Golf in Ireland West has been described by Tourism Ireland as 'warm, wild and wonderful'. This part of Ireland offers fabulous links and parkland courses with varied heritage and beautiful scenery. It is one of our preferred golfing destinations. The links golf courses are world renowned and open for visitors to play.
Make the most out of your golf trip to the west of Ireland. Look up the location of the golf courses on the map; it will help you with your planning to play the best during your holidays. To each golf course visited we have applied a rating. The scale, 5 (highest) to 2 (lowest), attempts to provide an indication of the golfing experience you can expect at each rated course. Hover your on-screen mouse pointer above the rating key hereafter to read our definitions.
Resort guests prioritised
Limerick
Original design by Robert Trent Jones Sr (1995); significantly revamped by Tom Fazio (2017).
Visitors welcome
Athlone
Original design at this location by John McAllister (1938). Subsequent modifications by Hawtree & Co. (1972), and Eddie Hackett (1990).
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Robert Trent Jones Sr.
Wkends restrictd
Killarney
Original layout by club professional James McKenna. After 8 yrs of closure, a new 9-hole layout was designed by Lionel Hewson (1906), and extended to 18-holes in 1926. Additional modifications made by Tom Simpson (1937) and Tom Watson (1995).
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Des Smyth & Declan Branigan
Visitors welcome
Galway
Robert J. "Bobby" Brown
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original design by Arthur Spring (1994). Course redesigned by Tom Mackenzie of Mackenzie & Ebert Golf Course Architects (2007).
Visitors welcome
Sligo
Eddie Hackett designed the original 18-holes (1993), now called the Hackett Links. On the Wild Atlantic course, holes 1 thru' 7, and 17 and 18 are part of the original Hackett layout; they are played as holes 1 thru' 7, and 8 and 9 when you play the Hackett Links. The middle section of Wild Atlantic (holes 8 thru' 16; sometimes called the Kilmore Nine) was added later and designed by Jim Engh & Ally McIntosh (2013).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Dr Arthur Spring
Visitors welcome
Galway
Eddie Hackett
Visitors welcome
Cork
Dr Alister MacKenzie redesigned the course, extending it to 18-holes in 1927. Major renovation by Martin Hawtree (2010).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett & Christy O'Connor Jr.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original layout designed by the club members, with several subsequent makeovers. Substantial redesign by Martin Hawtree (2005).
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original layout designed by American course architect Brook L. Wigginton (1961). Significant improvements made by Ron Kirby and Joe Carr (2003).
Visitors welcome
Cork
Original Deerpark course designed by Christy O'Connor Jr & Peter McEvoy; modified by Jeff Howes (1999). Howes also designed Fota Island's nine new holes (2006).
Visitors welcome
Galway
Christy O'Connor Jr.
Wkends restrictd
Galway
Dr Alister MacKenzie laid out the current course in the early-1920s.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Original design by Dr William (Billy) O'Sullivan & Fred Hawtree, with a subsequent redesign by Tom MacKenzie (2006).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Sir Guy Campbell & Henry Longhurst
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Redesigned by Dr Arthur Spring in 1994.
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original layout by Old Tom Morris. Significant later modifications by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1920s); MacKenzie left untouched Morris's best holes (e.g. par-5 4th, par-3 5th). Further enhancements by Martin Hawtree (2003).
Visitors welcome
Galway
Unknown
Visitors welcome
Cork
A collaborative design involving Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins, Eddie Hackett and Dr. Joe Carr.
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett
Weekdays only
Killarney
Arnold Palmer designed the course at Tralee's current Barrow location (1984).
Visitors welcome
Limerick
Original design by Greg Norman (2002); redesigned by Martin Hawtree (2014).
Visitors welcome
Killarney
Eddie Hackett & Claude Harmon designed the current layout (early 1970s). Significant changes made by Tom Fazio (2006/7).
Visitors welcome
Galway
Frederick W. "Fred" Hawtree
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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