We’re happy to present this golf trip to Northern Ireland. Not only will you be playing two World Top 15 Golf Courses (twice each), you are going to experience the beauty of Northern Ireland. You’ll start in the capital city of the Republic, Dublin, then travel to Northern Ireland, playing your opening round at County Louth on the way. Staying in Newcastle NI, you’ll play Ardglass and your opening round at Royal County Down, before moving further north to the home of Giant’s Causeway, to play rounds at Castlerock, Portstewart and 2 x Portrush. Finally, you’ll head back to Royal County Down before making your triumphant return to Dublin.
Getting There
Friday – Depart North America
Depart home and fly to Dublin. Safe travels!
Saturday – Co. Louth
Welcome to Ireland!
You’ll be picked up from the airport in Dublin on arrival at 8:15am, then head north for your first and only round of golf in the Republic at Co. Louth. Baltray as the locals call it. Depending on your tee time, your driver will take you either straight to County Louth, or to the hotel for check-in before hitting the links. You’ll be staying at Slieve Donard, your home for the next two nights.
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County Louth Golf Club
With a number of holes running alongside the Irish Sea encompassing the natural links terrain, Baltray is one of the purest tests of golf to be found in Ireland.
While County Louth Golf Club was established in 1892, the course as it plays today was designed in 1938 by Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay. County Louth is laid out in two loops, with most holes running in different directions.
Known for its fantastic (and, yes, difficult) greens, the course truly lacks a weak hole. With a number of holes running along the ocean and views of the Mountains of Mourne, the final nine are particularly entertaining.
County Louth is legitimately amongst the best courses in all of Ireland, although is still relatively undiscovered as such. You’ll soon be in on the secret.
Course Fast Facts:
Year opened: 1892
Yards: 6,936
Designer(s): Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay (1938), Tom Mackenzie (2003)
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Your Arrival Hotel:
Slieve Donard Resort and Spa
The tower of the Slieve Donard Hotel rises majestically above the sand dunes, rivalled only by its namesake, Northern Ireland’s highest mountain, which creates a dramatic backdrop for a long sweep of golden sand. Nestling at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, the Slieve Donard Hotel is one of Northern Ireland’s most popular holiday hotels and celebrated its Centenary in 1997. 
Lovingly maintained Victorian architecture at its most impressive, this very special hotel offers delights both inside and out. Take a walk thorough the six acres of private hotel grounds and you’re on one of the world’s top golf courses, Royal County Down. Or stroll along golden sands swept by bracing sea breezes.
Take time too to explore the unique features of this one hundred year hotel, which evokes memories of the golden age of railway hotels. Discover lounges with welcoming roaring fires and cosy bars and of course, the finest hospitality. Deluxe accommodation, luxurious surroundings and excellent facilities make this the perfect location for holidays and weekend breaks. The Slieve Donard offers both relaxed and more formal dining options. Enjoy relaxed dining in the atmospheric Percy French Inn in the gardens, or more formal dining in the hotel\’s magnificent Oak Restaurant – the choice is yours! For the perfect nightcap, simply drink in the amazing view from your bedroom.
Sunday – Ardglass
For the first full day of the trip, you’ll have a relaxing morning at the hotel before playing a true hidden gem of Northern Ireland, Ardglass. The drive to the course is an easy 35-minutes.
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Ardglass Golf Club
Ardglass Golf Course is an 18 hole links course in a natural setting hugging the north-east coast of Ireland, with stunning views, unique golf holes and memorable people. The course is a true test of golf, with the almost ever-present wind capable of wreaking havoc from any quarter; the hard fairways and the small firm greens, it is just about impossible to play “yardage based” golf on this links. The Irish Sea, which can be seen from all 18 tees and greens, comes into play on no fewer than 8 holes.
The story of Ardglass Golf Club and links began in 1896, under the leadership of the Rev Thomas MacAfee. The first incarnation was a 7-hole layout with a total length of less than 1000 yards and shoehorned into the area that is now our 1st and 18th fairways.mOver the next 100 years our Club leased and then purchased the additional land that stretches out to Ringfad Point and around to the original Coney Island Bay.
In 1907 it became a 9-hole links and was basically to remain unaltered for the next 60 years. In the late 1960s, with the additional land, the layout expanded to encompass our first 18-hole layout. A generation later, the latest tranche of land was acquired. The Club developed the lands around Coney Island Bay and remodelled the course to provide the stunningly natural links we enjoy today.
Course Fast Facts:
Yards: 6268
Year Founded: 1896
Designer(s): Rev Thomas MacAfee
Monday – Royal County Down
Today, you will play your first of two rounds at the Royal County Down, consistently ranked in the top-5 of the World Top-100. The course is in your hotel’s backyard. The first tee, a pitching wedge away. You’ll need to check-out of the hotel before the round, since post-round, you’ll be heading to Bushmills Inn, a 2hr drive from RCD on the north coast, for the next three nights.
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Royal County Down
Consistently ranked as one of the best golf courses on the planet, Royal County Down is located in one of the world’s most naturally beautiful links settings in the Murlough Nature Reserve. Against the magnificent backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne, the links stretches along the shores of Dundrum Bay, zigzagging back and forth to provide a different vista from virtually every hole.
