Golf in and near Galway

Make sure you include Galway in your golf tour of Ireland. Bearna Golf Club, on the outskirts of Galway City, has a testing course with many natural water hazards. The golf course features views of Galway Bay and the Aran Islands, and its tranquil setting makes for a wonderful golfing experience.

Bearna Golf Club

The inspired creativity of it’s designer R. J. Browne in the siting of tees and sand based greens throughout more than 100 hectares of unique countryside has resulted in generously proportioned fairways ... more

Imagine teeing off on superb greens, where top golfers have swung their clubs... Imagine lining up your shot with breathtaking countryside or spectacular ocean views around you... If you're a keen golfer, this will sound like paradise to you and Ireland's top class golf courses allow you to fulfil that dream.

Ireland's golf courses rank among the best in the world, as many were designed by famous golf architects, so golfing in Ireland's a must-do experience for any one with a taste for greens and clubs. Ireland's courses are both challenging and scenic, so you can enjoy a superb round of golf in magnificent landscapes. A good number of the Irish courses are situated at the seaside, so you'll be able to gaze across majestic sea cliffs and dunes while you're waiting to take your shot.

Where in the world can you play on courses that have hosted both the Ryder Cup and the European Open? The answer is the K club, one of the most challenging golf courses in Dublin and its surrounds. A keen golfer's holiday to Ireland would be incomplete without a visit to this world-renowned club, which has been the venue for the European Championship since 1994, and had the honour of hosting the Ryder Cup in 2006. The Palmer and Smurfit Courses, designed by famous American golfer Arnold Palmer, are situated along the River Liffey and include man made water hazards that make for a challenging and interesting game. The K club also boasts an elegant country house that has been refurbished as a country club and luxurious hotel, so you can really relax and unwind in between some brilliant games of golf.

Boasting a magnificent seaside locale, golf courses in Ballybunion and its surrounds never fail to impress. One of these splendid establishments, the Ballybunion Golf Club, is even considered to be one of the best links courses in the world. Their Old Course is a contoured course that is a real challenge and requires a great deal of patience and skill to master. The club's Cashen Course was designed by famous golf architect Robert Trent Jones Senior, and also uses the natural contours of the landscape to full advantage. Ballybunion has been highly rated by various golf magazines, and its seaside setting provides a truly inspiring place to play some exciting golf.

Those visiting golf courses in Kinsale should make sure to include the Old Head Golf Links in their itinerary. A spectacular coastal course, a visit to this establishment ranks among the most popular golfing experiences in the world. The course is built on a promontory extending into the Atlantic Ocean, and is framed by breathtaking cliffs. The design team who laid out the links included Irish golfers Eddie Hackett and Liam Higgins, and all the well-designed holes provide incredible ocean views.

Golf courses in Adare culminate in County Limerick's Adare Manor Golf Club. This unique course is situated against the backdrop of the majestic 12th century Desmond Castle. Just to add to the course's historic atmosphere, you can also see the ruins of a 15th century Franciscan Abbey from the centre holes. Of course there's also Adare Manor itself, a grand 1830's house that has been transformed into a sumptuous hotel. The River Maigue runs through the excellent course, which was also designed by Robert Trent Jones.

If you're serious about experiencing the best golf Ireland has to offer, head out to play some golf courses in Lahinch. Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare is set amongst sand dunes and bounded by the sea. The historic course features two of the most famous holes in golf: 'the Klondyke' is a par five that includes a drive into a scenic valley and a blind shot over a massive sand dune, while 'the Dell' is a par three that is played onto a green surrounded by towering dunes.

Many of Ireland's best courses are located in the North. One of the oldest golf courses in Newcastle and the rest of Ireland, the Royal County Down is set dramatically in the foothills of the Mountains of Mourne.The club has two eighteen hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links. The Championship Course has some of the best ranked golf holes in the world. The Annesley links is shorter but equally challenging, and one of the most scenic courses in Ireland with its amazing mountain backdrop.

Keen to peruse some golf courses in Portsteward? The Royal Portrush Golf Club, close-by, has had the honour the Open Championship, one of golf's oldest competitions, and is known as a highly testing course. Situated on the beautiful North Antrim coast, it is laid out on three giant sandhills with amazing views over Donegal and the Giant's Causeway, and the natural contours provide a unique challenge.

Castlerock Golf Club is also set on the north coast near Portstewart, and is a brilliant links course that has frequently hosted the country's National Championships. It's known as one of Ireland's most scenic courses, and on a clear day, there are views from the course's sand dunes all the way to Scotland.