Updated on November 7, 2026
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What is the best golf course in Ireland? Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, both in Northern Ireland, share the top spot: each is ranked No. 1 in one of the island’s two major rankings. Next come three links courses on the west coast and in Dublin: Ballybunion, Lahinch and Portmarnock. Here are our top 15 golf courses in Ireland—the entire island, including Northern Ireland.
Top photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The 15 Best Golf Courses in Ireland, Ranked
15 courses shown.
| Rank | Course | Location | Access | Irish Golfer | Top100 | Golf Digest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal County Down (Championship) | Newcastle, Northern Ireland | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 2 | 1 | 1 (NI) |
| 2 | Royal Portrush (Dunluce) | Portrush, Northern Ireland | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 1 | 2 | 2 (NI) |
| 3 | Ballybunion (Old Course) | Ballybunion (Kerry) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | Lahinch (Old Course) | Lahinch (Clare) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 5 | Portmarnock (Championship) | Portmarnock (Dublin) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| 6 | County Louth (Baltray) | Baltray (Louth) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 6 | 8 | 16 |
| 7 | Waterville Golf Links | Waterville (Kerry) | Open to visitors | 7 | 7 | 4 |
| 8 | St. Patrick’s Links (Rosapenna) | Downings (Donegal) | Resort (public) | 11 | 5 | 5 |
| 9 | The Island | Donabate (Dublin) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 9 | 9 | 17 |
| 10 | Carne Golf Links | Belmullet (Mayo) | Open to visitors | 12 | 11 | 6 |
| 11 | County Sligo (Rosses Point) | Rosses Point (Sligo) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 13 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | Adare Manor | Adare (Limerick) | Resort | 8 | 17 | 9 |
| 13 | Tralee | Tralee (Kerry) | Open to visitors (on certain days) | 10 | 15 | 12 |
| 14 | Doonbeg (Trump International) | Doonbeg (Clare) | Resort | 16 | 12 | 14 |
| 15 | Ballyliffin (Glashedy) | Ballyliffin (Donegal) | Open to visitors | 18 | 13 | 13 |
Rank: Our consensus rank, the average of Irish Golfer and Top100GolfCourses, the two rankings covering the entire island. Golf Digest lists the Republic and Northern Ireland (NI) separately; its column is provided for informational purposes. “—”: Course not included in this ranking.
How We Ranked the Irish Golf Courses
We have selected the two rankings that cover the entire island: Irish Golfer (Top 100, 2026) and Top100GolfCourses (Ranking for the Island of Ireland, March 2026). For each course, we calculate the average of its two rankings; a course not included in a ranking is assigned the ranking immediately following the end of the list. The Golf Digest rankings, published separately for the Republic (Golf Digest (Ireland 2026–2027)) and Northern Ireland (Golf Digest (Northern Ireland 2026–2027)), serve as a reference. We do not reproduce these lists here; you can view them on the publishers' websites. This ranking is updated annually.
The Top 15 in Detail
Designers, year founded, par and length (back tees): the clubs' Wikipedia pages, checked on November 8, 2026; nothing is shown when the page does not say. Photos under free licenses via Wikimedia Commons.
1. Royal County Down (Championship) 🇬🇧
- Designed by Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Harry Colt
- Founded 1889
- Par and length Par 71 · 7,186 yards (6,571 m)
Rankings: Irish Golfer 2 · Top100 1 · Golf Digest 1 (NI)
At the foot of the Mourne Mountains, on Dundrum Bay, this links course is ranked No. 1 in the world by Golf Digest. Blind tee shots over the dunes, bunkers fringed with wild grasses: a course as beautiful as it is challenging. The club welcomes visitors on certain days.
2. Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 🇬🇧
- Designed by Harry Colt
- Founded 1888
- Par and length Par 71 · 7,337 yards (6,709 m)
Rankings: Irish Golfer 1 · Top100 2 · Golf Digest 2 (NI)
The only course in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championship: in 1951, in 2019 (won by Shane Lowry) and in 2025 (won by Scottie Scheffler). Designed by Harry Colt, it is also the club where Rory McIlroy learned to play. Open to visitors on certain days.
3. Ballybunion (Old Course) 🇮🇪
- Designed by Lionel Hewson, Tom Simpson, Molly Gourlay
- Founded 1893
- Par and length Par 71 · 6,802 yards (6,220 m)
Rankings: Irish Golfer 5 · Top100 3 · Golf Digest 1
A links course with cliffs and dunes overlooking the Atlantic, in Kerry, which Tom Watson has played a major role in raising its profile. Ranked No. 1 by Golf Digest in the Republic of Ireland. Open to visitors on certain days.