The narrowest ribbons of fairways thread their way through as impressive a set of sand dunes as could be imagined. The fairways are surrounded by purple heather and golden gorse, so beautiful to look at but so punishing for any who may stray from the prescribed path.
The ‘bearded’ bunkers are world famous and feature overhanging lips of marram, red fescue and heather. The greens are fast and many are domed, rejecting any shot lacking conviction. This is a true test of any player’s command of the traditional bump and run, the preferred way to play any links. The ninth hole is one of the most photographed holes in world golf. A 486 yard par 4, it is played from one side of a huge mound down to a fairway some 60 ft below and 260 yards from the tee. From the bottom of the slope the second shot is played over two bunkers to a raised green.
Amongst the finest of all links courses, it offers a stern challenge from the championship tees. The record is 66 set by Ireland’s first golfing superstar, Jimmy Bruen, in 1939. From the stableford tees it offers golfers of all standards the opportunity of playing a truly great course with dramatic panorama of the surrounding mountains and coastline. We can pretty well always guarantee a memorable round at Royal County Down.
Course Fast Facts (Championship Links):
Year opened: 1889
Yards: 7,204
Designer(s): Old Tom Morris (1889), George Combe (1900-1909), Harry Vardon (1908), Harry Colt (1926)
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Your Hotel:
The Bushmills Inn
Set against the backdrop of the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, The Bushmills Inn is the perfect retreat for those who crave the unconventional, yet still expect exceptional service. The welcome is warm and the fire always lit.
The Inn blends stunning architecture, beautiful grounds, unique rooms and modern facilities and has been lovingly restored to pay homage to its rich Irish history.
In the village that is home to the world’s oldest Whiskey Distillery, between the famous Giant’s Causeway and Royal Portrush Golf Club, we offer the perfect base to explore a host of visitor attractions such as Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Dunluce Castle and many of the Game of Thrones filming locations.
Tuesday – Royal Portrush, Rd. 1
Your first round on the north coast in County Antrim is at the host of the 2019 Open Championship, Royal Portrush. Depending on your timing, today may be a great day to visit the well-known geological wonder that is Giant’s Causeway, which is less than a 10-minute drive from the Bushmills.
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Royal Portrush Golf Club – Dunluce Links
Wednesday – Portstewart & Castlerock
We hope that you’ve found your game (and your stamina), as today you’ll play your one and only 36-hole day of the trip. You’ll play your first round at the Portstewart Golf Club, and your second, after a nice clubhouse lunch and a quick 15-minute transfer, at Castlerock Golf Club.
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Portstewart Golf Club 
What can be said of the mighty Strand Course? Dubbed as ‘the sleeping giant’, do you dare to tackle it! It is without doubt one of the very top true links golf courses in Ireland. It easily stands alongside the two Ulster Royals, Portrush and County Down. The brainchild of Willie Park Jr and Des Giffin, ably assisted by undulating dunes, the run off bunkers, rolling fairways and tricky manicured greens.
A ‘true test of golf’ is a much overused phrase, but in this case it is a reflection of the variety and ingenuity of the shots required to get round this masterpiece of a golf course.
The views from almost every hole are quite simply, magical. The Atlantic is never very far away and the beauty of the course has to be seen to be believed. It is a treat that will take a very long time, if ever, to fade from the golfers memory. The jewel in the Portstewart crown.
Course Fast Facts:
Yards: 7,118 yards
Year Founded: 1894
Designer(s): Des Giffin
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Thursday – Royal Portrush
You’ll wake up this morning, have a hot cooked Irish breakfast, then play your second round at Royal Portrush. After the round, you’ll head to Belfast for a night of fun and to knock off an hour of drive off tomorrow’s long finale.
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Friday – Royal County Down
For your last full day of the trip, something familiar, as you’ll play your second round of the trip at Royal County Down.
Unfortunately, this will also be your last loop of the trip. After your round, you’ll transfer back to Dublin, for your last night in Ireland, staying downtown at another Fitzwilliam Hotel, this time in Dublin.
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Your Hotel:
The Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin
The Fitzwilliam Hotel is a boutique, city-centre, luxury escape with a charm and character all of its own. It’s a contemporary twist on that ancient Irish hospitality that’s far from intrusive but close to perfect.
It’s really over the top boasting: award-winning, top-of-every-list, most recommended, best reviewed, most elegant, chic, five-star home-from-home in the best location in the city.
Saturday – Heading Home
Today, you’ll check-out of the hotel and head to the airport for your flight home.
What’s Included
- 7 nights single room accommodation
- 2 nights at the Slieve Donard
- 3 nights at The Bushmills Inn
- 1 night at the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast
- 1 night at the Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin
- Breakfast each morning
- 8 rounds of golf
- Co. Louth
- Ardglass
- Royal County Down (x2)
- Portstewart
- Castlerock
- Royal Portrush (x2)
- All transfers with a luxury mini-coach with Ireland’s best driver
- Services of Travel Impresarios Golf
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