The Island Golf Club
The Island is one of Ireland's oldest and most natural links, founded in 1890 on a sandy peninsula at Donabate, just north of Dublin. For its first decades it could only be reached by boat across the estuary from Malahide, and the course still threads between some of the tallest dunes of any links in Ireland.
Photo: The Island Golf Club via Google, contributor The Island Golf Club.
The verdict
For a links of such quality, the Island is remarkably handy to the capital, around 25 minutes from Dublin and even closer to the airport, which makes it the ideal opening or closing round of an Irish trip. It is a proper old links, narrow and characterful, where the dunes do the defending and accuracy off the tee matters far more than raw length.
Work by Fred Hawtree, Eddie Hackett and later Martin Hawtree has sharpened the routing without stripping the quirk, so you still get blind shots, tumbling fairways and greens tucked into the dunes. It does not have the global fame of Portmarnock across the water, but many who play both come away preferring the Island, and it is among the best value rounds of its class in Ireland.
The Island at a glance
- Founded
- 1890
- Designer
- Fred Hawtree, Eddie Hackett, Martin Hawtree
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,685 yds
- Green fee
- Around €175 to €295
Founding, designers, par and yardage verified June 2026. The Island Golf Club was founded in 1890 by a syndicate of ten Dubliners and has been revised over the years by Fred W. Hawtree, Eddie Hackett and more recently Martin Hawtree. It plays par 71 at around 6,685 yards from the championship tees. Indicative 2026 visitor green fees run from around 175 to 295 euros depending on season and time of day. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Island plays through a landscape of huge, shaggy dunes that funnel and hide the holes, giving the course an intimacy and drama out of proportion to its modest yardage. The narrow fairways and the wind that whips across the peninsula mean the driver is not always the play, and reading the angles is half the challenge.
The thirteenth, the Broadway, is the celebrated hole, a par 4 to one of the narrowest fairways in championship golf, hemmed in by dunes with the estuary close by, a thrilling and intimidating drive. The par 3s are excellent too, played to greens perched and pinched among the sandhills where anything loose is gathered away.
The closing holes run back toward the clubhouse and the estuary, with Malahide and its marina across the water, a fitting finish to a round that feels far more remote than its proximity to Dublin suggests.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors, with tee times reserved for green fee golfers most days outside member competitions |
| Green fee | Around 175 to 295 euros for 18 holes depending on season and time of day in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book ahead, especially in summer; the Island is a popular first or last round for golfers flying in and out of Dublin |
| On the day | A walking course with caddies and buggies available and a modern clubhouse overlooking the links and the estuary |
| Getting there | At Donabate in north County Dublin, about 25 minutes from the city and around 15 minutes from Dublin airport |
| Best months | May to September for the best of the weather, though this exposed links plays well in any settled spell |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Its position makes the Island easy to fit around a Dublin city stay, with the wide choice of hotels in the capital around 25 minutes away and the coastal towns of Malahide and Swords closer still, handy for the airport and for dinner on the marina.
For a north Dublin links week, base yourself near the coast and pair the Island with Portmarnock, Portmarnock Links and Royal Dublin, all within a short drive, before heading on to the rest of the country.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near The Island.
Stay and play the Island and Dublin's links
We slot the Island in as the perfect first or last round of an Irish trip, pair it with Portmarnock and Royal Dublin, and sort a base in the city or on the coast with airport transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The Island questions
Who designed The Island Golf Club?
The Island was founded in 1890 by a syndicate of ten Dublin golfers. The links has been revised over the decades by Fred W. Hawtree, Eddie Hackett and more recently by Martin Hawtree, who sharpened the routing while keeping its natural character.
What is the par and yardage of The Island?
The Island plays as a par 71 of around 6,685 yards. It is defended by narrow fairways, towering dunes and the wind off the estuary rather than by length.
How much does it cost to play The Island?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees run from around 175 to 295 euros for 18 holes depending on season and time of day. Fees change by year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Where is The Island Golf Club?
The Island is at Donabate in north County Dublin, about 25 minutes from the city centre and around 15 minutes from Dublin airport, which makes it an ideal first or last round of an Irish trip.
What is The Island's most famous hole?
The thirteenth, the Broadway, is the signature, a par 4 played to one of the narrowest fairways in championship golf, hemmed in by tall dunes with the estuary alongside.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.