Ireland Golf Tour

Tour of Trinity College Campus & Dublin City
(Book Of Kells – National Gallery – Guinness Storehouse)

On Merrion Square, close to the National Gallery, the Dail (Parliament Buildings) and Trinity College, this striking hotel is fronted by the impressive 1863 facade of the Alfred Jones designed Merrion Hall, which was restored as part of the hotel building project in the early '90s. Inside, the architectural theme is continued in the naming of rooms - Lanyon's Restaurant, for example, honours the designer of Queen's University Belfast, and the Gandon Suite is named after the designer of some of Dublin's finest buildings, including the Custom House. Bedrooms are furnished to a high standard with orthopaedic beds, air conditioning, voicemail, modem lines, personal safes and turndown service in addition to the more usual amenities - all also have ample desk space, while the suites also have fax and laser printer. Above all, perhaps, The Davenport is known for the warmth and helpfulness of its staff, and it makes a very comfortable base within walking distance of shops and galleries.
Tonight we have a Welcome Dinner at the Bank Bar & Restaurant on College Green

Overnight Accommodation at the Four Star Davenport Hotel

Golf at County Louth Golf Club/Baltray

After Golf Transfer to Newcastle, County Down & Check In to the Burrendale Hotel for Three Nights

Just outside the traditional seaside holiday town of Newcastle, and close to the championship links of the Royal County Down golf course, this friendly hotel on the edge of the Mourne mountains has a pleasingly remote atmosphere and spacious public areas, including the homely Cottage Bar with an open log fire, welcome on chilly days. Well-appointed accommodation includes some family rooms and some newer superior rooms that have lovely views and are furnished to a higher standard, including air conditioning, but all rooms are well-equipped with the usual amenities. The Burrendale has recently been attracting attention for good food, served in both the informal Cottage Kitchen Restaurant and the evening restaurant, Vine.

County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it's known locally, is one of those golf courses that contradict the commonly held belief that Ireland's eastern coast is far inferior to the southwestern region in terms of quality links courses. Though the volume of links may not be quite the same on the east coast, when you consider courses such as Baltray, The Island, Royal Dublin, Portmarnock, Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links, Royal County Down and the European Club, it is clear that the quality of links golf courses on the eastern side of the island is in no way inferior. The original layout at Baltray was modified to a large extent when Tom Simpson and his assistant, Molly Gourlay, redesigned the course in 1938 but so successful were the alterations made at this time, that the course remains relatively unchanged today. Noted in Irish golfing circles for the quality of its greens, visitors to County Louth are often perplexed that links of such quality should have a rather modest international profile. The reason perhaps has more to do with the unpretentious attitude of the club, rather than its relatively secluded location at the mouth of the River Boyne.

Overnight Accommodation at the Burrendale Hotel

Golf at Royal Co. Down Golf Club/Championship

Royal County Down the very words is enough to send a shiver up your spine. Laid out beneath the imperious gaze of the Mountains of Mourne and enjoying a magnificent setting along the shores of Dundrum Bay, Royal County Down is truly one of the world's finest links golf courses. Designed by Old Tom Morris for the princely sum of four guineas back in 1889, Royal County Down, as well as being one of the most beautiful courses in the world, is also one of the most challenging.


It may be a well-worn cliche but if ever there existed a natural piece of land upon which to build a golf course, then the links turf of Newcastle was it. This strip of dune land was 90% along the road to being a golf course before the hand of man-made some adjustments in the leveling of teeing grounds, moulding of greens and digging of bunkers. It's no surprise that within four years, Royal County Down was considered good enough to stage the Irish Open Amateur Championship and by the dawning of the 20th century, the course was rated as the finest course in all of Ireland.

Unlike many of the great natural links courses, Royal County Down doesn't have the traditional out and back layout; rather there are two distinct loops of nine holes. The outward half is closer to the sea, more sandy in nature and offers consistently larger dunes than on the homeward loop. Walking down the first fairway with the sound of breaking waves in your ears is a truly memorable occasion and it is said that you can always spot the first-time visitor to Newcastle as they can be seen walking up the first fairway backwards, so enchanting is the beauty behind.

Overnight Accommodation at the Burrendale Hotel

Golf at Ardglass Golf Club.

