Golfing in Ireland

[Jon Wiggett]

Just thought I would ask the collective wisdom about the following.

I have a group of golfing friends that go on a 5 day trip every year. There are 12 of them in total. They expect good accommodation and good food. For the golf they like interresting and quirky. To give an idea the best trip they have had to date was to the highlands where they played and still rave about (7 years later) Kingussie, Boat of Garten, Nairn, Royal Dornoch, Moray Old and Abernethy.

They want to go to Ireland. Any suggestions welcome.

[Jason McNamara]

Just to give this a push, how much driving / hotel switching is acceptable?

If lots, then fly into Knock (Mayo).... or maybe Sligo if you can find a flight,
(1) Co. Sligo + Strandhill
(2) Enniscrone
(3) Carne's 27
(4) Westport
(5) Connemara + Connemara Isles (9 holes)
depart Galway

for less driving, the all-Donegal trip:
(1) Donegal
(2) Narin & Portnoo + Cruit Island (9 holes)
(3 + 4) Rosapenna, Portsalon
(5) Dunfanaghy or St. Pat's (?)
depart Derry

Or for very little logistical maneuvering:
2-3 days playing Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock
2-3 days playing Rosapenna, Portsalon
in & out of Derry

There are of course a million options, but those above avoid Kerry and Dublin, since it sounds as if your friends don't want to follow all the tour buses.  I suppose they could also do something like Royal Belfast - Bangor - Kirkistown - Ardglass - RCD, which is mostly obscure.  (Continental has non-stops from Newark to Belfast, if they go this route, though I understand all the arguments for wanting to avoid EWR.)

Others here can certainly recommend tweaks/substitutions/restaurants, but that should at least get your buddies rushing off to check some websites.   


EDIT:  The guys who wrote Links of Heaven (recommended) have a useful list of links up at http://www.irishgolf.com/related.html

[Padraig Dooley]

I'd agree with Jason, try the North-West, cheaper, less crowded. Ballyliffen could be added to the itinerary.

[Matthew Hunt]

I would say the north is now cheaper than Donegal with the exchange rates and now the North-West has been 'discovered'.

[Chris Cupit]

I couldn't go back to Ireland without Royal County Down on the list.  In my personal top 5 in the world.  I'd start there and work around it.  Actually if I could I'd just play there  for a week.

[Jack_Marr]

You might find some useful info at this website... http://www.northandwestcoastlinks.com/