Few places on earth evoke the spirit of golf quite like Ireland. With its rugged coastal links, ancient dunes, historic parklands, and ever-changing weather, Ireland offers an atmosphere that is pure, untamed, and deeply rooted in golfing tradition. From the wild Atlantic stretches of Lahinch and Ballybunion to the manicured parklands of Mount Juliet and Adare Manor, the Emerald Isle boasts some of the finest and most revered holes in the world.

This article pieces together the ultimate Irish golf course, a fantasy 18-hole layout comprised of the most celebrated holes from across the country. Carefully curated for challenge, variety, rhythm, and beauty, this dream course captures everything that makes golf in Ireland so unforgettable.

Why Ireland Is the Perfect Canvas for a Fantasy Course

Ireland is home to one-third of the world’s links courses and has produced generations of golfing legends. With contributions from architects like Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie, Harry Colt, Tom Fazio, and modern innovators like Martin Hawtree, Ireland’s golfing landscape is as storied as it is stunning.

This dream layout blends wild links holes, dramatic ocean carries, parkland precision, and wind-swept risk-reward tests into a course that tells the story of Irish golf—from its ancient roots to its global reputation today.

The Ultimate Irish Golf Course: 18 Holes of Greatness

Our dream 18 has been assembled with careful attention to flow—from gentle openers to thrilling closing holes, par variation, and visual drama. These are holes that define Ireland’s golfing soul.

Opening Hole – Portmarnock Golf Club (1st Hole)

A classic links opener just outside Dublin, this straightforward par-4 sets the tone. It’s exposed, deceptively simple, and immediately introduces you to firm turf and coastal breeze.

Scenic Par-5 – Lahinch (4th Hole, “Klondyke”)

This blind par-5 is iconic Old Tom Morris architecture. You’ll hit over a towering dune to a fairway hidden below, guided only by a white aiming rock. It’s a perfect taste of quirky, classic Irish links golf.

Coastal Par-3 – Old Head Golf Links (13th Hole)

Perhaps the most photographed par-3 in Ireland, this cliffside hole plays to a green set on a sliver of land jutting into the Atlantic. Club selection is critical in the wind.

Tough Par-4 – Royal County Down (9th Hole)

One of the most demanding par-4s in the world. With blind tee shots over gorse and a tumbling fairway framed by the Mourne Mountains, it’s a thrilling mix of beauty and brutality.

Short Par-4 Tease – Enniscrone (14th Hole)

A gorgeous, driveable hole through ancient dunes. Risk-reward is at its finest—go for the green or play safe to a narrowing fairway. The green is tightly bunkered and beautifully contoured.

Wind-Swept Par-3 – Ballybunion Old Course (15th Hole)

This mid-length par-3 plays parallel to the ocean, perched atop cliffs and guarded by crosswinds. It’s a hole that demands both precision and bravery.

Strategic Par-4 – County Sligo (7th Hole, “Battlements”)

A Harry Colt design with natural ridges and tilted fairways. Strategy is everything here, with smart placement off the tee rewarded on approach to a raised green.

Front Nine Finisher – Adare Manor (9th Hole)

Step into parkland perfection. This challenging par-4, from the upcoming 2027 Ryder Cup venue, features tight bunkering, a river crossing, and a stunning backdrop of the Adare Manor estate.

Back Nine Opener – Waterville Golf Links (10th Hole)

Set between sea and mountains, this tough par-4 offers wide fairways but a raised green that’s nearly impossible to hold downwind. A test of ball flight control.

Dramatic Par-3 – Tralee Golf Club (16th Hole)

An unforgettable one-shotter, with a carry over cliffs to a green framed by crashing waves and emerald cliffs. Designed by Arnold Palmer, it’s both poetic and terrifying.

Par-5 Risk-Reward – The European Club (12th Hole)

This links par-5 features massive fairway bunkers, deep rough, and a devilishly fast green. It’s a tactical masterpiece on one of Ireland’s most fiercely independent courses.

Classic Par-4 – Royal Portrush (5th Hole, “White Rocks”)

With views out to Dunluce Castle and the beach far below, this sweeping par-4 bends right and climbs gently uphill. The approach shot, played over a valley, is unforgettable.

Par-3 Jewel – Ardglass Golf Club (2nd Hole)

This cliff-edge par-3 has one of the most dramatic settings in Irish golf. From an elevated tee, the shot carries across sea rocks to a green surrounded by ruins and sea spray.

Short Par-4 – Doonbeg (6th Hole)

A Tom Doak redesign, this hole plays along the beach and is both visually stunning and playable. The green complex is perched high with waves crashing below.

Par-5 Power Hole – Mount Juliet Estate (17th Hole)

A modern, lush parkland contrast to the surrounding links. This hole, once graced by Tiger Woods during the WGC, requires a strong tee shot and precise lay-up.

Penultimate Test – Royal County Down (16th Hole)

Another appearance from RCD, this long par-4 is framed by dunes and framed perfectly against the sea. A strong finisher before the final hole.

Closing Hole – Ballybunion Old Course (18th Hole)

A legendary closer, sloping left to right with the ocean and clubhouse in full view. It’s dramatic, historic, and the perfect end to a dream Irish round.

Course Overview: Variety, Rhythm and Beauty

• Par Breakdown: 4 par-3s, 10 par-4s, 4 par-5s
• Flow: Starts gently (Portmarnock), builds through links classics (Lahinch, RCD), and finishes with parkland elegance (Mount Juliet, Adare) and cliffside drama (Old Head, Ballybunion)
• Terrain: Wild dunes, rolling linksland, manicured parklands, and rugged coastlines
• Signature Moments: Cliff-edge par-3s, blind shots over ancient dunes, elevated greens by crashing waves

Ireland’s Golfing Soul in One Round

This fantasy course embodies the spirit of Irish golf—windswept, historic, unpredictable, and utterly breathtaking. Each hole is a celebration of place and tradition, from the ancient dunes of Lahinch to the regal fairways of Adare Manor.

You’ll experience the quirks of old-school links, the refinement of parkland prestige, and the awe of cliff-edge golf—all in a single, unforgettable round.

Plan Your Irish Golf Adventure

While you can’t play this exact layout in a single day, every one of these holes is accessible and real, waiting to be discovered across Ireland’s north, south, east, and west coasts. Whether you’re on a golf holiday along the Wild Atlantic Way or planning a bucket-list trip across The Island of Ireland, these holes can form the backbone of your own unforgettable 18.

Ready to walk the dunes, test your skills in the wind, and write your story across Ireland’s best golf holes? Start building your own dream itinerary—and follow the footsteps of legends across the Emerald Isle.