Ardglass Golf Club is a short, tricky link that is well worth playing, if only for the thrilling cliff-top holes that characterize this small and wonderful golf club. All 18 holes at Ardglass have a view of the Irish Sea.

The first six provide a really good view - they all play with the coast ever-present on the left-hand side. The second is the first spectacular challenge, a par-3 of 167 yards across a deep creice cutting into the cliffs. All along the left-hand side is slopes toward the cliffs. A picture postcard hole - the green is there, just try and imagine there is nothing else around it! Another awe-inspiring tee shot awaits at the fourth with the fairway gently running downhill and away towards the cliffs. As with the other holes, there is no real penalty for a missing way right - it may be considered smart course management but it's against the spirit of Ardglass! The next few holes are plain and traditional links holes and provide a chance to survey the beauty of the area. The par-3 10th is a 205-yard par-3 that is always affected by the wind. The course then returns along the seashore with spectacular 11th and 12th holes. The 11th will penalize the slice you perfected on the outward journey, this par-5 runs along the shore. There is a steep bak to the left covered in thick growth. The 12th hole is a par-3 of 198 yards and is probably the most memorable hole on the course. The tee provides magnificent views of the Mountains of Mourne and across the Irish Sea. The green is set below on a rocky headland and the tee shot is played across a craggy inlet. The final run of holes also punishes a hook. The 18th is a fine finishing hole playing towards the clubhouse that is a restored castle, once the holiday home of the Earls of Kildare.

Ardglass is a pleasant and memorable holiday golf course. Much debate is given to whether it should be played as a warm-up to Royal County Down or after. Our own opinion is that Royal County Down is going to leave most golfers hankering for a less formidable challenge and Ardglass is an ideal course to provide the tonic required. You will certainly enjoy it.

Final Night Accommodation at the Burrendale Hotel

The first thing that will strike you about the 4 Star Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel & Spa in Co. Donegal is the spectacular panoramic view of Malin Head and the Inishowen coastline taking in the world-famous Ballyliffin Golf Club, the golden sands of Pollan Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Private and intimate, set in the heart of Ballyliffin village, the drama of its views is continued as you enter its beautifully designed interior where traditional charm and luxury is woven into the very fabric of the exquisite décor. The Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel & Spa has 40 expertly designed hotel rooms. The elegant furnishings and tasteful coordination of the decor will make your stay at the 4-star Donegal hotel comfortable and special. Dining at the Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa Donegal is always an occasion. At the hotel, they offer a wealth of dining options where you will experience unobtrusive service and spectacularly good food.

Overnight Accommodation at the Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel & Spa

Golf at Ballyliffin Golf Club/Old Course

Known in some circles as the "Dornoch of Ireland", the Old Course at Ballyliffin has long been regarded by those in the know, as the ultimate hidden gem. Boasting an unsurpassable setting and with terrain so perfect for golf, it seems that those who did stumble across Ballyliffin felt compelled to speak about it in whispers. Upon visiting the course in 1993, Nick Faldo immediately fell under Ballyliffin's spell. With its amazingly contoured fairways, this was a course that added new meaning to the phrase "natural golf links". 1995 saw the addition of the Glashedy Links, a more than worthy sibling to its elder brother. And even today, despite their growing reputations, the courses of Ballyliffin, nestled beneath towering mountains and overlooking Pollan Bay remain two of the world's best-kept golfing secrets.


Nothing quite prepares you for your first sight of the Old Links at Ballyliffin. Standing on the 1st tee, the overpowering sensation is one of total bewilderment. Like most fairways here, the terrain twists and tumbles in every conceivable direction. During his visit in 1993, Faldo remarked: "Do you play bump and run here or do you just run and bump?" Unfortunately, there is no one person from whom one can seek advice at Ballyliffin, as the principal architect of the Old Links was Mother Nature, the greatest of all course designers. The Old Course is an unashamedly old-fashioned link that bristles with charm, character and curiosity. And what a course it is! By the time you reach the elevated 2nd green and before you contemplate a severely sloping putt, you will be stunned by the sweeping ocean view. Here for the first time, the golfer can appreciate the full glory of the links as it unravels between the sea and encircling hills. The Old Links offers countless superb holes including the 3rd, played directly towards the ocean along a perilously narrow fairway and the legendary par 3, 5th with its elusive green perched between two large sandhills but arguably the best hole is kept until last, where the fairway wriggles along its entire length, coming to rest at the foot of the clubhouse no doubt one of the finest finishing holes in golf.

