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Best Golf Courses in Ireland: Top 20

By May 19, 2016January 21st, 2021BE SOCIAL

No two Irish golfers will ever agree on the Best Golf Courses in Ireland.  Yet, almost every golf magazine produces rankings, usually annually, proclaiming their Best Golf Courses in Ireland, as if it is some objective truth.  Well not really (advertising spend anyone!).  Some like chocolate, some like vanilla; some like blondes, some like brunettes, some like red, some like white (we like both!). Preferences, opinions – its what the world go round; even Google can’t disprove them.

So we here at Real Irish Golf decided to take a different approach – technically (or so we’re told by folks who know) a Meta-Analysis.  We combined as many of the Ireland Best Golf Course rankings we could find (n = 8 to be precise), assigned 20 points to a #1 ranking, 19 points to a #2 ranking, and so on, and then simply totaled up the points for each course to determine the Top 20 listed below.

Do we agree with this ranking? Of course not –  but as a method to remove biases (apparently we here at Real Irish Golf have some too!) it seems fair.  How can any serious golfer have Tralee outside the Top 10? Isn’t Druids Glen the best parkland in Ireland? The Top 10 are all true Links Golf Courses – we say Amen! to that.  We look forward to hearing about your biases – let the disagreements begin!

1. Royal County Down

contentpool royal co down 2 300x198 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

2. Royal Portrush

scenic ireland portrush 13th 300x225 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

3. Ballybunion – Old Course

contentpool ballybunion graveyard 300x200 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

4. Portmarnock – Championship

Portmarnock old 18th blue 7981 300x200 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

5. Lahinch

lahinch o breins castle irishtimes 300x160 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

6. Waterville

Waterville 680x340 discover ireland site 300x150 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

7. The European Club

the european golf club ireland from web 300x199 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

8. Baltray, County Louth

baltray 2 300x225 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

9. Rosses Point, County Sligo

rosses point sligo golf course 300x239 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

10. Doonbeg

doonbeg elevated green 300x225 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

11. The Island

the island golfer teeing off 300x225 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

12. Mount Juliet

mount juliet tiger woods 300x160 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

13. Tralee

IMG 4231 300x200 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

14.  Old Head

old head kinsale overhead 300x228 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

15. Carne – Belmullet

carne golf carne website 300x188 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

16. Ballyliffin – Glashedy Links

ballyliffin faldo inishowennews - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

17. Druids Glen

druids glen 12th celtic cross 300x167 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

18. Adare Manor

adare manor golf course and castle 300x212 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

19. Rosapenna – Sandy Hills

rosapenna par 4 2nd hole on the sandy hills links1 rosapennaie 300x200 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

20.  Enniscrone

scenicireland enniscrone 300x201 - Best Golf Courses in Ireland:  Top 20

Enniscrone Golf Course Links Golf