where you can store your glove or keep your hands dry in the inclement weather.
HydroTour Rain Pants
Just like with the jacket above, a pair or reliable rain pants are an absolute must to have on your bag if you’re heading to Ireland. Available in multiple colorways, these 100% waterproof pants offer a gripper stretch waistband and Velcro pant bottoms to make sliding these on easy over your outfit.
StaSof 6-Pack of Gloves
The FootJoy StaSof glove has been the gold standard in performance for golfers for decades now, and loading up on a must-have item like this is always a great decision before a big golf trip.
RainGrip Gloves
We also highly suggest looking at a pair of RainGrip gloves as they are basically a cheat code for your grip should the rain start to fall. Magically, these gloves get even tackier as they get more wet. They are one of the most important pieces of equipment that we never leave home without that is especially vital in a wet climate like Ireland.
ThermoSeries Pullover Hoodie
We’re obsessed with this hoodie from FootJoy that we have purchased in multiple colors. It’s extremely comfortable and warm, and the attached hood and modern styling show how much the brand has evolved over the years as they continue to bring new styles and design into their portfolio of products. This hoodie has quickly become of one of our favorites pieces of clothing both on and off the course.
Smooth Stripe Lisle Polo
A great staple for every golfer is a reliable polo, and the Smooth Stripe Lisle Polo is available in a variety of colors and works well on its own or as your base layer for cooler temperatures. The extended back shirt tail is especially great for golfers so you can keep your shirt tucked in throughout your swing, and the ProDry construction will keep you dry and comfortable all day long.
MyJoys Premiere Series Wilcox
If you’re going to take an unforgettable golf vacation across the pond, then it is worth splurging for a pair of custom MyJoys Premiere Series Wilcox shoes to make sure you do so in style! Stand out amongst your group with a specialized design of your own making, and the 2-year waterproof construction (U.S. warranty) is a must to make sure you are ready for whatever conditions are thrown your way. As a pro tip, two things we highly recommend when it comes to your footwear on a trip like this is to bring at least two pairs of shoes, and be sure that you get at least a couple of rounds under your belt with them before you head over as a pair of broken in shoes is always a good call when you are going to be walking some of the finest fairways ever constructed. Please note these typically take 4-5 weeks to ship, so be sure to order these well in advance of your travel dates.
