Golfers: 8
Rounds: 6
Favourite Course: Lahinch
Favourite Meal: The Smokehouse
Favourite Stay: Suites at Old Head
There is great golf all over Ireland, but for first timers, the quintessential golf trip is to the Southwest part of the republic.
With flights in and out of Shannon, one can fit a tidy one week trip playing a memorable golf course everyday. Along the way, there are World Top 100 standards such as Ballybunion (#17), Lahinch (#40), Waterville (#76) and until recently Tralee was once a stalwart in the World Rankings. While the cognoscenti do not consider Old Head of the same calibre as the aforementioned courses, it is a unique course that everyone should include on their first trip to the Southwest. Rounding out the trip, include a round at Trump, the artist formerly known as Doonbeg. Changes are abound on the Greg Norman course since The Donald purchased it, but we do know the lodge is outstanding.
When to go?
We like the Spring for a few reasons.
1. The golf courses, hotels and pubs are all fresh and happy to see the golfers arrive.
2. Long days mean flexibility for tee times, in the spring, you can expect over 15 hours of daylight each day.
3. The fescue that swallows balls and does not burb is relatively tame compared to the long gnarly stuff found later in the year.