| Slieve Russel (Cavan) | | | | bridges. And if you need to brush up on your skills |
| The Slieve Russel Golf Course is found among the | | | | you can try out the driving range, the bunker and |
| lakeland and drumlin valley district of Ballyconnell in | | | | chipping green or the putting green. |
| County Cavan. | | | | Top professional golfers to have played here |
| It's one of the more "newer" golf courses on this | | | | include; Sergio Garcia, Retief Goosen, Darren |
| list as it opened in August 1992 and almost | | | | Clarke and Padraig Harrington. |
| immediately it became an attraction as one of | | | | The luxurious resort of Mount Juliet also offers a |
| Ireland's top courses. | | | | deluxe 4 star hotel, a leisure centre, a gym, a spa |
| The parkland course was brilliantly designer by | | | | and other activities like archery and clay pigeon |
| golf-course architect Patrick Merrigan and contains | | | | shooting. |
| 300 acres of manicured gardens and 50 acres of | | | | Killarney Golf & Fishing Club (Kerry) |
| lakes, so as you can imagine, water hazards are a | | | | This Killarney Golf & Fishing Club is blessed |
| major challenge on this course. | | | | with a superb location at the edge of the stunning |
| The course has played host to a number of | | | | lake of Killarney with the McGillycuddy Mountain |
| prestigious golf tournaments such as the Irish | | | | range providing a magnificent backdrop. |
| PGA Championship in 1996, European Tour Events | | | | It can be found just outside the town of Killarney |
| and the North West of Ireland Open in 2001/2002. | | | | in County Kerry (on the Ring of Kerry road) and |
| Royal Portrush (Antrim) | | | | is one of the oldest golf courses in Ireland! This |
| The Royal Portrush Golf Course is another top | | | | golf club has not one, but three championship golf |
| golf course in Ireland and is located on the | | | | courses, each providing its own unique challenges |
| spectacular north coast of County Antrim. The | | | | to the avid golfer. |
| course boasts a spectacular setting and is | | | | Killeen is the main course at the club and is the |
| overlooked by the 13th century ruins of Dunluce | | | | most challenging. Lacabane is the newest golf |
| Castle. | | | | course while O'Mahony's Point is probably the |
| It has two challenging links courses - the Dunluce | | | | most scenic. |
| Links and the Valley Links. It has hosted the | | | | Christy O Connor Sr, Nick Faldo, Darren Clarke, |
| British Open, the North of Ireland Championship | | | | Bernard Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal have all |
| and the British Amateur Championship. | | | | played at the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. |
| The Dunluce Golf Links was designed by Harry | | | | Lahinch Golf Club (Clare) |
| Colt and will put the most seasoned golfer to the | | | | Lahinch Golf Course boasts a breathtaking location |
| test. The Valley Links lies between huge sands hills | | | | overlooking the Atlantic Ocean near the |
| and some higher ground next to the shoreline. | | | | picturesque village of Lahinch in County Clare. |
| The course has its fair share of challenges with | | | | Often referred to as the "St. Andrew's of |
| many elevated tees, menacing bunkers, sand hills | | | | Ireland", it's said to be one of the oldest golf |
| and dunes. | | | | courses in Ireland as it was founded in 1892. |
| Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are big fans | | | | Lahinch has two courses - the Old Course and the |
| of this course while it is classed as a favourite for | | | | Castle Course and both provide a tough challenge |
| Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke. | | | | for even the most intrepid golfer! |
| Ballybunion Golf Club (Kerry) | | | | Portmarnock Golf Course (Dublin) |
| Ballybunion Golf Course is located in the stunning | | | | This gently undulating links course (27 holes) has a |
| coastal resort of Ballybunion, County Kerry on the | | | | superb location in Portmarnock Dublin, just 8 miles |
| south coast of Ireland. This golf club has two | | | | north of Dublin city centre. This 18 hole links |
| courses - the new course which (also known as | | | | course was designed by Bernhard Langer and |
| the Cashen Course) and the old course. | | | | occupies a small peninsula which juts out into the |
| Ballybunion's Old Course is a magnificent 18-hole | | | | Irish Sea. |
| golf course and is regarded to be one of the | | | | The course is laid out fairly, with no tricks or |
