A business leader and philanthropist who founded the infrastructure development firm Corvias and the nonprofit Corvias Foundation, John Picerne is also an avid golfer who has played at some of the best courses in the world. While he is fond of many renowned courses stateside, he particularly enjoys playing in Ireland, which boasts many championship links courses with hundreds of years of history.
More than 240,000 golfers travel to Ireland to play at any of its 400-plus courses each year. The International Association of Golf Tour Operators has also named the island country the International Golf Destination of the Year multiple times in the last two decades—here’s why.
Wealth of Natural Links Courses
As John Picerne knows all too well, if you want to play links golf in the US, your options are limited. While there are many tracks that aspire to be links courses in the US, few fit the criteria listed by the British Golf Museum: “a stretch of land near the coast characterized by undulating terrain, often associated with dunes, infertile sandy soil, and indigenous grasses such as marram, sea lyme, and the fescues and bents which, when properly managed, produce the fine-textured, tight turf for which links are famed.”
Bandon Dunes, an Oregon course designed by Scotsman David McLay Kidd, and Cabot Links in Nova Scotia are among the few qualifying links courses in North America.
Ireland, meanwhile, has more than 50 links courses hugging its rugged coastlines. It is home to more than one-quarter of the world’s links courses, with standout destinations like Carne Golf Links, Old Head Golf Links, and Waterville Golf Links. These courses offer a unique golf experience that Americans will be hard pressed to find stateside, harkening back to the early days of the game.
Incredible Scenery
The sprawling coastal views offered at many of Ireland’s links golf courses are unmatched. At courses like Waterville and others, you can hear the Atlantic Ocean waves crash against rugged banks and cliffs. The landscape also often changes color with shifts in the weather, which is more common in Ireland that in many parts of the US. At Old Head Golf Links, another iconic links course found at the southernmost tip of the Wild Atlantic Way, it’s not uncommon to see humpback whales leaping from under the surface of the water.
Ireland’s golf courses offer more than just scenic oceanside views. Portsalon Golf Club, opened in 1891, is nestled between the Inishowen hills and Knockalla mountains. Killarney Golf Club, meanwhile, is a beautiful 18-hole course overlooking the Macgillycuddy Reek Mountains. Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort, ranked by Golf Digest as the 23rd-best course in Ireland, combines picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean and Wicklow Mountains. Fans of the Masters and Augusta National will especially appreciate the Amen Corner-esque stretch of holes on the back nine at Druids.
Courses Open Year-Round
The golf season is limited if you live in the northeastern US like Mr. Picerne. Generally, courses open around March or April, depending on conditions, and close sometime in the fall before the first frost or snowfall. In Ireland, coastal links courses typically remain open year-round, making it a great winter getaway for avid golfers looking to prolong their season.
It doesn’t snow often in Ireland and there’s rarely prolonged periods of freezing temperatures. However, there’s an old saying that Ireland gets four seasons in one day, so expect to play in damp, cold, and wet conditions if you’re visiting in December or January.
Ballybunion Golf Club: Ireland’s Best Course
Ireland boasts some of the world’s best and most historic courses, but Ballybunion Golf Club in County Kerry is the crown jewel. Architect Tom Simpson crafted the course along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in the iconic town named after the Bunion family, who owned the 15th century castle overlooking the seventh hole. Originally a 12-hole course, it was expanded to 18 holes in 1926 and is equally charming and challenging. After playing there several times, legendary golfer Tom Watson quipped that, “a man would think that the game of golf originated here.”
Golf Digest and Top 100 Golf Courses share similar sentiment about Ballybunion, listing it as the best course in Ireland. The par-four “Castle Green” seventh hole is one of its most notable holes, with a cliffside tee box overlooking the rugged seashore. The “Watsons” 11th hole is another signature hole as is the long 445-yard par four “Kennells” second hole.
The Old Course at Lahinch Golf Club, the Championship Course at Portmarnock Golf Club, and Rosapenna Golf Resort at St. Patrick’s Links are among the other top-five rated courses by Golf Digest and Top 100 Golf Courses.
The 2027 Ryder Cup Course
Fans of the Ryder Cup, the world’s preeminent international team golf event pitting the US against Europe, can also get a preview of the 2027 Ryder Cup venue: Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort. One of the last courses designed by the great Robert Trent Jones, it’s a departure from the links courses Ireland is known for, situated on a country estate in County Limerick with holes on both sides of the River Maigue. It’s known for having some of the best fairway and green conditions in all of Ireland.
