[Rick Sides]

So this summer or possibly next, my family is planning a trip to Ireland for about 10 days.  I figure I will be able to squeeze in about 4 rounds as we drive from Northern Ireland and around the country of Ireland .  Granted the Emerald Isle is filled with golf but what would be your 4 must play this trip?

[Rob Marshall]

Lahinch, Royal County Down, Portrush, Ballybunion

[Ally Mcintosh]

Do you have your rough travel plans / accommodation sorted? If you let us know that, then I can recommend your best 4 from about 7 or 8.


Generally speaking the Big 5 are RCD, Portrush, Portmarnock, Ballybunion and Lahinch.


But now we’ve got St. Patricks to consider. And then there’s always County Louth (which I consider on a par with the Big 5/6) and the new course at Carne which although some might call me biased, I’d round out the Top-8 with.

[Rick Sides]

Its for my 50th birthday so we are going to kinda plan agenda around the 4 courses I really want to play. Is the drive from Northern Ireland into Ireland a feasible trip for 10 days?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Its for my 50th birthday so we are going to kinda plan agenda around the 4 courses I really want to play. Is the drive from Northern Ireland into Ireland a feasible trip for 10 days?

Definitely!


Assuming you fly in to Dublin, you will want to spend a couple of nights there either at the beginning or end of your trip. That should be 1 round (Portmarnock). Get in touch if you choose to do that and I will help.


Dublin to Portrush is just over 3 hours. Stay up there for a couple of nights on the Antrim Coast. Play Portrush…. Royal County Down should be played on journey to or from Dublin as it sits between.


Dublin to Lahinch is just over 3 hours in the other direction. Ballybunion is a further hour… Lahinch is a decent spot but really for a 50th, I think you might be as well staying in Dingle for a few nights and exploring that peninsula, maybe playing BallyB on the way up or down to Dublin. Definitely stay / travel the west coast for a few days… personally I love Connemara, Galway and Mayo… Without any great golf within striking distance, Galway City really is a must. You will have a fantastic time there but I bet some on this website haven’t even visited it because the nearest top links is 90 minutes away.


Finally, you could travel over from Portrush and play St. Patricks and visit Donegal instead. That way you might pass on the South-West area and leave that for your next trip.

[Rick Sides]

Ally thanks so much lad ! I am hoping to get to Donegal at one point because I recently took a dna test and what I thought was an Italian up bringing I grew up in turned out to be 0 percent Italian and about 92 percent Irish from Donegal ! I would love to keep and touch leading up to a trip

[Mark Pritchett]

I highly recommend playing two rounds at RCD, each on separate days.  We did this on our trip and experienced different weather, pins, etc. 

[cary lichtenstein]

On my 3 trips to Ireland, I always played 36 each day, otherwise the days would be too long. Hurry and tired for dinner, always slept great each nite. If you're going to be there for 10 days, I'd play each course 3 times:
Royal County Down
Lahinch
Ballybunion
Royal Port Rush

[Dan_Callahan]

I'm biased because Donegal is my favorite place on Earth (even beyond the golf), but I would do Dublin (Portmarnock or County Louth), through Northern Ireland (RCD and Portrush as have been suggested), and then over to St. Patrick's, where you can stay in Dunfanaghy and book dinner for several nights at the Rusty Oven for the best pizza in Ireland. And if you are up for a 36 hole day, you can do St. Pat's along with Sandy Hills or Old Tom.

[Sean_A]

I'm biased because Donegal is my favorite place on Earth (even beyond the golf), but I would do Dublin (Portmarnock or County Louth), through Northern Ireland (RCD and Portrush as have been suggested), and then over to St. Patrick's, where you can stay in Dunfanaghy and book dinner for several nights at the Rusty Oven for the best pizza in Ireland. And if you are up for a 36 hole day, you can do St. Pat's along with Sandy Hills or Old Tom.

I gotta say that if one is doing an all Ireland tour and skips St Pat's they are possibly missing the best course in Ireland. Ally is underselling the place.

Ciao

[Mike Hendren]

Doolin is just up the road from Lahinch.  Whatever you do, wherever you go DO NOT MISS the Doolin Music House and Doolin Cliff Walk.  Book it.

[Max Prokopy]

I second the idea of multiple rounds at RCD.  It's just that good.  At the least you'll want to plan for 36 in one day. 


FWIW I quite enjoyed staying in Belfast. 

