Golf Society Trips to Ireland
The best group golf trip in the world, the great links of Ireland built around your society of 8 to 16. The courses to play, a sample 5 night itinerary, indicative 2026 costs and a single point of contact to organize the lot.
Photograph: Irish Golf Tours, Irish Golf Tours, via Google
Who it suits
Ireland is built for the society trip. The links are clustered close enough to play two or three world class courses without long transfers, the clubhouses are welcoming to visiting groups, and the evenings in the pubs and hotels are as much a part of the trip as the golf. A society of eight to sixteen, two to four fourballs, fits the tee sheets and the minibuses perfectly, and group rates make the marquee names more affordable per head than they look. Larger societies of twenty to forty work too, with staggered tee times and a coach.
What makes Ireland the gold standard for group golf is the combination of quality and craic. You can stand on the first tee at Ballybunion in the morning, play Tralee or Lahinch the next day, and settle the order of merit over Guinness each night, all within an easy drive. Just know going in that the great links are walking courses with caddies and trolleys rather than buggies, so a society should be ready to walk, which is half the pleasure anyway.
Courses to build around
Ballybunion, Old Course
The course Tom Watson called the best place in the world to learn links golf, a roller coaster through giant Kerry dunes, the anchor of any south west society trip.
Tralee
Arnold Palmer's first European design, with a front nine along the beach and a back climbing into towering dunes, a group favorite for sheer drama.
Lahinch, Old Course
The St Andrews of Ireland, a quirky, joyful links in a lively seaside town with plenty of bars, ideal for a society's first or last night.
Waterville
A long, handsome links on the Ring of Kerry, remote and serene, a longtime touring professional favorite and a memorable change of pace.
Royal Portrush, Dunluce
The Causeway Coast masterpiece for a northern society itinerary, paired easily with Royal County Down, Portstewart and Castlerock.
Portmarnock, Championship
A fair, classic championship links a short drive from Dublin airport, the easiest world class round to slot in at the start or end of a group trip.
Trump International Doonbeg
A modern links of huge dunes and a crescent beach with a resort hotel, a natural society base for the south west with rooms, bars and golf in one place.
Designers and host history verified June 2026. Most Irish links are walking courses with caddies and trolleys, not buggies. Always confirm group access, society rates and buggy availability directly before booking.
A sample 5 night society itinerary
A classic south west loop for a society of 8 to 16, flying into Shannon, with a minibus and a driver throughout.
| Day | Golf | Stay and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Shannon, afternoon at Lahinch | Settle into County Clare, dinner and the first night's order of merit in town |
| Day 2 | Trump International Doonbeg | Resort base on the Clare coast, an easy walk in big dunes |
| Day 3 | Transfer south, play Ballybunion Old | Cross to north Kerry, the centerpiece round of the week |
| Day 4 | Tralee | Base in Killarney or near Tralee, a lively evening for the group |
| Day 5 | Waterville on the Ring of Kerry | The remote, serene finale before the closing dinner |
| Day 6 | Depart Shannon or Kerry | Trophies presented, flights home |
A northern version swaps in Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock from a Belfast base, and an eastern short break builds on Portmarnock, The Island and County Louth near Dublin. We tailor the order, the hotels and the rounds to your group.
Indicative package range
| Style | Indicative 2026 per golfer | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Value society week | Around €1,800 to €2,800 | Strong regional links, comfortable hotels, shared transport, shoulder season |
| Mid range, recognized links | Around €3,500 to €4,500 | Named links, good four star hotels, a driver throughout |
| Top links, summer | €5,000 and up | The very best courses, four and five star hotels, peak dates |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, for six to eight day trips, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Group rates, shared transport and shoulder season dates lower the per head cost. Always confirm directly before booking.
Best time to book
The marquee links cap visitor numbers per day, so the bigger the society the earlier you must lock in the headline rounds.
| Booking window | Why |
|---|---|
| 12 to 18 months ahead | For summer dates on Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Ballybunion and Tralee with a large group |
| 6 to 12 months ahead | For most society trips and shoulder season links in May, June or September |
| Avoid | The 2027 Ryder Cup build up at Adare Manor will tighten south west availability that autumn |
Get a quote for your society
Tell us your group size, the courses you want and roughly when. One organizer costs the whole trip to the head, handles the tee sheet and the transport, and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Society trip questions
How big a group works for a golf society trip to Ireland?
Most society trips run with eight to sixteen golfers, two to four fourballs, which is the sweet spot for tee sheets, minibuses and group rates. Larger societies of twenty to forty are very doable too, usually by splitting across staggered tee times and a coach. The marquee links cap visitor numbers per day, so the larger the group, the earlier you need to book the headline rounds.
Can you use buggies on Irish links?
Most great Irish links are walking courses, and buggies are limited or reserved for medical need, so a society should plan to walk with a caddie or a trolley. A few resort and parkland venues such as Adare Manor and the K Club have full buggy fleets, which is worth knowing if any members cannot walk a links. Always confirm buggy access directly before booking.
How much does a golf society trip to Ireland cost in 2026?
Indicative 2026 figures land between roughly €3,000 and €7,000 per golfer for six to eight days, depending on courses and hotels. A mid range package of recognized links and good hotels is often around €3,500 to €4,500 per head, while a trip built on the very top links runs higher. Group rates, shared transport and shoulder season dates bring the number down. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Society dates and group rates on the great Irish links, plus the booking windows that fill first. Every other week.