Golf in County Dublin
No capital city in the world has this much great links golf on its doorstep. Within 30 minutes of central Dublin lie Portmarnock, The Island and Royal Dublin, three of Ireland's finest, plus a cluster of championship layouts and proud parkland clubs. You can play a different links each morning and be back in the city for dinner and a pint of stout each night.
Photo: Portmarnock Golf Club via Google.
Why golf in County Dublin
County Dublin is the most convenient great golf destination in Ireland. The peninsulas and bays just north of the city hold a remarkable concentration of championship links, all within a short drive of the airport and the center, so a group can base in one hotel, walk to the pubs and restaurants in the evening and tee off on a different links each morning. This is classic Irish links country: low, tumbling dunes, firm fescue fairways, subtle green complexes and the ever present sea wind that makes each round a fresh examination.
The headline trio is as strong as anywhere. Portmarnock is one of the world's great links and a regular host of the Irish Open and major amateur events; The Island, across the estuary at Donabate, has some of the biggest, most dramatic dunes in the region; and Royal Dublin, on Bull Island minutes from the city center, is the country's oldest links. Round it out with the Bernhard Langer designed Portmarnock Links and the parkland charm of Hermitage on the Liffey, and County Dublin gives a group a complete, easy and memorable golf week.
The courses that matter
Portmarnock Golf Club · links, founded 1894
One of the world's great links and the jewel of Dublin golf, a flat, subtle, strategic test on a sandy peninsula north of the city that has hosted the Irish Open and major amateur championships. Low dunes, superb greens and a relentless examination in the wind. The headline round of any County Dublin trip.
The Island Golf Club · links, Donabate
For Dublin the dunes here are an anomaly: big, varied and glorious, threading a thrilling links across a narrow spit at Donabate. Every hole is different and full of drama, and a major restoration has pushed it firmly back into Ireland's top tier. The most exhilarating links in the county.
Royal Dublin Golf Club · links, Bull Island
Ireland's oldest golf club, founded in 1885 and playing an out and back links on Bull Island just minutes from the city center, with a Harry Colt influenced layout of bump and run shots and a famous finish. History, convenience and a proper links test in one. A must for any Dublin itinerary.
Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links · Bernhard Langer, 1996
A Bernhard Langer design opened in 1996 on the dunes at Portmarnock, with a natural, understated links feel and the convenience of a resort hotel on site. A fine, group friendly companion to its illustrious neighbor and an easy base for a links focused stay.
Hermitage Golf Club · parkland, Lucan
A handsome, mature parkland course on the banks of the River Liffey at Lucan, long the club of choice in Dublin society. A change of pace from the links, beautifully treed and well conditioned, it makes a relaxed inland round to balance a coastal week.
Founding years, designers and hosting history verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized course databases. Portmarnock Golf Club, founded 1894, has hosted the Irish Open; Royal Dublin, founded 1885, is Ireland's oldest club and plays a Harry Colt influenced links on Bull Island; the Portmarnock Hotel links is a Bernhard Langer design opened in 1996. Access, conditioning and visitor policy change, so confirm with each club before planning.
When to go: the County Dublin golf season
| Window | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May to Jun | Often the best of the year: long days, the driest spell, firm fast links and courses in peak condition before the summer crowds |
| Jul to Aug | Warmest and busiest, with the longest daylight; tee times at the headline links are tight, so book well ahead |
| Sep to Oct | A classic links shoulder: fewer crowds, firm turf and atmospheric weather; the wind sharpens and rain becomes more likely later in the season |
| Nov to Apr | Cool, wet and windy with short days; the links stay open and play firm, but this is golf for the hardy rather than a comfort trip |
May to September is the prime golf season, though the links play year round. Green fees and rates change by season and year; always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there, costs and where to stay
Dublin Airport is one of the best connected in Europe, with direct flights from across the continent and North America, and it sits within 20 minutes of most of the links north of the city, which makes County Dublin one of the easiest golf trips to reach anywhere. A hire car or a driver makes hopping between the coastal courses simple, and the city center is close enough that a group can stay downtown and still reach the first tee quickly each morning.
Green fees at the marquee links are premium and worth booking early, while the parkland clubs and the resort links offer more value to fill out a week. Most groups base in central Dublin for the food, the music and the nightlife, or at the Portmarnock resort for a quieter, golf focused stay. We can pair the right hotel with the best of the County Dublin links and arrange the tee times and transfers as one package.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in County Dublin, or read the wider Ireland golf hub.
Plan a County Dublin golf trip
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and who is in the group, and a concierge will build a Dublin itinerary around Portmarnock, The Island and the best of the coast, costed to the head, with no obligation.
County Dublin golf questions
What is the best golf course in County Dublin?
Portmarnock Golf Club is widely regarded as the finest in the county and one of the great links in the world, a regular host of the Irish Open and major amateur championships. The Island and Royal Dublin complete a world class trio within 30 minutes of the city.
How many great courses can you play near Dublin?
A group can comfortably play four or five championship courses in a few days without long transfers. Portmarnock, The Island, Royal Dublin, the Portmarnock resort links and Hermitage all sit within a short drive of central Dublin and the airport.
When is the best time to play golf in County Dublin?
May to September is the prime window, with late spring and early summer often offering the driest, firmest conditions and the longest daylight. The links stay open year round, but autumn and winter bring wind, rain and shorter days.
Can visitors play the top County Dublin links?
Yes, the leading clubs welcome visiting golfers with advance booking, though tee times at Portmarnock and the other headline links are limited in peak season. We secure the bookings and arrange transfers as part of a planned trip.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Club histories, designers and the regional season verified June 2026; green fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.