Best golf county in Ireland

paulanthony

Similar to the "Best golf course in your county" thread, which county has the best golf courses in Ireland (ROI)?

I would have thought the front runners would be Kerry or Dublin, but there are probably a few challengers: Sligo, Donegal, Wicklow, Kildare...

There is no set criteria - your view could be based on one course, several courses, somewhere you find enjoyable to visit.

Kerry would probably have the highest number of courses in many people's Top 5/10 lists, but then some other counties (eg, Kildare, Wicklow) will have quite a lot of very good courses which, while not being in the same league as Ballybunion/Waterville/Tralee etc, mean that particular county has a very high standard of golf course overall.

I haven't added every county in the poll (they wouldn't all fit anyway) but let me know if you wanted to vote for a county not listed.

Let us know what you think and why.

moycullen14

Kerry or Dublin, I guess. Each have 3 or more top class links

Maybe roscommon? Enniscrone, Strandhill & Rosses point

For its size and coast, Cork has got to be the worst!

paulanthony

moycullen14 wrote: »

Kerry or Dublin, I guess. Each have 3 or more top class links

Maybe roscommon? Enniscrone, Strandhill & Rosses point

For its size and coast, Cork has got to be the worst!

They are in Sligo, rather than Roscommon.
Agree re Cork!

moycullen14

paulanthony wrote: »

They are in Sligo, rather than Roscommon.
Agree re Cork!

I'm scarlet! I meant Sligo

slave1

Donegal, selection of links, scenery and culture of the folk up there

martinkop

Donegal for me. Unbelievable links courses, and great value for money.

thewobbler

Down Royal, Lisburn, Belvoir, Knock, Shandon Park, Holywood, Royal Belfast, Scrabo, Clandeboye, Bangor, Kirkistown, Ardglass, Kilkeel, Spa, Warrenpoint, Annesley, Royal County Down.

And another half dozen.

It’s County Down.

Add it in!

plumber77

Sligo for me. Kerry probably has the best but not really affordable bar the odd scratch cup. A lot better value to be had in the northwest

kiers47

thewobbler wrote: »

Down Royal, Lisburn, Belvoir, Knock, Shandon Park, Holywood, Royal Belfast, Scrabo, Clandeboye, Bangor, Kirkistown, Ardglass, Kilkeel, Spa, Warrenpoint, Annesley, Royal County Down.

And another half dozen.

It’s County Down.

Add it in!

He said ROI in the OP so Down is out.

PARlance

How lucky are we that the OP lets us view the poll results.

Donegal for me, great courses, affordable, not packed with yanks or Kerry folk.

FixdePitchmark

Probably Wicklow for me.

I haven't played in Donegal - one of the few I haven't played golf in. I know in the long run Donegal will win for me.

But for now Wicklow.

European
Arklow
Druids Glen
Macreddin
Wicklow
Rathsallag
Tulfaris

Even courses not rated at top in Wicklow are good courses.

Greystones
Druids Heath
Woodenbridge

The place I love to play golf is Sligo - but not sure enough there to justify top spot.

Dublin is very very overrated.
The Links courses is Dublin are poor - with The Island the only one you would kill to play.
There are lots of nice Parkland courses in Dublin - but not a thing that would get within a mile of Macreddin and hardly a parkland in the country that would get near Druids Glen.

Wicklow is a small county - another one that punches above her weight is Louth.

Kildare outstanding too - but no Links so in a bit of trouble with me.

rooney30

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Probably Wicklow for me.

I haven't played in Donegal - one of the few I haven't played golf in. I know in the long run Donegal will win for me.

But for now Wicklow.

European
Arklow
Druids Glen
Macreddin
Wicklow
Rathsallag
Tulfaris

Even courses not rated at top in Wicklow are good courses.

Greystones
Druids Heath
Woodenbridge

The place I love to play golf is Sligo - but not sure enough there to justify top spot.

Dublin is very very overrated.
The Links courses is Dublin are poor - with The Island the only one you would kill to play.
There are lots of nice Parkland courses in Dublin - but not a thing that would get within a mile of Macreddin and hardly a parkland in the country that would get near Druids Glen.

