Destination · Ireland

Ireland · West Coast

Lahinch, Ballybunion, Doonbeg & Tralee

Ballybunion's dunes, Lahinch's quirk, Old Head of Kinsale's cliffs, and the warmest welcome in golf.

Updated May 2026 · By the Pinseekers Travel team

The short answer

The west coast of Ireland is the densest stretch of world-class links golf on Earth. Pinseekers' standard 7-night trip plays Lahinch, Ballybunion (Old), Doonbeg, Waterville, Tralee, and Old Head of Kinsale, basecamping in Adare/Killarney with a Cork-Shannon airport pairing. Best months are May through September. Groups of 8-16 work best for the lodge-style stays.

Best season

May - September

Trip length

7-9 nights / 6-8 rounds

Group size

8 - 16 players

Pricing from

$6,800 - $11,500 per player

Best for

Links pilgrimage, milestone birthdays, devoted golfers

Fly into

SNN (Shannon) or DUB (Dublin), depart from ORK (Cork)

On the Ground

“Ballybunion, Lahinch, and Doonbeg are different golf with the same soul. Ballybunion's Old is the spiritual one, Lahinch is the most fun, Doonbeg is the most photographed. We always book a caddie at all three - the local reads and stories are half the experience.”

Billy Belair, PGA Professional · Co-Founder, Pinseekers Travel

The courses we play

CourseDesignerType
Ballybunion (Old Course)James McKenna (1893) / Tom Simpson revisionsTowering dunes links
Lahinch (Old Course)Old Tom Morris (1894) / Alister MacKenzie revisionQuirky links with goats
Doonbeg (Trump International)Greg Norman (2002) / Martin Hawtree revisionCoastal dunes links
WatervilleEddie Hackett (1973) / Tom Fazio revisions (2006)Atlantic-edge links
TraleeArnold Palmer (1984)Cliff-top dunes
Old Head of KinsaleJoe Carr & Ron Kirby (1997)Cliff-top promontory

Ballybunion (Old Course)

James McKenna (1893) / Tom Simpson revisions · Towering dunes links · 6,802 yds, par 71

Tom Watson called it 'the finest seaside course I have ever played.' Tunnels, blind shots, towering dunes, and a graveyard you play through. Top 10 in the world by every credible ranking.

Lahinch (Old Course)

Old Tom Morris (1894) / Alister MacKenzie revision · Quirky links with goats · 6,950 yds, par 72

Goats wander the property as the resort weather forecast. The 'Klondyke' and 'Dell' holes are blind by design. Hosted the 2019 Irish Open.

Doonbeg (Trump International)

Greg Norman (2002) / Martin Hawtree revision · Coastal dunes links · 6,885 yds, par 72

Some of the most dramatic dune holes in Ireland. Hawtree's revision tightened the course and improved the routing. Lodge on-property is a strong buy.

Waterville

Eddie Hackett (1973) / Tom Fazio revisions (2006) · Atlantic-edge links · 7,225 yds, par 72

On the Ring of Kerry. The opening and closing nines play in opposite directions along the Atlantic. Payne Stewart was an honorary captain - his statue stands at the clubhouse.

Tralee

Arnold Palmer (1984) · Cliff-top dunes · 6,975 yds, par 71

Palmer's first European design. Cliff-top opening, dunes-driven back nine. The view from the 12th tee is one of the best photo stops in golf.

Old Head of Kinsale

Joe Carr & Ron Kirby (1997) · Cliff-top promontory · 7,215 yds, par 72

Built on a 220-foot promontory jutting two miles into the Atlantic. Nine holes play directly along cliff edges. Not a traditional links - but unforgettable.

Sample itinerary

A representative routing - every Pinseekers trip is tuned to the group's travel windows, handicaps, and tee-time preferences.

Day 1

Arrive Shannon, basecamp Lahinch

Land SNN morning. Drive 90 min to Lahinch. Check into the Greenbrier Inn or the Lahinch Coast Hotel. Afternoon round on Lahinch (Old). Welcome dinner at the Atlantic Hotel pub.

