Combination Northern & Southern Ireland Golf Trip
We have had the pleasure of the Sorrento Group on their Ireland golf trip. This tour combined playing golf courses in Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland as well as some sightseeing en-route. Our golfing group have travelled from the Sorrento golf club in Victoria, Australia.
No Northern Ireland golf trip is complete without a visit to the Royal Portrush golf club which hosted the Open Championship this year. Winner this year was Irish golfer Shane Lowry.
And no Southern golf trip to Ireland is complete without a trip to Lahinch golf club which hosted the Dubai Irish Open golf tournament this year. Winner this year was Spanish golfer Jon Rahm.
Golf courses on Trip
Below is a selection of golf courses that the Sorrento Group will play during their tour of both Northern Ireland and South West of Ireland. Golfing Tour was personalised by the Sorrento touring party.
Royal Portrush Golf Club
Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim is home to one of the best and most challenging links golf courses in the world, the Dunluce Links. 148th Open Championship was staged here on July 14th-21st 2019. This amazing golf course is a constant on our golf trips to Northern Ireland.
Portstewart Golf Club
Portstewart Golf Club, founded in 1894 and home to three fine true links golf courses. Few clubs in the British Isles or Ireland can claim to have three courses under their name. The outstanding Championship Strand Course was the host for the 2017 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. Jon Rahm, the 2017 Winner was certainly impressed, “the golf course is amazing. It’s probably one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever seen, if not the most”.
Portmarnock Golf Club
Within a picturesque curve of coastline, 10 miles to the north of Dublin City and only a 15-minute drive from Dublin Airport, Portmarnock Golf Club sits majestically on a narrow tongue of shallow duneland. And as a measure of its enduring quality, it remains one of the most respected venues in world golf. It has staged the European Tour’s Irish Open Championship 19 times.
Royal County Down Golf Club
Royal County Down is located in one of the world’s most naturally beautiful links settings in the Murlough Nature Reserve. Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Mountains of Mourne, the links stretches along the shores of Dundrum Bay. Zigzagging back and forth to provide a different vista from virtually every hole.
County Louth Golf Club
Founded in 1892, County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it is more commonly known, has established itself as one of Ireland’s finest links courses. Winner of the 2017 IGTOA Links course of the year and host to two Irish Opens the course stands as a par 72 and measures 7,031 yards from the Championship tee. Whilst the championship course is one of the purest tests of golf, a variety of teeing options are available to ensure enjoyment for golfers of all levels. The Irish Open professional golf tournament which is part of the PGA European Tour has been held there on two occasions, in 2004 and 2009.
The Island Golf Club
Established in 1890, The Island Golf Club enjoys a unique setting bordered by sea on 3 sides. A classic links course set in a rugged terrain & nestled between the highest sand dunes along the east coast. Only 15 minutes from Dublin Airport and 30 minutes from Dublin City Centre, The Island is favourably located in the remote and tranquil Estuary of Donabate & Malahide.
Old Head Golf Links
Occupying a stunning and unique headland reaching out over two miles into the Atlantic Ocean, the Old Head of Kinsale is home to the most spectacular world-class golf course and luxury members’ accommodation. Located in County Cork on the South West Coast of Ireland, as the incredible brainchild of the late John O’Connor together with his brother Patrick, the Club has developed into one of the most recognised and sought after golf experiences anywhere on earth.
Waterville Golf Links
LESS THAN1% OF ALL THE GOLF COURSES IN THE WORLD ARE ‘TRUE LINKS’.
85% of these geological rarities are located in Britain and Ireland. Waterville Golf Links is No. 1 in Ireland, while Royal County Down is No. 1 in neighbouring Northern Ireland. Golf at Waterville is a mystical experience – the beauty of classic links land surrounded by the sea yet forever challenged and shaped by the elements.
Tralee Golf Club
Situated on the rugged Atlantic coast of Ireland’s south west, the links features towering dunes, undulating fairways, punishing rough and cliff top tees and greens. Designed and built by Arnold Palmer, this stunning setting represents a true paradise for those willing to challenge what is widely acclaimed as one of the finest links courses in the world.
“I may have designed the first nine, but surely God designed the back nine” Arnold Palmer
Ballybunion Golf Club
Located on the north west coast of County Kerry, on a beautiful stretch of sand dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll find two wonderfully challenging and unique world class links golf courses at Ballybunion – the Old Course and the Trent Jones Cashen Course. Whatever your choice,every hole, every hazard and every shot is defined by nature’s infinite presence.
Lahinch Golf Course
Established in 1892, the Lahinch Old Course is frequently referred to as the “Saint Andrews of Ireland”. It looks out on the ever-changing Atlantic Ocean and is subject to all its mood swings. An abundance of exceptional golf holes, where the natural terrain is utilised to optimum advantage. It hosts the south of Ireland Amateur Golf Championship annually and should be on every golfer’s itinerary.
Doonbeg Golf Club
Situated on over 400 acres of Ireland’s most spectacular links overlooking the majestic Atlantic Ocean, Trump Doonbeg has been named the #1 Resort in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler, a World’s Best by Travel + Leisure, and many, many more.
This already spectacular golf course was redesigned and reopened in 2016 by Dr Martin Hawtree with the exceptional drive, passion and expertise of a young Scottish course superintendent Scott Marr. This Championship golf links course is a stunning site to behold. Eighteen majestic holes, many with ocean views, soft underfoot grass pathways leading to large tee boxes facing beautiful rolling fairways that approach gentle contoured greens which should not be underestimated.
Sightseeing organised for Sorrento Group Golf Tour
RC Golf Escapes also organised some sightseeing for their tour. Some of the amazing places we visited in Northern Ireland include:
Ballintoy Harbour
Ballintoy Harbour is located in the picturesque village of Ballintoy.
The small fishing harbour can be found at the end of a small narrow steep road down Knocksaughey Hill. Passing by the entrance to Larrybane and Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. The village is just one kilometre from the harbour. A charming array of small shops, two churches, including the quaint white Ballintoy Parish Church on the hill above the harbour, as well as tourist accommodation, restaurants, commercial and social facilities.
For those looking to capture a true sense of Irish rural life, it is an ideal stop over whilst touring the coastal route.
Used as a filming location in HBO’s epic series Game of Thrones. This stunning harbour location has been used for exterior Pyke shots and as the Iron Islands
Giants Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. Located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills.
Ancients believed the Causeway was not a natural feature when you see it. The vast expanse of regular, closely packed, hexagonal stone columns beneath the waves looks for all the world like the handiwork of giants.
This spectacular rock formation is one of Ireland’s most impressive and atmospheric landscape features.
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland, the seat of Clan McDonnell. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim (between Portballintrae and Portrush). The castle is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Surrounded by extremely steep drops on either side. An important factor to the early Christians and Vikings who were drawn to this place where an early Irish fort once stood.
RC Golf Escapes Tours:
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