Wicklow is a small county - another one that punches above her weight is Louth.

Kildare outstanding too - but no Links so in a bit of trouble with me.

Macreddin! Really ? Played it last year and wasn't impressed to be honest . Course conditioning was poor , greens were in a shocking state . Some nice views though to be fair

Mantis Toboggan

Sligo for me but I haven't played in donegal or kerry, Wicklow and Kildare both great golfing counties also.

callaway92

Biased but I feel blessed with the courses I have in Tipperary.

Close 2nd is Waterford

mike12

Sligo and Kerry are great but Donegal has so many great links courses it's my winner.

Rikand

Voted Galway

Some great well known courses (Galway, Galway Bay, Connemara)

Some hidden gems (Portumna, Athenry, Tuam)

Honorable mention to Gort which has the fastest greens in Ireland

rickis tache

Kerry or Donegal...hmmm it's like daddy or chips.

GreeBo

PARlance wrote: »

How lucky are we that the OP lets us view the poll results.
.

fullstop

callaway92 wrote: »

Biased but I feel blessed with the courses I have in Tipperary.

Close 2nd is Waterford

Tipp probably isn't even top 10

callaway92

fullstop wrote: »

Tipp probably isn't even top 10

1) Personal opinion
2) Noted my bias

Good man, Thank you

mjsc1970

Donegal.

plumber77

callaway92 wrote: »

1) Personal opinion
2) Noted my bias

Good man, Thank you

Great choice of decent parkland courses in Tipp. Ballykisteen,Dundrum,Roscrea, Nenagh and Tipp town. Then again I'd be a bit biased too.

callaway92

plumber77 wrote: »

Great choice of decent parkland courses in Tipp. Ballykisteen,Dundrum,Roscrea, Nenagh and Tipp town. Then again I'd be a bit biased too.

Exactly my good man!

paulanthony

The Golf Digest Top 100 Irish Golf Courses for 2018 has:
8 in Kerry (4 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Donegal (6 of which are in the top 30)!!
11 in Wicklow (2 of which are in the top 30)
11 in Dublin (4 of which are in the top 30)
3 in Sligo (2 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Kildare (1 of which is in the top 30)
Surprised to see Kildare (my county) beating Sligo.  I assume that is based on volume.
Easy to see why Donegal is proving a popular choice.

ThunderCat

Donegal all day long for me.

Golfgorfield

Surprised at Kildare, there are some many top class courses thanks to the terrain and old walled homes.
Also with 17 European tour events and 1 Ryder cup hosted in the county its surely ahead of many?

kiers47

paulanthony wrote: »

The Golf Digest Top 100 Irish Golf Courses for 2018 has:
8 in Kerry (4 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Donegal (6 of which are in the top 30)!!
11 in Wicklow (2 of which are in the top 30)
11 in Dublin (4 of which are in the top 30)
3 in Sligo (2 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Kildare (1 of which is in the top 30)
Surprised to see Kildare (my county) beating Sligo.  I assume that is based on volume.
Easy to see why Donegal is proving a popular choice.

Of the 4 from Kerry id imagine 3 of those are in the top 10 though? Without checking that is.

Has to be Kerry for sheer quality of the courses there.

paulanthony

kiers47 wrote: »

paulanthony wrote: »

The Golf Digest Top 100 Irish Golf Courses for 2018 has:
8 in Kerry (4 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Donegal (6 of which are in the top 30)!!
11 in Wicklow (2 of which are in the top 30)
11 in Dublin (4 of which are in the top 30)
3 in Sligo (2 of which are in the top 30)
7 in Kildare (1 of which is in the top 30)
Surprised to see Kildare (my county) beating Sligo.  I assume that is based on volume.
Easy to see why Donegal is proving a popular choice.

Of the 4 from Kerry id imagine 3 of those are in the top 10 though? Without checking that is.

Has to be Kerry for sheer quality of the courses there.

Yep - 5, 6 and 7.