Day 2

Doonbeg

30-min drive north to Doonbeg. Caddie round on the dunes course. Lunch at the lodge restaurant. Afternoon: cliffs of Moher tour (1 hour from Doonbeg). Evening dinner in Lahinch village.

Day 3

Ballybunion - the marquee round

Drive south to Ballybunion (~1 hour via the Tarbert ferry). Caddie round on the Old Course. Pub lunch in town. Drive on to Killarney basecamp (~1.5 hr). Dinner at Bricin or the Lake Hotel.

Day 4

Tralee

30-min drive to Tralee. Caddie round on Palmer's cliff-top design. Lunch at the clubhouse. Afternoon: the Dingle Peninsula loop drive. Group dinner in Killarney.

Day 5

Waterville

1.5-hr drive on the Ring of Kerry to Waterville. Caddie round. Lunch and the Payne Stewart statue. Drive back to Killarney via the Ring of Kerry's most photogenic stretch.

Day 6

Travel day to Cork + Old Head

Drive to Cork (~2 hr). Check into the Hayfield Manor in Cork city. Caddie round at Old Head of Kinsale (45 min from Cork). Last group dinner at the clubhouse cliff-top dining room.

Day 7

Departure (or replay extension)

Departures from Cork (ORK) or Dublin. Optional extension: replay Old Head or add Adare Manor for a parkland day before flying out.

Lodging & basecamp

Basecamp: Lahinch Coast Hotel + Killarney (Lake Hotel) + Hayfield Manor (Cork)

We split the trip across three bases to minimize drive times: Lahinch for the Clare coast, Killarney for the Kerry rounds, Cork for Old Head. Doonbeg Lodge is the on-property upgrade if you want to skip a basecamp move. Adare Manor is the premium parkland add-on.

When to go

May-September. June, July, and August have the longest daylight (sunrise 5 am, sunset 10 pm) and the most stable weather, but also the busiest tee sheets and highest rates. May and September are the value windows - quieter, cooler, and conditioning is at its peak.

Getting there & transfers

Land at Shannon (SNN) for the western coast - closer to Lahinch and Ballybunion. Dublin (DUB) is a 3-hr drive across the country. Depart from Cork (ORK) after Old Head - avoids retracing your route. Pinseekers provides a minibus and in-country driver for the full trip.

Pricing tiers

Indicative ranges. Final quotes depend on group size, season, lodging, and tee-time tier - email events@pinseekerstravel.com for a custom build.

Standard

$6,800 - $7,800 per player

  • · 7 nights across three basecamps
  • · 6 rounds (Lahinch, Doonbeg, Ballybunion, Tralee, Waterville, Old Head)
  • · Caddies on every round
  • · Breakfast daily, three group dinners
  • · Minibus transfers + in-country driver

Premium

$7,800 - $9,500 per player

  • · 8 nights with two nights at Doonbeg Lodge
  • · 7 rounds (adds Adare Manor)
  • · Caddies + premium pub dinners
  • · Cliffs of Moher and Dingle Peninsula private tours
  • · Whiskey tasting at Midleton (Jameson) Distillery

Black Card

$9,500 - $14,000 per player

  • · 9 nights with Adare Manor stay (parkland day + spa)
  • · 8 rounds with Old Head replay
  • · Hayfield Manor / Adare Manor / Doonbeg Lodge lodging
  • · Private dinners and chef-led pub crawls
  • · Private aviation Cork → Dublin transfer

Tipping & budget tips

  • Caddie tips run €40-€60 per bag on top of the caddie fee. Bring euros in small notes.
  • Pub dinners are 30-50% cheaper than hotel restaurants and the food and atmosphere are usually better.
  • The Tarbert ferry between Clare and Kerry saves an hour vs driving around - book ahead.
  • Doonbeg Lodge upgrade saves a basecamp move and adds a fine dining option. Worth it for groups that want one less drive.

Common questions about Ireland · West Coast golf trips

How much does a Ireland · West Coast golf trip cost per person?

