Welcome to Talking Golf Travel: No.12. Alas, we’re approaching the final green of another sensational season in Ireland and Scotland.
But don’t despair…
Because great golfing content is a year-round affair. Let’s hit the links for this cracking new issue.
Click any headline to get September’s Talking Golf Travel underway:
Did you catch last month’s Talking Golf Travel?
Then you’ll know that Jeff Goudy of Break80 Golf was among the visiting golfers on the sparkling Emerald Isle.
So, where did Jeff go after breathtaking rounds at Carne and Enniscrone?
To scenic, thrilling Tralee Golf Club on the untamed coast of County Kerry.
Jeff called Arnold Palmer’s creation an ‘out-of-body experience’ that’s closer to theatre than golf.
Read his story here.
Every golf course, even the iconic Championship Ailsa, can be improved.
But only in the hands of a master.
Enter Martin Ebert, who radically revamped the four-time Open venue in 2016 to universal acclaim.
Then, this year, he unveiled the upgraded 7th hole.
Incredibly, as National Club Golfer discovered during a recent visit to Turnberry, there are plans for more enhancements.
Get Dan Murphy’s report from the Ayrshire resort here.
Dan Murphy wasn’t the only member of the golf media to speak with Martin Ebert.
You can also hear from the acclaimed architect in a fascinating interview on the Feed The Ball podcast.
In golf terms, this is da Vinci describing how he painted the Mona Lisa.
Ebert reveals the processes used to refurbish the likes of Royal Portrush, The Island, and Royal County Down.
For Neil White, AKA The Golf Pilgrim, playing world-class courses is just another day at the office.
This month, Neil visited Scotland and Ireland to take on two absolutely epic links layouts.
First, it was the lesser-known Dunbar Golf Club on the spellbinding shores of East Lothian.
Find out more here.
Next, 300 miles away, it was the rugged, remote and riveting Narin & Portnoo in Donegal.
Learn more here.
Four days after Rory’s unforgettable victory at the K Club, the news finally arrived.
The DP World Tour selected Trump International Golf Links to host the next Irish Open (September 10-13).
Designed by Greg Norman, the picturesque championship course becomes the second venue in County Clare to stage Ireland’s blue-ribbon event.
The first, legendary Lahinch, welcomes the 50th Walker Cup on the previous weekend.
Get the details from RTÉ here.
Even now, 77 years later, Alistair Ross recalls every detail of that special day in the Scottish Highlands.
He had come to Royal Dornoch for the opening of new holes on the famed Championship Course.
Alistair wasn’t alone.
A sizeable crowd gathered for the celebratory challenge match, featuring Ryder Cup stars Charles Ward and James Adams.
Alistair and his wife, Margaret, tell the story in this episode of Monday Memories.
Donegal Golf Club is quite literally a hidden gem.
This vast, undulating links course is isolated from the outside world by towering evergreens and the jaw-dropping Bluestack Mountains.
Still, even that didn’t stop two first-class content creators from finding the beautiful beast.
Member For A Day (first video) and The Bogey Men (second video) each journeyed to the magical Murvagh Peninsula for the exhilarating Donegal experience.
And so should you.
It’s always a pleasure to welcome repeat guests.
In 2023, our Temme Group explored the glorious Southwest.
Last month, they jumped off the beaten track for a two-couple tailored trip to lesser-known and legendary links.
Their thrilling tee times across the wild, wondrous Northwest included:
Then it was on to the hallowed Royals, Portrush and County Down, for the perfect Golfer Journeys finale.
Unforgettable!
Starting next April, American golfers can fly direct from Raleigh-Durham in North Carolina to Dublin Airport.
Aer Lingus will operate its new route five times per week on the Airbus A321 XLR aircraft (below).
But there’s more.
If you’re planning a golf tour for summer 2026, the airline will deliver an expanded schedule of daily flights from New York, Boston, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Orlando.
Get the Irish Independent story here.
As you probably know, last month, the eagerly awaited New Course at Trump International opened to much fanfare.
The sumptuous 5-star resort on the windswept shores of Aberdeenshire now offers you an uncommonly excellent 36-hole experience.
So, what kind of test can you expect from the dazzling newcomer?
Here’s a sample, courtesy of Jim Callaghan, The Senior Golfer.
Take a look at Jim’s shot-by-shot breakdown of the par-3, 179-yard third.
The craic continues long after you sink your final putt.
Perhaps it’s a post-round recap over creamy Guinness and hearty stew in the clubhouse of a world-famous links like Ballybunion.
Maybe you play Portmarnock and hit age-old pubs on the cobblestone streets of Dublin’s fair city or…
You might scratch Royal Portrush off your list before a whisky-tasting tour of Bushmills.
Visit IrishCentral to uncover Ireland’s unmissable 19th-hole experiences here.
There are golf events – then there’s the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Every year, professionals and celebrity amateurs gather for four days of competition across Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course.
And the Auld Grey Toun becomes ‘Little Hollywood’.
The 2025 edition (starting October 2) will feature Brook Koepka, Wayne Gretzky, Rory McIlroy, Michael Douglas, Tyrrell Hatton, and Bill Murray.
Go behind the scenes with the Daily Record here.
You can expect all sorts of fun in the Irish capital.
The pretty city by the sea is a trove of music-filled taverns, historic buildings, foodie hotspots, sumptuous hotels, and leafy parks.
And, lest we forget, exceptional golf courses.
GolfMagic recently ranked Dublin’s best tracks.
Sure, some parklands made the cut.
But the magnificent links at Portmarnock, The Island and Royal Dublin dominate the leaderboard.
See the full list here.
Last week, among the heaving dunes of Thirsty Hollow, a journeyman made history.
His achievement eluded Harrington, McIlroy, McGinley, Lowry, and Clarke.
Caolan Rafferty won the North of Ireland Amateur Open to complete the first-ever regional Grand Slam.
And what a venue for the occasion!
The Strand at Portstewart Golf Club is a rugged, rolling, exhilarating championship links with soul-stirring seaside scenery.
Learn more about your Course of the Month.
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Author: Tom Rooney
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