4. Lahinch (Old Course) 🇮🇪
- Designed by Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie
- Founded 1892
- Par and length Par 72 · 6,950 yards (6,355 m)
Rankings: Irish Golfer 4 · Top100 4 · Golf Digest 2
Nicknamed the “St. Andrews of Ireland,” Lahinch is famous for two blind holes designed by Old Tom Morris: the par-5 “Klondyke” and the par-3 “Dell.” Alister MacKenzie redesigned the course in 1927. The 2019 Irish Open was won there by Jon Rahm.
5. Portmarnock (Championship) 🇮🇪
- Designed by William Pickeman
- Founded 1894
- Par and length Par 72 · 7,463 yards (6,824 m)
Rankings: Irish Golfer 3 · Top100 6 · Golf Digest 3
A links course on a peninsula north of Dublin, reputed to be the fairest and most challenging in Ireland. It has hosted numerous Irish Opens and the Walker Cup in 1991.
6. County Louth (Baltray) 🇮🇪
- Designed by Tom Simpson
- Par and length Par 72
Rankings: Irish Golfer 6 · Top100 8 · Golf Digest 16
Better known as Baltray, this East Coast links course—revamped by Tom Simpson—is a well-kept secret. It is here that Shane Lowry, who was still an amateur at the time, won the 2009 Irish Open.
7. Waterville Golf Links 🇮🇪
Rankings: Irish Golfer 7 · Top100 7 · Golf Digest 4
A spectacular links course overlooking Ballinskelligs Bay in Kerry, opened in 1973. Payne Stewart served as its honorary captain, and a statue at the club pays tribute to him. Open to visitors.
8. St Patrick's Links (Rosapenna) 🇮🇪
Rankings: Irish Golfer 11 · Top100 5 · Golf Digest 5
The newest of Ireland’s great links courses: Tom Doak designed it in 2021 amid the vast dunes of Donegal. It’s already ranked among the world’s best by Golf Digest and GOLF. Open to resort guests and visitors.
9. The Island 🇮🇪
Rankings: Irish Golfer 9 · Top100 9 · Golf Digest 17
Founded in 1890 on a dune-covered peninsula near Dublin; the first members used to row there from Malahide. A wild, narrow links course, open to visitors on certain days.
10. Carne Golf Links 🇮🇪
Rankings: Irish Golfer 12 · Top100 11 · Golf Digest 6
One of Eddie Hackett’s last courses, set amid the giant dunes of Mayo, in a remote corner of the west. It has made it onto Golf Digest’s world rankings. Open to visitors.
11. County Sligo (Rosses Point) 🇮🇪
A Harry Colt-designed links course at the foot of Benbulben, the iconic mountain of County Sligo. Every year, it hosts the “West of Ireland” amateur championship.
12. Adare Manor 🇮🇪
A parkland course along the Maigue River, completely redesigned by Tom Fazio in 2018, set around a castle that has been converted into a luxury hotel. It will host the 2027 Ryder Cup.
13. Tralee 🇮🇪
The first course designed by Arnold Palmer in Europe, opened in 1984, with holes along the cliffs and dunes overlooking Tralee Bay. Open to visitors on certain days.
14. Doonbeg (Trump International) 🇮🇪
A Greg Norman-designed links course opened in 2002 on Doughmore Bay in County Clare, acquired by the Trump Organization in 2014. Open to resort guests and visitors.
15. Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 🇮🇪
Located on the Inishowen Peninsula, in the far north of Donegal, this links course takes its name from Glashedy Rock, which lies offshore. It hosted the 2018 Irish Open. Open to visitors.
Don't miss: Old Head
Not in our top 15 (24th and 25th in the island’s two rankings), but 7th on Golf Digest’s list for the Republic of Ireland: Old Head, near Kinsale, occupies an entire headland overlooking the Atlantic, crowned by a lighthouse. In terms of scenery, it’s one of the most impressive golf courses in Europe.
Fred's Take on Irish Golf Courses
Ireland is the perfect golf destination for a first trip to the links: the great courses welcome visitors, and the distances are short. For a first trip, I’d recommend Kerry and Clare (Ballybunion, Lahinch, Waterville, Tralee), followed by a second trip up north to Royal County Down and Royal Portrush.
Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Courses in Ireland
What is the best golf course in Ireland?
Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, in Northern Ireland, are tied in our ranking. Royal County Down is also No. 1 on Golf Digest's world rankings.
What is the best golf course in the Republic of Ireland?
Ballybunion (Old Course), in Kerry: No. 1 in Golf Digest’s rankings for the Republic and No. 3 in our rankings for the island.
Can you play at Ireland's top golf courses without being a member?
Yes. Almost all of Ireland's major links courses welcome visitors, though often only on certain days of the week: you need to book well in advance for the high season.
When is the best time to go on a golf trip to Ireland?
From May through September, when the days are long and the courses are in top condition. Wind is part of the game in every season.