The European Club Green Fees and Tee Times
Pat Ruddy's hand built links at Brittas Bay, an hour south of Dublin, is one of the great modern links of Ireland. Here is what it cost to play, the all important news that it is now closed for a Kyle Phillips redesign and reopening in 2027 as the Brittas Bay Club, and how to plan a Wicklow round around that change.
Photo: Brittas Bay Club via Google.
The short answer
Start with the news that changes everything. The European Club closed to play on 8 December 2025 and is being comprehensively redesigned by the architect Kyle Phillips, the man behind Kingsbarns, under new ownership that has renamed it the Brittas Bay Club. The transformed links is expected to reopen in 2027, so the course cannot be played during 2026 and there are no visitor green fees or tee times at present.
As to what it cost before it closed, The European Club was a premium round, indicatively in the region of 200 to 250 euros for the championship links, among the higher fees in Ireland and fitting for a course routinely ranked with the country's finest. Pat Ruddy famously built two extra short holes into the routing, so visitors often effectively played 20 holes for the one fee, a quirk that became part of the course's character. The reopening pricing as the Brittas Bay Club has not been published, and a high specification Phillips redesign on Dublin's doorstep is unlikely to come cheap, so treat the old fee as historical context and confirm the new rates when they are announced.
The European Club fees and current status
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current status | Closed to play from 8 December 2025 for a major redesign; no visitor tee times in 2026 |
| Reopening | Expected in 2027 as the Brittas Bay Club, following a Kyle Phillips redesign |
| Historical green fee | Indicatively around 200 to 250 euros per round before closure (now superseded) |
| The extra holes | Pat Ruddy added two short holes, so the round effectively played to 20 holes for the fee |
| The links | Designed, built and owned by Pat Ruddy; opened 1992; par 71 championship card through the Brittas Bay dunes |
| New design | Kyle Phillips redesign for the new ownership, with improved playability and expanded sea views |
| Location | Brittas Bay, County Wicklow, about an hour south of Dublin on the east coast |
| Reopening fees | Not yet published; confirm directly when the Brittas Bay Club announces visitor rates |
Closure, ownership change and redesign verified June 2026 from Irish golf news sources; historical green fees are indicative only and no longer apply. Always confirm current status, reopening date and pricing directly before planning. Check Wicklow tee time availability.
How to plan around the closure
If you had The European Club on a Wicklow or east coast Ireland trip, the practical move is to shift it to a future year and build the meantime around the region's other golf. The course will reopen as the Brittas Bay Club, expected in 2027, and a Kyle Phillips links an hour from Dublin Airport will be one of the most talked about openings in Irish golf, so the time to plan is the moment the reopening date is confirmed. Watch for the official announcement, then book early, because prime summer dates at a course of this profile will be claimed many months ahead.
For a trip before then, the Dublin and east coast region still has plenty: links and parkland courses within easy reach of the city make a strong few days without The European Club, and the great southwest and northern links are a short internal hop away for a fuller Irish tour. Decide whether you want to wait for the Brittas Bay reopening as the centrepiece of a future trip, or travel sooner and add the new links when it returns. Either way, have the date confirmed before you commit a tee time.
What to expect when it reopens
The bones are extraordinary. Pat Ruddy routed The European Club by hand through a genuine stretch of Brittas Bay dune land and grew it into one of the finest modern links anywhere, a par 71 of muscular, sea sprayed golf that visitors travelled from across the world to play. Kyle Phillips, whose Kingsbarns is one of the most admired modern links on earth, is reworking it for the new ownership with the stated aims of improved playability, expanded sea views and restored native ground. Expect the reborn Brittas Bay Club to play as a premium championship links with a fee to match, and to sit straight back among Ireland's must play courses. We will update this guide with confirmed reopening dates and pricing as the Brittas Bay Club announces them.
Plan a Wicklow and Dublin trip
We track the Brittas Bay Club reopening and build the rest of your east coast Ireland golf around it, with the right links in the right order and a base near Dublin. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The European Club fee questions
How much did it cost to play The European Club?
Before its closure, The European Club's visitor green fee was indicatively in the region of 200 to 250 euros for a round on the championship links, among the higher fees in Ireland and in keeping with its standing as one of the country's finest courses. Pat Ruddy famously included two extra short holes, so visitors often effectively played 20 holes for the fee. The course is closed from December 2025 for a major redesign, so the reopening pricing in 2027 is not yet published. Always confirm current pricing directly before booking.
Is The European Club open in 2026?
No. The European Club closed to play from 8 December 2025 and is undergoing a comprehensive redesign by architect Kyle Phillips under new ownership, after which it is being renamed the Brittas Bay Club. The transformed championship links is expected to reopen in 2027, so the course cannot be played during 2026. Anyone planning a Wicklow or east coast Ireland trip in the meantime should build around the region's other links and check the reopening date before committing.
Who designed The European Club and the new Brittas Bay Club?
The European Club was designed, built and owned by the Irish golf writer and architect Pat Ruddy, who created the links by hand through the dunes at Brittas Bay in County Wicklow and opened it in 1992. The current redevelopment is led by the American architect Kyle Phillips, known for Kingsbarns in Scotland, who is reworking the links for the new ownership that has renamed it the Brittas Bay Club for a planned 2027 reopening.
How do you book a tee time at the Brittas Bay Club?
While the course is closed for redevelopment there are no visitor tee times. When it reopens as the Brittas Bay Club, expected in 2027, visitor times will be booked directly with the club, and for a links of this calibre on Dublin's doorstep, prime summer dates will be claimed well ahead. Watch for the official reopening announcement, then book early, or have a trip planner secure the date as part of a wider east coast Ireland itinerary. Always confirm current booking rules before you travel.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Closure, redesign and indicative historical fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.