How to Plan a Golf Trip to Ireland
Ireland is the densest run of great links on earth, a small island that holds Ballybunion, Lahinch, Royal County Down, Portrush, Portmarnock and a dozen more inside a few hours' drive. Planning the trip well is mostly about choosing a region, timing the weather, booking the marquee courses early and getting the logistics right. Here is how to put it together, with the regions, the season, the fees, the caddies and a sample route.
Photo: Ballybunion Golf Club via Google, contributor Peter Wortmann.
Start by choosing a region
The single biggest decision is where to base the trip, because Ireland's links fall into a handful of clusters, and trying to play all of them in one week means too much time in the car. Pick one region, play it properly, and save the rest for a return. The Southwest is the classic first trip, the Northwest the connoisseur's choice, the East the easiest to reach from Dublin, and Northern Ireland home to two of the very best.
The Southwest
The most popular and, for most golfers, the best first trip. Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee, Waterville, Old Head and Doonbeg sit within County Kerry and County Clare, flying into Shannon or Cork. It is a heady run of cliffs, dunes and ocean, walkable in a week, and the courses you have always wanted to play. Pair Ballybunion and Tralee, and Lahinch with the Cliffs of Moher nearby.
The Northwest
For those who have done the Southwest, the wild Northwest delivers raw, remote, uncrowded links at gentler prices. Rosapenna, County Sligo at Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Carne and Narin and Portnoo run up the Donegal, Sligo and Mayo coasts. It is a longer drive between courses and a more rugged trip, and all the more memorable for it.
The East and Dublin
The simplest to reach, flying straight into Dublin. Portmarnock, The Island, County Louth at Baltray, Royal Dublin and The European Club lie within an hour or so of the city, so you can mix golf with a few nights in Dublin. A fine choice for a shorter trip or a first taste of Irish links without a long transfer.
Northern Ireland
Home to Royal County Down, often rated the finest links in the world, and Royal Portrush, host of the Open. The two anchor a short, world class trip in their own right, easily reached from Belfast or tacked onto an Eastern itinerary, with the Causeway Coast and Down dunes among the most beautiful golfing country anywhere.
Indicative costs to budget
| Line | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Flagship green fee, high season (Ballybunion Old) | Around 450 euros per round |
| Other marquee links, high season | Around 250 to 400 euros per round |
| Caddie, senior, single bag | Around 110 euros plus tip |
| Fore caddie for a four ball | Around 160 euros plus tip |
| Whole trip, 6 to 8 days, booked directly | Around 3,000 to 7,000 euros |
| Whole trip, through a specialist | Roughly a quarter more |
Indicative 2026 figures for guidance only. Green fees, caddie rates and packages vary by season and club, so always confirm directly before booking. Check Irish links tee time availability.
Timing, booking and the logistics
Go in the shoulder weeks. Late April to May and September into October give the best balance of dry, playable weather, long daylight and tee sheets you can actually book, with firmer, faster links turf than the soft winter ground. July and August are the busiest and priciest, while winter is cheap and quiet but wet and short on light. Watch the weekend rule, since several clubs, Ballybunion among them, keep weekends for members and take visitors only on weekdays.
Book the marquee courses first and book them early. The best tee times at Royal County Down, Lahinch and Old Head can disappear more than a year ahead, so fix those, then arrange the rest of the week around them. Early planning also locks in better hotel availability and, at some clubs, early booking value. Pair courses that sit close together to cut transfer time and sometimes unlock bundle pricing.
For getting around, a group of two to four is usually best self driving, flying into Shannon or Cork for the Southwest and taking a hire car between rounds. Larger groups, or anyone who would rather not drive narrow rural roads after golf, should take a chauffeured van and driver. On the courses themselves, take a caddie on the great links, both because some clubs effectively require one and because a local read of the wind and the blind lines is worth every euro on a first visit.
A sample 7 day Southwest route
If the Southwest is your trip, this is a clean, low driving loop from Shannon. Arrive and warm up at Lahinch, the charming heart of County Clare. Move south to base near Tralee and play Tralee, then Ballybunion as the centrepiece, ideally on a weekday and with caddies. Run the Ring of Kerry to Waterville and Dooks or Ballybunion's Cashen second course, then finish toward Cork with Old Head of Kinsale on its cliff top promontory before flying home. It is six rounds in seven days, every one a links, with the scenery of Kerry and Clare between them.
That is one shape among many, and the right order depends on your tee times, your group and the weather. The value of a planner here is real: securing the Ballybunion and Old Head slots, sequencing the rounds to keep the driving short, and matching the hotels to the route. Tell us the dates and the group and we will build it.
Plan your Ireland golf trip
We secure the marquee tee times, including the clubs that book a year out, sequence the rounds to keep the driving short and sort the caddies, the cars or driver and the hotels. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Ireland golf trip questions
How much does a golf trip to Ireland cost?
Most six to eight day Southwest itineraries land indicatively around 3,000 to 7,000 euros per golfer when booked directly, or roughly a quarter more through a specialist who handles everything. Green fees are the biggest line, with flagship links such as Ballybunion's Old Course indicatively about 450 euros in the 2026 high season, plus caddies, a hire car or driver, and hotels. The total swings on how many marquee courses you include. Always confirm current fees directly before booking.
When is the best time for a golf trip to Ireland?
Aim for late April to May or September into October. These shoulder weeks give you the best balance of dry, playable weather, long enough daylight, firmer links turf and tee sheets that are easier to book than the July and August peak. High summer is busiest and dearest, while winter is quiet and cheap but wet and short on light. Note that some clubs, including Ballybunion, do not take visitors at weekends, so plan weekday play.
Do you need a caddie on the Irish links?
On the great links a caddie is strongly recommended and at some clubs effectively required, with Ballybunion asking every group to take at least one caddie or fore caddie. A senior caddie is indicatively around 110 euros for a single bag, a fore caddie for a four ball around 160 euros, tip on top. Beyond the cost, a local caddie reads the wind, the blind lines and the bounce on courses built for the ground game, and is worth every euro on a first visit.
Should you self drive or hire a driver in Ireland?
For a group of two to four, self drive is usually simplest and cheapest, flying into Shannon or Cork for the Southwest and taking a hire car between courses. For larger groups, or for those who would rather not drive on narrow rural roads after golf, a chauffeured van and driver is the comfortable choice and keeps the day relaxed. Either way, pair nearby courses such as Ballybunion and Tralee to keep transfers short.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Regions, indicative fees and access rules verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.