Golf tournaments in Ireland

Every year the world’s best golfers descend upon Ireland’s shores to take part in prestigious tournaments, and we have rounded up eight high-profile competitions that take place on some of the best courses around the island.

These internationally renowned events offer a unique opportunity to catch the world’s elite players in action on the championship courses of Northern Ireland, the parklands of Ireland’s Ancient East and the links beauties of the Wild Atlantic Way.

In 2024, one of the world’s biggest amateur events, The 129th Amateur Championship, will take place at Ballyliffin Golf Club, on the remote Inishowen Peninsula along the Wild Atlantic Way. With its colossal dunes and two championship courses – the Old Links and the Glashedy Links – Ballyliffin is a favourite of golf enthusiasts who have long regarded Ireland’s north west as one of the finest golfing locations on the island. The club can even claim Rory McIlroy as a fan after the superstar golfer said: “Ballyliffin’s two courses are a must-play on any golf trip to Ireland”.

If you want to see the world’s best amateur golfers take on the ultimate links challenge, book your tickets, and then start planning your trip to County Donegal’s sightseeing highlights such as the Slieve League Cliffs and the lively seaside towns of Buncrana and Bundoran.

It’s a testament to the quality of the relatively young links course at Seapoint Golf Club that it was selected to host the Irish Legends. This was the third-largest event ever on the Legends Tour, the official tour for players over 50 that offers amateurs the rare opportunity to play in a championship alongside former Major winners, world number ones and Ryder Cup players and captains.

Measuring 7,150 yards, the 72-par championship course at Seapoint can be a test, even for the pros, with every hole offering its own challenge and the weather ensuring that no two rounds will ever be the same. Combined with its breathtaking location on Ireland’s northwest coast, against a backdrop of the Cooley Peninsula and the Mourne Mountains, it’s fair to say that Seapoint is a legend in its own right.

As one of the R&A’s prestigious series of tournaments, the Women’s Amateur Championship is a world-class showcase for female golfers and a feeding ground for future professionals – winners can gain entry to a host of high-profile events. Portmarnock Golf Clubhosted this competition just once before, back in 1939, so its choice was a sort of homecoming for the club.

Portmarnock has a long history of attracting world-class championship golfers, drawn to the challenge of its lush greens, elevated tees and the constant companion of a sea breeze. In addition, it glories in a spectacular setting on a peninsula jutting into the Irish Sea and a fascinating connection with Irish whiskey royalty given its location on the old Jameson estate just a short distance from Dublin city and airport. Intrigued? Get your tickets here.

Men’s champions in waiting play the Irish Challenge as they progress to golf’s top tier and the chance to battle it out at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca. Operated by the PGA European Tour, it has nurtured talent in Ireland since 2015 with winners fast-tracked to more prestigious tournaments.

In 2024, the event moves to The K Club in County Kildare, with its two scenic courses designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer. The action will take place on the inland links Palmer South Course where a mixture of terrain and rock features await the competitors. When the golf is over, explore County Kildare – known as the heart of Ireland’s horseracing community. Or take a trip to lively Dublin city, which is just a 30-minute drive away.

Lahinch Golf Club will host the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup, named in honour of the golfing icon and winner of numerous PGA events. This international collegiate event follows a Ryder Cup-style format where young golfers from Great Britain, Ireland, the rest of Europe and the United States compete for the trophy.

Perched on the edge of the wild Atlantic coast and with a backdrop of lusciously green hills, Lahinch Golf Club incorporates the beauty of County Clare superbly into its two 18-hole courses; the Old Course and the Castle Course. When you’re ready to explore further, check out the famous Cliffs of Moher and the limestone karst region of the Burren.

Carton House in County Kildare will host this highly anticipated KPMG Women’s Irish Open on its O’Meara Parkland golf course. Europe’s top professional female golfers, including KPMG ambassador Leona Maguire, will compete on the Par 73 course for the impressive prize fund.

The O’Meara course takes players through woodland, to the banks of the River Rye and alongside the glistening waters of the lake – the 18th hole even offers views of the historic Palladian manor house. If you want to venture beyond the putting green, check out nearby Castletown House or uncover the county’s history at Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park.

Forming part of the DP World Tour’s 2024 season is the Amgen Irish Open, hosted by Royal County Down Golf Club. Big names are set to compete in this exciting competition, including Northern Ireland native and former world number one Rory McIlroy.

Regularly voted one of the top courses in the world, Royal County Down is as famous for its challenging golfing experience as it is for its stunning setting in the Murlough Nature Reserve. Take some extra time to explore the highest mountain range in Northern Ireland found in the Mourne Gullion Strangford UNESCO Global Geopark. Or head to Belfast city for a tune or two in the UNESCO City of Music.

Last hosted on the island of Ireland in 2007, this prestigious event makes its return to these shores in 2026. Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare will host the best amateur male players from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States in a tournament that has helped stars including Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington make their names.

This will be the first time the Walker Cup will be held at Lahinch, widely regarded as one of the most challenging links courses on the island. And when the golf is over, there is plenty to see and do. Lahinch is famous for its surfing and with plenty of surf schools, it’s ideal for beginners. If you fancy something a little different, visit Doolin Cave, where you can see one of the longest stalactites in Europe.

A century after the first-ever Ryder Cup took place in Massachusetts, the best players in the US and Europe will play to win this prestigious competition when it returns to Ireland in 2027. One of the world’s great sporting events needs a venue to match – and it has found that in Adare Manor in County Limerick, just a 30-minute drive from both Limerick city and Shannon Airport. The course here is a state-of-the-art feat of engineering, recently redesigned by Tom Fazio and sprawling across 230 acres of parkland, dotted with mature trees and medieval ruins.

Adare Manor itself is the backdrop to the course but that doesn’t mean that it plays second fiddle to the manicured fairways. Its Gothic architecture, with signature arches, chimneys, gargoyles and, of course, the hallmark turrets, is only surpassed by its opulent interior, spa, fine dining and first-class hospitality. If you’re interested in attending the Ryder Cup, you can register your interest and start planning your trip to the Wild Atlantic Way, with its dramatic coastlines and challenging links courses. It will be the trip of a lifetime.