Golf in Dublin and the East Coast
Ireland's most accessible great golf, where the links of Portmarnock, Baltray and The Island ring the capital and the Wicklow coast runs down to the European Club and the K Club. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Portmarnock Golf Club, Portmarnock Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in Dublin and the east
For a first trip to Ireland, or for a long weekend that has to count, the east coast is hard to beat. A cluster of championship links sits within forty minutes of Dublin airport, headed by Portmarnock, one of the truly great courses in the game and a regular host of the Irish Open and the Walker Cup. You can land, drop your bags in the city and tee off the same afternoon, something no other corner of Ireland offers at this quality. The capital itself, with its restaurants, bars and history, makes the trip more than a golf itinerary.
Spread the net a little wider and the variety opens up. North of the city, County Louth at Baltray and the wild dunes of The Island rank among the finest links in the country. South down the Wicklow coast, Pat Ruddy's European Club is a modern links masterpiece, while inland the parkland estates of the K Club, host of the 2006 Ryder Cup, and Carton House offer a different, grander kind of golf. It is the most compact concentration of top tier golf in Ireland, and the easiest to reach.
The regions
The Dublin coast
Portmarnock, The Island, Portmarnock Links and Royal Dublin on the sandy peninsulas and estuaries north of the city, the densest run of championship links within reach of the airport.
Louth and the north
County Louth at Baltray and its neighbour Seapoint, an hour north of Dublin on the Boyne estuary, classic and quieter links that pair perfectly for a two day leg.
Wicklow and Kildare
The European Club, Druids Glen and Powerscourt down the Garden of Ireland coast, and the parkland estates of the K Club and Carton House inland, the grander, leafier side of east coast golf.
The courses that matter
Portmarnock
The finest course on the east coast and one of the great links of the world, laid out on a low peninsula north of Dublin where the wind can come from any quarter. A natural, fair and exacting test that has hosted the Irish Open many times and is in line for an Open Championship.
County Louth, Baltray
A revered Tom Simpson links on the Boyne estuary near Drogheda, all subtle contours, tilted greens and clever bunkering, long rated among the top links in Ireland and host of the East of Ireland amateur for a century.
The Island
A thrilling links of towering dunes and narrow fairways across the estuary from Portmarnock, with several of the most dramatic, hemmed in holes in Irish golf. A modern restoration has lifted it back among the country's best.
The European Club
Pat Ruddy's self built links among the dunes of Brittas Bay, a bold, big scale modern course of long carries and deep revetted bunkers that ranks in the Golf Digest world top hundred and is a fixture of any Wicklow leg.
The K Club, Palmer Course
The Arnold Palmer designed parkland that staged the 2006 Ryder Cup and many European Tour events, a grand, water lined estate course along the River Liffey in Kildare, with a five star hotel and the full resort experience.
Royal Dublin
A classic out and back links on Bull Island in Dublin Bay, shaped by Harry Colt and once home to Christy O'Connor Senior, a city links of fine turf and a famous, gambling finish over the out of bounds dogleg sixteenth.
Portmarnock Links
Bernhard Langer's links beside the championship course, attached to a hotel resort, a more forgiving but genuinely seaside test of wide fairways, deep bunkers and rolling dunes, ideal as a softer companion round.
Druids Glen
Once called the Augusta of Europe, a manicured parkland in the Wicklow hills that hosted four Irish Opens, with water, flowers and a famous island green, the polished inland counterpoint to the coast's wild links.
Seapoint
County Louth's links neighbour on the Boyne estuary, a more modern, open course with a strong stretch of holes along the shore, the natural second round on a Baltray leg and far easier to get on.
Carton House, Montgomerie
A links style inland course on the Carton estate in Kildare, all pot bunkers and humps on open ground, now an Irish Open venue paired with a grand house hotel and the parkland O'Meara course alongside.
Powerscourt, East
A handsome parkland on the Powerscourt estate beneath the Sugar Loaf mountain, with two strong courses and sweeping views, a relaxed and scenic round to round out a Wicklow itinerary.
Laytown and Bettystown
A characterful, old fashioned links on the Meath coast where Des Smyth learned the game, modest in length but full of charm and great value, a worthwhile detour between Dublin and Baltray.
Founders, designers and host history verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
See the best east coast courses ranked Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to September | Warmest, driest, long daylight in midsummer | Prime links season, book Portmarnock and Baltray early |
| April and October | Cooler, windier, a higher chance of rain | Quieter shoulder months with softer rates |
| November to March | Wet and windy, short days, some courses on winter greens | Hardy golf only, the cheapest and emptiest of the year |
The east is the driest corner of Ireland, which helps, but the wind off the Irish Sea is a constant, so pack for changeable weather whenever you travel.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Portmarnock | Around €300 in summer | Standard visitor rate, lower in the shoulder and winter months |
| The K Club, Palmer Course | Around €250 | High season, resort guests often better placed |
| County Louth, The Island, European Club | Around €175 to €230 | Summer visitor rates at the marquee links |
| A week, all in | Around €2,500 to €4,500 per person | Marquee east coast golf, hotels, a hire car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2025 to 2026 seasons, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Dublin airport is the most connected in Ireland, with flights from across Europe and North America, and it sits right beside the northern links, Portmarnock, The Island and Royal Dublin are all within thirty minutes. Baltray is an hour to the north on the motorway, the Wicklow coast forty five minutes to the south, and the K Club and Carton House around forty minutes west. The region is compact and the roads are good, so a hire car is the simplest way to link the courses, though Dublin itself is easy without one.
Where to stay
Many groups base themselves in or near Dublin city for the nightlife and the easy reach of the northern links, then move out for a night at a resort such as the K Club, Carton House or the Portmarnock hotel to play the parkland and the links on the doorstep. For a Baltray and Seapoint leg, Drogheda or the coast makes a quiet base. Book the marquee tee times and the hotels well ahead for summer, and let one planner sequence the rounds to cut the driving.
Plan your Dublin golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Dublin and east coast golf questions
What is the best golf course near Dublin?
Portmarnock Golf Club, the great links on a peninsula north of the city, is the finest course in the Dublin area and a long time fixture in the world top hundred. County Louth at Baltray, a Tom Simpson links an hour to the north, The Island across the estuary from Portmarnock, and Pat Ruddy's European Club down the Wicklow coast are the other rounds that anchor an east coast trip.
When is the best time to play golf near Dublin?
May to September is the prime window, with the warmest, driest weather and the firmest links in June and July. The east is the driest corner of Ireland, which helps, but the wind off the Irish Sea is a constant. April and October are quieter, cheaper shoulder months. Pack for changeable weather whenever you travel.
How much does a golf trip to Dublin cost in 2026?
Indicative summer fees run to around €300 at Portmarnock, roughly €250 at the Palmer Course at the K Club and around €175 to €230 at County Louth, The Island and the European Club, with fine parkland and lesser links closer to €90 to €150. A week of marquee east coast golf with hotels and a car typically lands between €2,500 and €4,500 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
New course openings, Portmarnock and K Club booking windows and the trips our concierge is quietly building. Every other week.