East of Ireland
Playing golf in the east of Ireland offers golfers a unique experience that combines history, culture, and stunning golf courses. Visitors can explore the vibrant city of Dublin, with its rich history and lively atmosphere, and enjoy traditional Irish hospitality in charming towns such as Arklow and Wicklow. The golf courses in the region, including Corballis, County Louth, Druids Glen, Portmarnock, Royal Dublin, The European Club, The Island, and Wicklow, are renowned for their championship layouts and stunning scenery. Each course offers a unique challenge, from the historic Royal Dublin to the challenging European Club. Playing golf in the east of Ireland provides golfers with a chance to experience the best of Irish golf and culture.
Arklow
Arklow Golf Course, born in 1927 thanks to Fred G. Hawtree and John H Taylor. Some greens vanished to the shore, but most original ones still stand. Eddie Hackett and Eddie Connaughton revamped the 18-hole course. It's a classic links journey with bumps, sand hills, gorse, and bunkers galore. Five par threes, two par fives, and eleven par fours are waiting for you!
Corballis
The link course at Donabate opened in '71 and sits pretty along the Irish east coast. The course has only one par five, seven par threes, and five short par fours, making it a unique challenge. Despite the narrow fairways and blind tee shots, the quality of the greens and stunning views of the Irish Sea and Lambay Island make this old-fashioned design a must-play.
County Louth
County Louth Golf Club was born in 1892, but it got a facelift in 1938 by Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay. Tom Mackenzie spiced things up in 2003, adding new tees that stretch over 7,000 yards. There's no weak hole here, and the greens are top-notch - among the best in Ireland. If you can two-putt all day, you can call yourself a putting pro.
Druids Glen
Druids Glen is a golfing kaleidoscope of color, with its brilliant flora and card-wrecking stretch of holes dubbed "Ireland’s Amen Corner". This Augusta National of Ireland impresses with its unique experience, ancient druids’ altar, and ambience. Keep to the fairways to score well, but beware of the water that seems to be everywhere - this course can be brutal.
Portmarnock
Portmarnock Golf Club is a natural links on a sandy peninsula covering 500 acres. With water on three sides, wind plays a significant factor. The course measures less than 7,500 yards from the back tees and is laid out in two loops. Portmarnock's greens are a standout feature; fast, true, and beautiful, making a solid putting game essential.
Royal Dublin
Royal Dublin Golf Club sits on Bull Island, formed in the 1800s in Dublin Bay. The links course is flat and narrow, with stretches of out-of-bounds, requiring accuracy from tee to green. Hawtree's 2004-2006 redevelopment brought improvements, and the challenging championship layout now measures 7,269 yards. The outstanding greens and deep bunkers demand your best game, especially in the wind.
The European Club
The European Club, created by Pat Ruddy, is situated in the scenic garden of Ireland between Wicklow and Arklow. It offers a unique 20-hole links experience amidst rugged dunes, with the Irish Sea as a stunning backdrop. The course, stretching over 7,000 yards and featuring two additional par 3s, is a challenging par 71 layout.
The Island
The "Syndicate" of ten Irishmen founded the Island Golf Club in 1890 and relied on a ferryman to reach it. Today, the club has a diverse membership and a natural, unembellished course. The dunes, home to wild flowers and larks, create unique amphitheatres for holes, and the wind and greens offer a challenge.
Wicklow
Wicklow golfers first played here on a 9-hole course in 1904, but it wasn't until ninety years later that the club extended it to eighteen. A new clubhouse followed in 2002, just in time for the centenary. The parkland course measures under 6,000 yards, following the coastline with stunning sea views.