New Golf Courses in Ireland, 2026
Ireland's new course story in 2026 is one of anticipation. No brand new championship links opens this year, but two major projects are taking shape on the coast, both now pointing to 2027. Here is what is coming, and how to play the classics in the meantime.
Photo via Google.
A year of building, not opening
For a country that defines links golf, genuinely new courses are rare events, and 2026 is a year of construction rather than debuts. The two projects generating the most excitement, a new links in County Wexford and a high profile redesign in County Wicklow, are both now targeting 2027, so the calendar this year is about progress on the ground rather than a ribbon cutting.
That is normal for Ireland, where the supply of great links is essentially fixed and improvements tend to be redesigns and renovations rather than entirely new builds. The upside is that the classics are as good as ever, so 2026 is the year to play the established names while the new arrivals take shape for next season.
New Irish golf, what is coming, at a glance
| Project | Where | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Curracloe Links | County Wexford, southeast coast | A Dana Fry and Jason Straka design, the county's first championship course, now targeted to open in April 2027 |
| Ravenport Resort | County Wexford | The wider holiday resort, reported at around 20 million euro, of which Curracloe Links is the centerpiece |
| Brittas Bay, the European Club | County Wicklow | A Kyle Phillips redesign of Pat Ruddy's European Club, set to reopen in 2027 |
| New openings in 2026 | Nationwide | No brand new championship course confirmed to open in Ireland during 2026 |
Inside the projects
Curracloe Links, Wexford
The most significant new course is Curracloe Links on the southeast coast, designed by the American architects Dana Fry and Jason Straka and billed as County Wexford's first championship course. It is the centerpiece of the wider Ravenport Resort, a golf holiday destination reported at around 20 million euro. Work that was once hoped to deliver a 2026 opening has slipped, and the current target is April 2027, so 2026 is a year to watch it rise rather than play it.
The European Club, reimagined
The other headline is a redesign rather than a new build. Pat Ruddy's European Club at Brittas Bay in County Wicklow, long one of Ireland's most admired modern links, is being reworked by the architect Kyle Phillips, with the project set to reopen in 2027 promising improved playability, expanded sea views and restored native ecosystems. It is one of the most intriguing course stories in Irish golf, and another reason 2027 looks like the bigger year.
Play the classics in 2026
With no brand new course opening this year, 2026 is the season to enjoy the established links. From the southwest run of Ballybunion, Lahinch and Tralee to the Wicklow and Wexford coast that the new projects will soon join, Ireland's existing courses remain the heart of any trip. If anything, the coming arrivals are a reason to plan a return visit once they open.
Our take
Our take for 2026 is to play Ireland for what it already does better than almost anywhere, then plan to come back. The new links at Curracloe and the reimagined European Club are genuinely exciting, but both point to 2027, so chasing them this year means watching diggers rather than playing golf. Build your 2026 trip around the proven links and keep a watching brief on the new arrivals.
When they do open they will reshape the golf map of the southeast, and the European Club redesign will be one of the most talked about reopenings in the country. Treat every target date as provisional and confirm before you travel. Our Ireland destination hub, the best courses in Ireland list and our guide to the best links courses in Ireland are the places to anchor the plan, and our team can build the trip around your dates.
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New Irish courses, your questions
Are any new golf courses opening in Ireland in 2026?
No brand new championship course is confirmed to open in Ireland during 2026. The two biggest projects, Curracloe Links in County Wexford and the Kyle Phillips redesign of the European Club at Brittas Bay, are both now targeting 2027. So 2026 is best treated as a year to play the established links.
When does Curracloe Links open?
Curracloe Links, the Dana Fry and Jason Straka design that will be County Wexford's first championship course, is now targeted to open in April 2027 as the centerpiece of the Ravenport Resort. It was once hoped for 2026, but the timeline has moved, so confirm before planning a trip around it.
What is happening at the European Club?
Pat Ruddy's European Club at Brittas Bay in County Wicklow is being redesigned by the architect Kyle Phillips and is set to reopen in 2027, with the work promising improved playability, expanded sea views and restored native ecosystems. Confirm the reopening timing directly before building a trip around it.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Curracloe Links and European Club project details and their 2027 timelines compiled June 2026 from Irish golf media; opening dates are targets and can move, so confirm directly. Last reviewed June 2026.