Golfers’ Paradise: An Irish Golf Tour

Arise to the sound of the Atlantic Ocean gently lapping against the sweeping white sand near White Strand Beach. Your resort carries antique Irish charm, filled with modern luxuries that provide the best of both worlds. Your room is scented with lavender and offers an exceptional view of the azure layers of the sea. The village developed around the Doonbeg Castle in the 16th century, whose remaining walls edge the village’s eastern border. After breakfast, you make your way out to the course. A layer of morning dew sits on the verdant course.

The course was established in the 1990s but officially opened in 2002, set on 377 acres of coastline; that same year, Australian Greg Norman defeated Irish Padraig Harrington in an exhibition match on these very grounds. The wind blows subtly in the morning. The blades of grass follow the sun throughout the day. The par 72 lies over 6,848 yards, combining a variation of five par 3s and five par 5s. By Hole 14 you look out over the small valley between you and the green. The sliver of green stands atop a dune overlooking the beach. The landscape is unlike anywhere you have ever seen, making every swing unique and unforgettable.

The morning light spreads across the landscape. The lobby fills with the crackle of a fire set near the welcome desk. At breakfast, you listen to the charming sounds of the fireplace accompanied by the fresh sizzle of bacon. Indulge in a full Irish breakfast before your round at Tralee Golf Club. Fried eggs sit on a plate with bacon, various types of sausages, potatoes, and vegetables cooked in creamy butter with crunchy soda bread on the side. After your meal, your private transfer takes you to Tralee Golf Club, designed and built by golf legend Arnold Palmer. The course has been acclaimed as one of the finest in the world, consistently ranked in the top 10 of Ocean Courses.

The course was constructed in the late 19th century and expanded in 1980. When you stand at the first hole, you have a spectacular view of the beach. The sound of larks fills the par 4, 404 yard hole. Their tweets echo the exhilaration of playing the Tralee course. To the left of the hole, bursting out of the sea is a large rock named Mucklough, meaning sea lion, and provided the namesake for the hole. The green is set off slightly to the right of the fairway. Small dunes border the long stretch of fairway and create tiny hazards to consider with each swing. Take out your club, grip firmly, and pay attention to the wind.

The simple pleasures of breakfast allow you wake up at your own pace, listening to the crackling fire and delighting in a hearty meal accompanied by fresh, steaming tea. After breakfast, you are escorted to Lahinch, a bustling antique holiday town known for its surfing and protected sands of Liscannor Bay. You arrive at the world-renowned Lahinch Golf Club, a celebrated links course dating back to 1892 and fashioned by Scottish soldiers. The links tradition of Scotland and Ireland situate golf courses along rolling coastal dunes, characterized by undulating surfaces and sandy soils. Lahinch Golf Club houses the amateur tournament known as the South of Ireland Championship.

The sea creates a pleasant zephyr. Hole Five is known as the Dell, famous for its short fairway and shallow green situated between two 30-foot-tall sand dunes. From the tee the green almost disappears in front of you. A rock situated on the hillside connotes the location of the hole. The breeze flutters the tall grass bordering the manicured fairway. The hole is a par 3, reaching an extent of 154 yards. You take out your seven iron and don’t set a tee. You look over the undulating landscape, practice your rotation, and let the ball fly.

Indulge in a day in Doonberg at your leisure, where you can set out on a guided tour of the western Ireland or revel in the golfer’s paradise with a private golf lesson. You decide to rest your muscles for the day and venture out across the epic Irish landscape to experience more of the heritage, people, and scenery for which the country is known. Off the shore, bottlenose dolphins arc out of the water and play in the wake of speeding boats.

Legend of a historic steam engine traverses the scenic West Clare Railway. You venture out along Loop Head Peninsula for a first-hand experience of the dramatic, picturesque landscape of Ireland’s West Clare region. Fishing boats wade in the cobalt water. The graceful breeze carries the semi-sweet aroma of the ocean. The lighthouse stands overlooking the shore 250 feet tall. A lighthouse has decorated the shoreline at Loop Head since the 17th century. The clear blue sky almost mirrors the water. You can see northbound along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Cattle roam on extensive farms and graze on the fertile land. The greenery and relaxed ambiance of the countryside enchant you. North of Loop Head are the Cliffs of Moher, where the unparalleled drama of the coastline shines. The breathtaking cliffs rise 702 feet over the shimmering sea. The water crashes against the rocks and mists into the air. You can look at the shoreline from one cliff and watch the land unfold itself, jutting away from the island’s mass.

After breakfast, you venture away from the soothing rhythm of the waves hitting the shore. Dromoland Golf Club was created in the 1960s, designed by renowned American architect Brook. L. Wigginton. The course was renovated in 2003 becoming a par 72 and encompassing 6,824 yards of play. The links-style courses fade from your mind as you step out into the enchanting shade of woodlands and open rolling pasture. Streams filter through the trees and feed into reflective lakes. Dromoland Castle was originally erected in the 15th century and now holds a five-star luxury hotel overlooking the estate.

Hole Seven rises above the tiny green, where water ripples to the left and a bunker creates a sandy hazard to the right. The par 3 is 179 yards long with an idyllic landscape in front of the large lake. Three separate trees are positioned to block a straight shot to the green, teasing you with a sense of ill-fated ease. You look down the fairway and decide your best opportunity for par is laying-up. The pastoral landscape offers different but exciting challenges than the rolling dunes of links courses. The air is sweet with blossoming trees and fresh water. The quiet countryside ambiance means you can hear the whoosh of your club whenever you swing, followed by the elegant ping of your club contacting the ball.

Adare Manor is a mansion situated on the banks of River Maigue near Limerick. The current edifice contains elements of the 17th-century manor that once watched over the estate. Now an elegant hotel, colorful vines overtake the façade that are trimmed around the windows to provide stunning views of the landscape. You arrive in the morning after breakfast where the Victorian architecture is in full view. The course was initially opened in the turn of the 20th century and remodeled in mid-1990s. Mature trees border the fairways creating a garden ambiance around the household.

The course is 7,453 yards long encompassing the 14-acre lake around the front nine holes. You can hear the River Maigue trickling around the course.  Hole Twelve is a par 5 extending 551 yards. The fairway slants up hill and doglegs to the left on two separate occasions. You set the tee down and aim right of the bunker, hoping to reach the landing area. The green is 40 yards front to back and represents a two club different between the two potential lies. The trees rustle. The pin peeks out of the green. You approach the hole knowing that it is yours to take.

The subtle crackling fire in the lobby reminds you of the morning mist on the seaside courses. The aroma of pine satiates your par on the twelfth hole of Adare Manor. You have played some of your best golf on some of the world’s most challenging and renowned courses. Even the scent of bacon raises a memory of your time at Tralee Golf Club, playing against the image of legends. After breakfast your private transfer transports you to the Shannon airport for your flight home. You have experienced the tremendous paradise of golfing in Ireland and can always stay longer discovering more of the country’s immaculate courses.

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