Pinseekers Travel Ireland · West Coast trips run $6,800 - $11,500 per player. Final pricing depends on group size, season, lodging tier, the caddie program, and whether you add premium rounds or off-property activities. We publish standard, premium, and black-card tiers on this page; email events@pinseekerstravel.com with your dates and roster size and we'll come back with a custom quote within one business day.

What is the best time of year for a Ireland · West Coast golf trip?

The prime window for Ireland · West Coast is May - September. Conditioning, weather, and tee-time access all peak in that range. Shoulder months can drop pricing 20-30% with most days still playable. We don't book outside the prime window unless the group prefers off-season value over guaranteed weather - the "When to go" section above breaks down each month in detail.

How many days should a Ireland · West Coast golf trip be?

Most Ireland · West Coast groups travel for 7-9 nights / 6-8 rounds. Shorter than that and the marquee rounds feel rushed; longer and fatigue cuts into scoring on the closing days. We size every trip to the group's travel windows, handicaps, and how many courses they want to play - the sample itinerary on this page is one representative routing, not the only shape the trip can take.

What are the must-play courses at Ireland · West Coast?

The marquee rounds we sequence on a Ireland · West Coast trip are Ballybunion (Old Course), Lahinch (Old Course), Doonbeg (Trump International), Waterville. Each is profiled in "The courses we play" section above with designer, course type, and the strategic reason it earns a tee time on the schedule. Additional add-on rounds and replay options are available for groups that want to extend the trip or get a second crack at a favorite layout.

What's the closest airport to Ireland · West Coast?

Most groups fly into SNN (Shannon) or DUB (Dublin), depart from ORK (Cork). Pinseekers arranges group transfers from the airport to the basecamp and between courses for groups of four or more, with larger groups split across multiple vans. Private aviation arrivals are coordinated separately when the group has access. The "Getting there & transfers" section above lists the alternates worth considering.

Can I ship my golf clubs to Ireland · West Coast?

Yes. Pinseekers handles club shipping on every trip via Ship Sticks or Luggage Forward, with door-to-door pickup from your home or club and delivery to the resort bag room before arrival. Most groups ship one direction and fly back with their sticks; we coordinate the pickup window, the labels, and the resort hand-off so you land and play.

What's a typical group size for a Ireland · West Coast golf trip?

Ireland · West Coast trips typically run 8 - 16 players. The format suits links pilgrimage, milestone birthdays, devoted golfers. Smaller groups (under the listed minimum) are workable but lose tee-time flexibility; larger groups need a custom build and a longer lead time for lodging blocks. Tell us your roster size in the brief and we'll size the routing - and the sample itinerary - around it.

How early should I book a Ireland · West Coast golf trip?

Book Ireland · West Coast trips six to twelve months ahead for prime-season dates. Marquee rounds and on-property lodging fill earliest, especially over weekends in the May - September window. Off-season and weekday trips can sometimes be confirmed inside 90 days. Send the brief as soon as the group's dates are firm; we hold tee times the same week the contract is signed.

Are caddies available at Ireland · West Coast?

Caddies are available at most Ireland · West Coast courses and required at a few. Pinseekers books the caddie program with the round - including forecaddies, pro-line caddies, and walking-only setups where the property requires it. We brief every caddie on the group's preferences before the round goes off, and tipping guidance is included in the trip packet so nobody is guessing on the first tee.

Does Pinseekers handle non-golfer activities at Ireland · West Coast?

Yes. Pinseekers coordinates non-golfer activities on every Ireland · West Coast trip - spa, dining, off-property tours, cultural experiences, fishing, and whatever else the group's spouses or non-golfing partners want to fit in. Tell us in the brief who's traveling and what they want to do, and we'll build the parallel schedule into the trip without making it feel like a separate booking.

Further Reading

Plan your Ireland · West Coast trip

Pinseekers Travel runs Ireland · West Coast trips end-to-end - tee times, lodging, transfers, dining, and the on-trip schedule. Send a brief and we'll come back with two routings within one business day.

Inquire about Ireland · West Coast

Last updated: 2026-05-05