[Craig Sweet]

Ally, you would chose Portmarnock over the Island Club?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Let’s face it there are a dozen courses he could play and be happy. If you can, check the weather forecast and see what is coming. Then choose. If you play as a single you won’t need to make tee times very far in advance.

[Garland Bayley]

Ally, you would chose Portmarnock over the Island Club?

Of course he would.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ally thanks so much lad ! I am hoping to get to Donegal at one point because I recently took a dna test and what I thought was an Italian up bringing I grew up in turned out to be 0 percent Italian and about 92 percent Irish from Donegal ! I would love to keep and touch leading up to a trip

Then your 4 rounds are settled.


Portmarnock (Dublin), Portrush & RCD (NI) and St.Patricks (Donegal).


Depending on how much driving you want to do, I would skip the South-West. But definitely try and move down the west from Donegal through Westport, Leenane, Clifden and on to Galway City before back to Dublin.


Portmarnock over The Island because it is far the superior course. Also gives a nice mix of links golf with the other three mentioned.


The Island is excellent but is really a slightly lesser version of the dunes golf you would get at Ballybunion or Lahinch. Save them for your next trip.

[archie_struthers]

The trip Ally described sounds perfect.  Would think Portrush , RCD and Ballybunion are a must play,


Congratulations on the DNA test also!


 

[Mike Baillie]

Rick, if you have 10 or so days, I would second Ally's recommendations.  We did the route he recommended in 14 days in August.  The western towns of Newport, Westport, Clifden and Galway are worth seeing before you head back to Dublin.  Booking early is likely essential at all but St Patrick's of the 4.  Back-ups for RCD Champ could be Ardglass or the RCD Anes.  If you can't get on RP Dunluce for your dates then the Valley or Portstewart are fine.


Some other time do Lahinch, Ballybunion, Dooks, Waterville or Old Head.  As mentioned by some one on the thread the town of Dingle is great as is Kinsale.


The key is to not try to cover the whole island in 10-11 days with 4 rounds.

[Mike Hendren]

I second Dingle and booking lodging on the top floor of Pax Guest House is amazing.

[Rick Sides]

We will probably book flights, car, air b on our own .. is there a good website to book the rounds of golf ?

[Garland Bayley]

We will probably book flights, car, air b on our own .. is there a good website to book the rounds of golf ?

ally.com

Of course this website does not exist. Just kidding. But, do Portmarnock through him.

EDIT ally.com turns out to be some kind of banking institution. TIDE

[Garland Bayley]

I believe the high end courses you are looking at will need to be booked through the courses themselves. When I booked Portrush Dunluce I went back and forth a few times by email with them to get a time that fit our schedule. And, that was before the big dance was there.

[Marty Bonnar]

This is a very timely thread for me as we're in the early planning stages for a motorhome trip to the emerald isle next year.
Here's my supplementary question for the knowledgeable locals:
Given we'd like to find nice campsites in close proximity (walking distance, preferably), to the local golf course (and pubs, natch), have you any great suggestions, please?
TIA,
FBD.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Rick


You can't go wrong with any of Ally's top 6 - make it 7 with Carne the highest Dunes of all..




So as you are not travelling alone, solely for golf, it may come down to proximity to the bases you choose.


So for me its


Portrush/Portstewart over Newcastle.
Lahinch over Ballybunion.
Belfast over Dublin (i know, I know... )
Dingle over Ring of Kerry


Also if you do get to Lahinch see if you can temp your travelling companions to try a links P&P. There's one on the Road to Doolin, Sandfield House P&P, and  a second through Doolin on the way to the Pier.  Aim to get to them just after opening. Playing behind a family 8 ball is not much fun!



Marty There's a static site just opposite Portrush and I think at Castlerock - worth playing.
Also overlooking Ballybunion.
Not sure if they take RV tourers.  Sorry can't help more.

[Tim_Weiman]

Rick,


If you are going to be in Northern Ireland, you should definitely play St. Patrick’s. As Sean Able said, it might be the best course in Ireland. That’s a pretty strong statement, of course, but it just might be true.


St. Patrick’s is an amazing property. At the same time, it is very clear that Tom Doak and his Renaissance team put a lot of effort into the details, especially with the greens.


Tom Watson was famously quoted as saying Ballybunion is a place aspiring architects should live and study before building golf courses. IMO, the same can be said of St. Patrick’s. Don’t miss it.

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