I’ve dreamed for years about playing Ireland’s legendary golf courses. In September 2025, that dream came true. Three of my long-time golf buddies and I packed our clubs (and rain gear) for the trip of a lifetime.
Here’s what I learned — so you can avoid the rough:
Use a booking service
We started with a wish list of “must-play” courses and reached out to four of the top golf travel companies. Prices and access varied wildly — some couldn’t get us near our dream lineup. Hidden Links, who organized our Scotland trip, came through again with all the right tee times, caddies, hotels, and a driver. (They handled everything but flights. Sadly, no one handles jet lag.)
Choose your travel partners wisely
Ask yourself: are they laid-back and fun, or do they color-code their socks? Our crew’s biggest argument was over who got to pick up the tab — a good problem to have. Pro tip: pick one person to act as “banker” pay for everything and settle up at the end. It beats doing math after Guinness.
Pick great courses — and have a story ready
We played eight of Ireland’s top 50 courses, including Royal County Down (#1 in the world) and Royal Portrush, home of the 2025 Open. Highlight of the trip? My eagle 2 on the par-4 8th at Portrush — the same hole where Scottie Scheffler made double on Sunday. Just sayin’.
Book flights early and smart
Do your homework. My buddies flew Aer Lingus and took advantage of upgrades. I went with Icelandair for a first-class experience that didn’t cost an arm, a leg, and a 3-wood. Zero regrets.
Expect travel chaos
Something *always* goes wrong. This time, my flight was smooth. My friends? Not so much. A bomb threat, computer hacking, 11-hour delays, missed connections, and a closed airport. Fortunately, a good friend stepped in and made an 8 hour drive to get them home!
Let’s just say they were ready for more than a Guinness when they finally got home.
Decide early: share rooms or go solo
Sharing rooms saves money — but also tests friendships. Irish hotel rooms are small, and after a week of golf, Guinness, and snoring… you might wish you’d paid the solo supplement.
Hire a private driver
The Irish drive on the left, on roads roughly the width of a golf cart path. Having a local driver was a sanity-saver. Ours went above and beyond — booking dinner spots, smoothing caddie negotiations, and keeping a cooler stocked with cold Guinness for the post-round ride home. Worth every euro.
Remember Ireland is two countries
Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic are two countries commonly thought of as one, except from those who live there. There’s a lot of history, much of which they try to ignore. You will need British Pounds in Northern Ireland and Euros in the Irish Republic.
Embrace non-golf adventures
Ireland isn’t just golf and rain. We toured the Guinness Storehouse, sampled whiskey at Tullamore Dew and Bushmills, and even caught a Gaelic Football championship with our driver (a former player!). Talk about local flavor.
Don’t skip the caddies
They’re essential. Irish courses are full of blind shots, hidden bunkers, and creative vocabulary. The caddies added laughs, local color, and saved us from losing both balls and dignity.
Prepare for weather — seriously
It’s Ireland. It rains. Even when it’s not supposed to. We picked September, one of the “drier” months — and it rained every day. Miraculously, never while we played… until the last day. Bring good rain gear and layer up.
Add some side games
Friendly competition keeps the group sharp (and humble). We played rotating two-man matches each day and tracked a weeklong Stableford for bragging rights (and a small pot). The caddies got into it too — they love a side wager.
Add some fun
We named ourselves 4 MEN & A LEPRECHAUN and produced a logoed flask, water bottle and poker chip markers which we used as friend tokens wherever we went.
Remember it about the experience, not the score
Maybe I am adding this because I played so poorly. My usually reliable driver seemed to develop an Irish slice, and I spent a lot of time in the rough. And their rough is punishing. Sand bunkers were not an easy out either. Not like the good ole USA. But I had a fabulous time just focusing on the history, majesty and scenic splendor of every course we played.
All in all, the trip was everything I’d hoped for — world-class golf, unforgettable laughs, and enough stories to last until the next bucket list adventure. Highly recommended for any golfer who loves the game, the camaraderie, and a well-poured pint.
