Ireland is already counting down to September 2027, when Adare Manor in County Limerick will host the Ryder Cup. It will be a week of pure theatre, with one of the world’s most celebrated parkland courses providing the stage. But if you’re travelling all this way for golf, it would be a shame to miss out on the island’s coastal treasures.
The Wild Atlantic Way sweeps from Donegal down to Cork, and along it you’ll find links golf in its most elemental form. These are the courses that shaped the game here, laid out on dunes, cliffs and headlands, always at the mercy of Atlantic winds. Pair them with colourful harbour towns, lively pubs and great local food, and you have the makings of an unforgettable trip around the Ryder Cup.
Limerick and Adare: The Ryder Cup Stage
When you reach Limerick, you’ll find a lively city with a medieval core. King John’s Castle, perched on the Shannon, tells stories of battles long past, while the Saturday Milk Market is perfect for farmhouse cheeses and fresh bread.
Adare itself is one of Ireland’s prettiest villages, with thatched cottages and antique shops. Here you’ll find Adare Manor, the Ryder Cup host. Its Tom Fazio-redesigned course is immaculate and unforgiving, and in 2027 it will be at the centre of world sport. Playing it before or after the tournament is a treat, but remember that the real soul of Irish golf lies just beyond, along the coast.
Galway: Gateway to the West
Galway is often the first stop, a city fizzing with energy and colour. Its Latin Quarter is a warren of cobbled streets filled with music, craft shops and cafés. After an evening dipping into pubs like Tig Cóilí or The Crane for traditional music, you’ll be ready for a round of golf with some sea air.
Just an hour north lies Connemara Golf Links, a rugged championship course set between the Atlantic and the Twelve Bens mountains. Further south, Galway Bay Golf Resort offers sweeping views across the water with a friendlier layout. Both give a taste of classic west coast golf before you head further along the coast.
County Clare: Cliffs and Coastal Fairways
Clare is home to some of Ireland’s most iconic sights. The Cliffs of Moher are awe-inspiring, whether you’re on the cliff path or taking a boat below. The Burren’s strange limestone pavements, dotted with wildflowers and ancient tombs, are equally unmissable.
But for golfers, Clare is sacred ground. Lahinch Golf Club is known as the St Andrews of Ireland, a testing links shaped by Old Tom Morris and later Alister MacKenzie. Its blind shots and towering dunes have broken many a heart, yet it remains one of the most exhilarating experiences in the game. Nearby, Doonbeg rolls along Doughmore Bay, a dramatic Greg Norman design reworked by Martin Hawtree, where the Atlantic is never out of sight.
Stay the night at Gregans Castle or Dromoland Castle for a mix of historic charm, great food and, if you fancy, another round at Dromoland’s parkland course.
Cork: Colourful Harbours and a Legendary Headland
West Cork is a place of quiet coves, island ferries and pastel-painted villages. Schull, Baltimore and Glandore are full of charm, while Bantry House and Garinish Island showcase Cork’s gentler side.
Then comes the big one. Old Head Golf Links in Kinsale may be the most spectacular setting for golf in the world, perched on a 220-acre headland with holes strung along cliffs hundreds of feet above the Atlantic. It’s dramatic, it’s daunting, and it’s the perfect crescendo to a golfing trip that began with Adare.
Kinsale itself is one of Ireland’s great foodie towns, with Michelin-starred Bastion and plenty of casual spots serving the best of Cork’s larder. Pair that with a round at Old Head and you’ll go home with stories to dine out on for years.
Kerry: Links at the Edge of the World
No county captures the imagination like Kerry. From the Gap of Dunloe to the lakes of Killarney, the scenery is cinematic. It’s also home to some of the world’s most extraordinary links.
Ballybunion Old Course is often ranked among the finest anywhere, a rollercoaster of dunes where each hole feels like it was carved by nature itself. Tralee Golf Club, designed by Arnold Palmer, sweeps around Barrow Bay with holes so dramatic you’ll forget to check your scorecard. A little further on, Waterville Golf Links sits on a narrow spit of land jutting into the ocean, remote and unforgettable.
Base yourself in Kenmare or Killarney, where you’ll find food tours, kayaking under the stars, and cosy stays at places like Sheen Falls Lodge.
The Journey Around Adare
Ireland in 2027 will be buzzing with Ryder Cup fever, but what makes the trip truly special is combining the spectacle with golf’s coastal heartlands. From Lahinch to Ballybunion, Waterville to Old Head, the Wild Atlantic Way offers a lifetime of golf in one journey. Add the pubs, music and scenery, and you’ll understand why people say the game was never meant to be played anywhere else.