Old Head Golf Links, clifftop fairway above the Atlantic at Kinsale, County Cork
Trip planning

Luxury Golf Tours of Ireland

The greatest links in the world strung along one wild coast, played from manor house beds with a caddie on the bag and a car waiting at the gate. Old Head, Ballybunion, Royal County Down and Adare Manor, arranged as one seamless trip and costed to the head.

Who this trip suits

This is the bucket list links trip done without compromise. It suits couples, low handicap purists and small groups who want the named rounds, Old Head on its clifftop, Ballybunion in the dunes, Royal County Down beneath the Mountains of Mourne, but want them wrapped in five star stays, caddies, private transfers and a planner who has already secured the hard tee times. The golf is the same golf every traveler dreams of. The luxury is in how you arrive at it.

It also rewards the golfer who values time. A chauffeur driven car turns long Irish drives into part of the experience, manor house bases such as Adare Manor and Dromoland Castle make the off course days a pleasure, and a prebooked schedule means no scramble for tee times when you land. We build it so the only decision left to you each morning is which tee to play from.

The golf

The courses to build it around

Our pick of the rounds worth structuring a luxury tour around. Read the full ranking in the 100 greatest courses you can play, and the wider trip in our Ireland golf holidays guide.

  1. 1

    Old Head Golf Links

    Kinsale, County Cork

    A promontory course on a headland that juts two miles into the Atlantic, with nine holes routed along cliffs that fall two hundred feet to the sea. Nothing else in golf looks quite like it. Indicative 2026 high season green fees run from around 395 to 475 EUR with caddies extra, so always confirm directly before booking.

  2. 2

    Adare Manor, The Golf Course

    Adare, County Limerick

    A Tom Fazio redesign reopened in 2018 and the host of the 2027 Ryder Cup, from September 17 to 19, 2027. Immaculate parkland around the River Maigue, played from one of the finest resort hotels in Europe. The most polished stay and play base in Ireland and the centerpiece of an ultra luxury tour.

  3. 3

    Ballybunion Old Course

    Ballybunion, County Kerry

    The most revered links in the southwest, tumbling dunes hard against the Atlantic that Tom Watson called one of the finest tests of golf in the world. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 400 to 450 EUR, so always confirm directly before booking.

  4. 4

    Royal County Down

    Newcastle, Northern Ireland

    Routinely ranked the best course outside the United States, a wild Old Tom Morris links of blind drives and gorse framed greens beneath the Mountains of Mourne. A vintage examination and, for many, the round of the trip. Indicative 2026 visitor fees from around 400 GBP, so always confirm directly before booking.

  5. 5

    Lahinch Old Course

    Lahinch, County Clare

    The St Andrews of the west, an Old Tom Morris and Alister MacKenzie links of quirky charm, the famous Klondyke and Dell holes among them, beside the village and the surf. Indicative 2026 green fees around 450 EUR, so always confirm directly before booking.

  6. 6

    Waterville and Tralee

    County Kerry

    The Ring of Kerry pair. Waterville is a long, handsome links once beloved of Payne Stewart, and Tralee, an Arnold Palmer design, has one of the most dramatic front to back transitions in links golf. Together they make the southwest leg sing.

A sample structure

One way to shape a luxury week. We tailor every detail to your group, your dates and your handicaps.

  1. Day 1

    Arrive into the southwest

    Fly into Shannon or Cork, met by a private driver, and settle into a manor house base such as Adare Manor or Dromoland Castle. An easy afternoon nine and dinner to find your rhythm.

  2. Day 2

    Adare Manor

    The Fazio parkland on home turf, ahead of the 2027 Ryder Cup. An afternoon in the spa or by the Maigue, with a tasting menu to follow.

  3. Day 3

    Ballybunion Old

    The drive down to Kerry, a caddie on the bag, and the most revered links in the southwest. A pint in the clubhouse looking back over the dunes afterward.

  4. Day 4

    Old Head of Kinsale

    East to Cork for the clifftop spectacle, the most photographed round in Ireland. A night in Kinsale, the gourmet capital of the country, to cap it.

  5. Day 5

    North for Royal County Down

    For the keenest groups, extend north to Newcastle for the round many rate the best of all, beneath the Mountains of Mourne, before flying home from Belfast or Dublin.

Indicative package range

Indicative 2026 ranges, third party and per head, excluding international flights. Green fees and manor house rates swing with the season and the marquee rounds carry premium fees, so always confirm directly before booking.

Tour levelPer head, indicativeWhat it tends to include
PremierFrom around 6,000 to 8,000 USDFour to five star hotels, five or six marquee rounds with caddies, a shared driver guide and the named links of the southwest.
Ultra luxuryAround 9,000 to 12,000 USDAdare Manor and Dromoland Castle stays, a full card including Royal County Down, a private chauffeur car and caddies throughout.
BespokeOn applicationHelicopter links transfers, the full island circuit, a private host and the prime May to September dates.

Best time to book. May, June and September are the prime windows for settled weather and firm turf, so book the marquee links and the manor houses six months ahead, more for Adare Manor as the 2027 Ryder Cup approaches. Book single tee times through our partners [TEE_TIME_AFFILIATE_LINK], or arrange manor house stays through [HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK]. For the full hand built tour, send the brief below.

Plan this trip

Send the brief

A concierge replies within one working day with a hand built, all in itinerary, priced to the head. No fee, no obligation.

A concierge replies within one working day with a costed itinerary. No fee, no obligation.

Good to know

Frequently asked

What makes an Ireland golf tour a luxury tour?

A luxury Ireland tour pairs the marquee links, Old Head, Ballybunion, Royal County Down and the rest, with manor house and five star hotel stays, a private chauffeur driven car or small group coach, caddies at every round and prebooked tee times at courses that are hard to get on. The difference is the access, the stays and the seamless logistics rather than just the golf.

How much does a luxury golf tour of Ireland cost?

As a guide, indicative 2026 prices run from around 6,000 USD per head for a premier week up to 12,000 USD and beyond for an ultra luxury trip with Adare Manor, private transfers and caddies throughout, excluding international flights. Green fees and hotel rates move with the season, so always confirm directly before booking.

When is the best time for a golf trip to Ireland?

May, June and September offer the best balance of long days, settled weather and firm links turf. July and August are warmest and busiest, while April and October are quieter and better value with a higher chance of wind and rain. The southwest links can play year round in mild spells.

Can you get on Old Head and Royal County Down?

Yes, both welcome visitors and we prebook the tee times as part of the package. Old Head and Royal County Down are in heavy demand in high season, so the marquee rounds should be reserved several months ahead. We secure them first, then build the rest of the itinerary around the confirmed times.

Will the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor affect a tour?

Adare Manor hosts the 2027 Ryder Cup from September 17 to 19, 2027, so demand for the resort and the wider region is already strong. We can include a round and a stay at Adare Manor in a tour now, and for the Ryder Cup window itself we recommend planning well ahead. Always confirm availability directly before booking.

The Tee Sheet

The rounds worth traveling for.

Every other week we send new course openings, the trips our concierge is quietly building, and the booking windows worth moving on before everyone else.

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