Portmarnock Championship: 2026 Access and Booking Update
Portmarnock has spent a century as the great links of the Republic, and in 2026 it sits at the centre of the biggest story in the game on this island: the R&A's live interest in bringing The Open to Ireland for the first time. Here is where the bid, access, booking and fees stand for the season, and how to play it.
The news: The Open bid gathers pace
The story driving 2026 is The Open. In April 2026 the R&A chief executive Mark Darbon described the governing body as cautiously optimistic about bringing both The Open and the AIG Women's Open to Portmarnock, the first time either championship would be held in the Republic of Ireland. Feasibility work is ongoing, with the R&A expecting greater clarity by the back end of the year.
This is more than talk. Portmarnock members have already voted through course changes to support the bid, and the working expectation in the reporting points to the Women's Open arriving first, around 2028, with The Open potentially following toward 2030. The R&A has been frank about the hurdles, chiefly the scale of infrastructure required and a peninsula site bounded by water on three sides, but the direction of travel is clear.
The course itself
The Championship Course at Portmarnock plays as a par 72 stretching up to around 7,400 yards along a low, sandy peninsula north of Dublin. The original eighteen grew from the work of W.C. Pickeman and George Ross, was extended by George Coburn, and was sympathetically modernised by Martin Hawtree in the early 2000s. It hosted the first Irish Open in 1927 and a long line of championships since, and is widely regarded as one of the finest and fairest links anywhere.
What sets Portmarnock apart is honesty. There are few blind shots and almost no tricks, just a relentless examination where the wind swings as the routing turns and no two consecutive holes play in the same direction. The closing stretch, with the par three 15th along the shore and a demanding run home, is the kind of finish a major demands, which is exactly why the R&A keeps looking at it.
How to play it in 2026
For now, the good news is that Portmarnock remains a visitor friendly club. Tee times for the Championship Course are available to visitors on most days outside member competition windows, with advance booking essential and the best summer slots going earliest. With the Open speculation keeping the course in the headlines, expect demand to climb, so book sooner rather than later for 2026.
On cost, the indicative 2026 green fee runs to around 320 euro for a single summer round on the Championship Course, easing to roughly 150 euro in the depths of winter, with shoulder season rates in between. Those figures are set by the club and move year to year, so treat them as indicative and always confirm the current fee and availability directly with Portmarnock before booking. It is a walking links with caddies available and worth taking.
Our take
Our take is that 2026 is a smart year to play Portmarnock, while it is still relatively open and before any championship build out changes the experience. This is a genuine top tier links, the fairest great examination in Ireland, and a round every serious traveling golfer should have on the list regardless of where the Open bid lands.
If you are planning around Dublin, build a trip that pairs Portmarnock with The Island across the estuary and Royal Dublin at Bull Island for a three links city break, or push north and south into the wider Irish links itinerary. Book the Championship Course first, because it is the anchor, and let the rest of the days form around it.
Plan your Portmarnock and Ireland trip
From a round on the great peninsula links to The Island, Royal Dublin and the wider Irish links, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
Will Portmarnock host The Open Championship?
Not yet confirmed. As of 2026 the R&A describes itself as cautiously optimistic about taking The Open and the AIG Women's Open to Portmarnock, with feasibility work ongoing and more clarity expected later in the year. Members have approved course changes to support the bid. If it happens, it would be the first Open in the Republic of Ireland.
Can visitors play Portmarnock in 2026?
Yes. Portmarnock welcomes visitors on most days outside member competition times, with advance booking essential. Demand is rising as the Open speculation continues, so reserve your tee time on the Championship Course well ahead, especially for summer.
How much does it cost to play Portmarnock?
The indicative 2026 green fee runs to around 320 euro for a single summer round on the Championship Course, dropping to roughly 150 euro in winter. Rates are set by the club and change year to year, so always confirm the current fee directly with Portmarnock before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course, championship and access details verified June 2026 from R&A reporting, club and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.