Save money, play great golf in Ireland

By Kiel Christianson

Senior Writer, Golf Publisher Syndications

updated 12:29 p.m. ET March 17, 2006

COUNTY CLARE, Ireland - Ask any golfer for his or her dream vacation, and more often than not, Scotland will be the answer. Over the last decade, however, the Birthplace of Golf has been besieged by golf tourists from Tucson to Tokyo. As a result, the price of everything from green fees to hotels, from single-malt Scotch to haggis has sky-rocketed. And tee times at the big-name courses are filled up from now to next season.

In the mid-1990s, as Scotland boomed, Ireland quietly grew in popularity among knowledgeable golf travelers. PGA Tour pros such as Mark O'Meara, Payne Stewart and Tiger Woods began slipping over to The Emerald Isle to gear up for the British Open. Ireland became a favorite alternative to the busloads of golf tourists who overrun Scotland and England each year, a place where even the most famous golfers on the planet could practice, eat, fish, and relax in peace and relative quiet.

Today, Ireland is the new Scotland, with tourism growing into the nation's largest industry. Although prices aren't as reasonable as they were just a few years ago, budget-conscious golf travelers can save 20 percent or more over a comparable trip to Scotland, with adequate planning and research.

Planning a trip to Ireland

The first decision one has to make when contemplating a golf trip to Ireland is whether to plan the trip oneself or go through a tour operator. The choice depends on how much time you want to invest, because time invested will result in money saved. Robert McCurdy, who recently planned a trip for eight men (including this writer) spent two full years researching courses and accommodations.

"By planning it myself," estimates McCurdy, "I think we paid 20 percent less than we would have through a tour operator."

The most difficult aspect of developing a golf itinerary in Ireland is choosing a set of courses to play. Although not quite as rich in golf heritage as Scotland, Ireland offers its own collection of world-class seaside links and parkland courses. Ballybunion, Lahinch, Old Head, Royal Portrush, Ballyliffin, Portmarnock, Tralee, The K Club, The European Club, Carne, Connemara, Enniscrone, Donegal, Waterville, and the new Greg Norman masterpiece Doonbeg (which slated to open a world-class lodge in May 2006) are all worthy of any aficionado's must-play list. The problem is the logistics.

The most common mistake made by first-time visitors is underestimating the time it will take to get from place to place. Most Irish roads are narrow and often clogged with farm machinery during summer months. It may take an hour or more to commute between two towns that lie only 30 miles apart.

And once you get to the town you want, it might not be easy to find the course. In Ballybunion, for instance, the turn-off to arguably the most famous links on the island is marked with a small, solitary sign reading simply "Golf Course." Miss it, and you'll be driving around the tiny town for at least another 15 minutes.

In Lahinch, the turn to linksland that once felt the footfall of Old Tom Morris himself isn't even marked with a sign; if it weren't for the enormous dunes rising from the sea shore, you'd not know that a golf course existed here.

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