| finest links courses in the world. In fact, this golf | | | | surprises for the golfer with its gently undulating |
| course is nearly always listed in the Top 100 Golf | | | | greens and low sand dunes. With the lay out of |
| Courses in the World. | | | | the golf course stretching across the curve of the |
| Famous visitors who have fell in love with this | | | | peninsula, you'll enjoy picturesque views from all |
| course include Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Ernie | | | | greens. |
| Els, Phil Mickleson, Ian Woosnam and Vijay Singh | | | | This golf course has held a staggering 12 Irish |
| (who has said that Ballybunion is his favourite | | | | Open Championships. It's also been the venue for |
| course outside of the US!). Other famous | | | | the Canada Cup in 1960 and the Walker Cup in |
| personalities to have played there include Michael | | | | 1991. |
| Jordan, Bill Murray and Bill Clinton. | | | | The K Club (Kildare) |
| Both courses are spectacularly located on sand | | | | The K Club can be found in Straffan in County |
| dunes and boast some of the most breathtaking | | | | Kildare and is regarded to be one of the finest |
| views of the Atlantic. Famous American golfer, | | | | golf courses in Europe. Any big fan of golf will |
| Tom Watson once described the 11TH hole as | | | | know that the prestigious K-Club golf resort took |
| "the best par 4 in the world". | | | | on a starring role when it was chosen as the |
| Druid's Glen (Wicklow) | | | | venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup. |
| Druid's Glen can be found in County Wicklow, | | | | The K Club has two courses (Palmer Course and |
| nestled between the mountains and the sea, | | | | Smurfit Course) designed by Arnold Palmer who is |
| about 30km south of Dublin city centre. This | | | | regarded as one of the greatest golf players |
| classic parkland course is often referred to as | | | | ever. The Palmer Course (also known as the Old |
| "The Augusta of Europe" and the golf course | | | | Course) was the course chosen for the Ryder |
| especially comes into its own during the Summer | | | | Cup. The Smurfit Course is an inland golf links with |
| months when the plants and flowers and in full | | | | lots of lakes, islands and wild species of plants |
| bloom. The golfer will really feel a piece of heaven | | | | randomly planted throughout the course. |
| on earth here with its beautiful tricking streams, | | | | If you're an golfing enthusiast then a visit to the |
| forests, flora and fauna. | | | | hallowed turf of the Irish Ryder Cup is a must - |
| In 2000/01, Druids Glen was awarded the title | | | | the course is just about a 40 minute drive from |
| "European Golf Course of the Year" and it was | | | | Dublin city. |
| the location of the Irish Open from 1996-1999. | | | | The luxurious K-Club Resort also boasts a 5-star |
| Top golfers who have played here include; Ian | | | | hotel, a number of bars and restaurants and an |
| Woosnam, Retief Goosen, John Daly, Jose- Maria | | | | exclusive spa. |
| Olazabal, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo. | | | | Royal County Down Golf Club (County Down) |
| Note: When on the 12th green - check out the | | | | This world class links course is located in |
| pre Christian stone altar overlooking the green. It | | | | Newcastle County Down, about 48km south of |
| is believed to have been belong to Druids, hence | | | | Belfast city in Northern Ireland. The course can be |
| the name of the golf course, Druid's Glen! | | | | found at the foot of the majestic Mourne |
| Mount Juliet (Kilkenny) | | | | Mountains on the shores of Dundrum Bay. |
| Mount Juliet is located near Thomastown in | | | | The course lay out is challenging with its sandhills, |
| County Kilkenny, just about a 20 minute drive | | | | bunkers, heather covered dunes and yellow gorse |
| from Kilkenny city. This 18-hole championship golf | | | | lined fairways. This is definitely a course to be |
| course was carefully designed by Jack Nicklaus | | | | played if you're looking to test your skills with lots |
| and last year it claimed the title of "Best Parkland | | | | of blind shots and some of the fastest greens in |
| Course in Ireland" by Backspin Magazine. | | | | Ireland. This course is definitely one of the top |
| Golfers of all abilities are put to the test on this | | | | courses in Ireland and it's also arguably one of the |
| stunning course with its bunkers, lakes and | | | | top golf courses in the world. |