Overnight Accommodation at the Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel & Spa

Golf at Rosapenna Golf Links/Sandy Hills Course

Sandy Hills is in many ways the ideal of a modern golf link. Intended for the serious golfer, its narrow fairways appear constricting from the tee, but the landing areas sculpted from the dunes are deceptively wide. Measuring a hefty 7,155 yards, Sandy Hills was designed with championship play in mind, but it offers the average player a more manageable test of 6,356 yards from the white tees. Above all, the appeal of Sandy Hills lies in its beautiful balanced route through the high dunes cloaked in marram grass.

Overnight Accommodation at the Ballyliffin Lodge Hotel & Spa

Visit Giants Causeway, Dunluce Castle (Shown below) & Bushmills Distillery

Located in the village that is home to the world's oldest distillery, the quaint Bushmills Inn lies between the Giant's Causeway and Royal Portrush Golf Club. Since reopening in 1987, the Inn has come to epitomize the true spirit of Ulster hospitality and has been outstandingly successful in recreating its origins as an old Coaching Inn. The welcoming glow of four turf fires, oil lamps and stripped pine are just some of the features that give this historic inn its intriguing character.



The quaint, individually decorated bedrooms of the Coaching Inn are complemented by the larger, cottage-style rooms in the Mill House on the banks of the River Bush, which is renowned for its salmon. There is a secret library to be explored (if you can find it), while the bar, which is still lit by gaslight, is the perfect place to enjoy a glass of 25-year-old Bushmills malt whiskey from the hotel's private cask, prior to sampling the culinary delights of the Taste of Ulster Restaurant with its whitewashed walls and intimate snugs.



Besides the nearby golf courses of Royal Portrush, Castlerock and Portstewart, there are many attractions in the area to explore. The Giant's Causeway, recognized in some quarters as the eighth wonder of the world, is a must, while the Old Bushmills Distillery is also worth a visit. Precariously perched on a sheer cliff, overlooking the rocks where the Spanish Armada met its fate, Dunluce Castle, which was built by the Normans in the 12th century and the spectacular Carrick-a-rede rope bridge is also situated nearby and should certainly be visited.

Overnight Accommodation at the Bushmills Inn

Golf at Portstewart Golf Club/Strand

Situated on Ulster's magnificent Causeway Coast, Portstewart Golf Club is one of the very few 45-hole complexes in Europe. And while the jewel in the Portstewart crown is undoubtedly the Strand Course, visitors may also choose from the par 64 Old Course and the nine-hole Riverside Course. Everything changed when the new championship layout of the Strand Course hosted the Irish Close Championship in 1992. As with many Irish links courses, Portstewart boasts a long history. While the origins of golf in the area date from 1889, the club was not founded until 1894. Such was the interest in the game; the club was forced to move from their original nine-hole layout to a larger site at the opposite end of the town. Further expansion was undertaken in the 1960s following the acquisition of more land, while in 1992, the extension into the area of dunes known as "Thistly Hollow" yielded the Strand Course, a link which is today widely considered as one of the finest in Ireland.

Measuring 6,779 yards from the championship stakes, the Strand Course at Portstewart, which is set in classic links country amidst towering sand dunes, is a difficult but fair links layout and offers magnificent views of the Donegal Hills, Atlantic Ocean, Strand Beach and River Bann. And in days when the development of new courses can run into millions of pounds, it is to the credit of Portstewart Golf Club, that their own staff has largely created the layout at the Strand Course. Of the many superb holes on the championship links of Portstewart, it is possible that the par-four 1st and par three 6th will linger longest in the memory. Playing alongside two miles of golden beach, with the Atlantic Ocean lapping the shore and Donegal Hills looming in the distance, the first hole is an exquisite 425-yard dogleg right. A good tee shot is essential in order to set up an approach to a large green, while club selection is the key to your second shot avoiding three-putt country. The par three 6th, though measuring only 140 yards is a superb hole, which, depending on wind requires a shot ranging from three iron to wedge, played to a plateau green.

Overnight Accommodation at the Bushmills Inn

Free day to Explore.

Overnight Accommodation at the Davenport Hotel