Talking Golf Travel: January 2025

Dumbarnie
The award-winning Dumbarnie Links

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Welcome to the January 2025 issue of Talking Golf Travel.

As ever, you can look forward to plenty of exciting stories and helpful insights about golf tourism in Ireland and Scotland.

Because a lot has happened since our Festive Special.

Now, without further delay, let’s get the new year underway.

Your top golf travel stories

Here’s the incredible agenda for Talking Golf Travel #4. 

Click a headline for the full story.

Curracloe Beach

Coming in 2026: Curracloe Links

You’ll soon find the world’s next great golf course beside Ireland’s best beach.

At least that’s the billing for Curracloe Links.

Construction on the €20m course starts in February. Specifically, at the 4-star Ravenport Resort in County Wexford.

The award-winning designers couldn’t have picked a better location. 

For climate, scenery or terrain.

Design plans for Curracloe Links

They’ve promised a fun, modern golfing experience – unlike anything else in Ireland.

Think Friar’s Head in New York.

All going according to plan, from 2026, travelling golfers will flock to the sun-kissed Southeast to play the par-70 Curracloe Links.

Get the full story in the Irish Independent

Turnberry Ailsa
You need an ETA to visit Scotland

New UK Entry Requirements

Thinking about a golf trip to Scotland?

You now require an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter or connect through the United Kingdom.

This includes another popular golf destination: Northern Ireland.

All travellers without a visa need to obtain an ETA – like the U.S. ESTA program.

You must apply for this digital entry permit at least 3 days before travelling.

The ETA willl allow you to stay in the UK for up to 6 months and is valid for 2 years. 

You can apply online for £10.

Extra direct flights from America to Ireland

Good news for American golfers planning an Irish golf tour.

Starting in March, United Airlines will expand its direct flights between Dublin Airport and the U.S.

For example, the airline will seasonally double daily flights between Washington D.C. and the Irish capital.

But your extra travel options don’t stop there.

United will also increase the capacity of its seasonal Dublin to Chicago O’Hare service. 

Furthermore, you can catch year-round daily flights from New York/Newark.

Plus, seasonal daily non-stop service from Shannon Aiport to New York/Newark and Chicago O’Hare.

Which is very handy if you’re headed to the stunning Southwest

Or golfing your way across the wild and wondrous West

Gailes Hotel - Ayrshire - 5 Star
The Gailes Hotel and Spa

Finalists for the 2025 Scottish Golf Tourism Awards

And your nominees are…

This March, the biggest names in the game will gather in Aberdeen for Scottish Golf Tourism Week.

As always, its much-anticipated prestigious awards bring down the curtain.

Let’s look at some familiar finalists.

Nairn
Narin Golf Club

And by familiar, we mean potential winners at the 2025 Scottish Golf Tourism Awards you can experience with IGT/Scotland. 

Importantly, this illustrious list covers categories on and off the links.

Keep an eye out for the venues with multiple nominations. 

17th at Carnoustie
Carnoustie Golf Links in Fife

The new-look Valley at Royal Portrush

Usually, when you think of Royal Portrush, the glorious Dunluce Links immediately come to mind.

But that’s no surprise. 

After all, in July, the classic seaside course hosts The Open Championship for a third time. 

However, hidden among tumbling dunes along the Atlantic coast, you’ll find its lesser-known sister links.

The Valley is a pure gem. 

In fact, Graeme McDowell honed his game on the course.

Like the Dunluce, its design belongs to Harry Colt. And like the Dunluce, its redesign belongs to Martin Ebert.

The new-look Valley Links reopens this Spring.

Top 100 Golf Courses has the inside scoop.

12 ancient pubs in Edinburgh

East Lothian – Scotland’s Golf Coast – is just a short drive from the capital city.

Expect a magical cultural adventure on the cobbled streets of Edinburgh. 

And watering holes from the Middle Ages. 

Recently, the Edinburgh Evening News profiled the city’s 12 oldest pubs

Fittingly, The Golf Tavern (Est. 1456) is No.2.

Cliffs of Moher in County Clare

Condé Nast Traveler recommends County Clare

Beautiful blue-flag beaches. Lunar limestone landscapes. Colossal coastal cliffs.

Awe-inspiring ancient monuments. Hidden hike trails. Stirring seaside villages.

Plus: legendary music, pubs and restaurants.

No wonder Condé Nast Traveler included County Clare in The Best Places to Go in Europe in 2025.

However, somehow, it left out Lahinch Golf Club.

Thankfully, the iconic links will definitely be on the itinerary for your trip to Clare.

Lahinch Golf Club - South West Ireland
Lahinch Golf Club

Royal Dornoch keeps the common touch

Invariably, Royal Dornoch makes the shortlist for the world’s greatest golf course.

In short, the Championship Course is an otherworldly experience.

But that doesn’t mean you need special credentials to visit this age-old rugged links.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club
Royal Dornoch Golf Club

Quite the opposite, according to the club.

Royal Dornoch recently published this article to celebrate its No.5 ranking in the Top 100 World Public Access Courses.

Speaking of reasons to visit the vast, rolling Highlands.

Lonely Planet agrees with golfers

Maybe it’s a coincidence.

But Lonely Planet listed 3 ever-popular golf destinations in its 33 best places to visit in Europe

First, those sublime Scottish Highlands. The epic region boasts a stunning collection of classic links golf courses. But also Loch Ness, whisky trails, moody islands, countryside pubs, and romantic retreats.

Second, to Dublin’s fair city. Your home base on this east coast golf tour. Between 6 championship courses, you can explore amazing attractions like Trinity College and the Guinness Storehouse.

Third, the Ring of Kerry. Perhaps the most beautiful driving route on the entire Emerald Isle. And the perfect gateway to top-notch links such as Waterville, Dooks, Ballybunion, and Tralee.

Top 50 modern golf courses

A few caveats about this star-studded list in Golfweek

It’s exclusive to Ireland and Great Britain. Also, a course must have been built in or after 1960 to qualify as modern.

But forget about all 50. 

Instead, just for you, we’ve handpicked 10 fledgling links that sometimes fly under the radar.

Have a look-see…

Cruit Island
Cruit Island Golf Club
  • Dumbarnie Links. The newcomer in Fife won major 4 awards in 2024.  
  • Cruit Island. The best 9 holes you could ever wish to play.
  • Fidra Links. The eccentric seaside layout features soaring Scots pines and woodland.
  • The European Club. The dunes define this colossal course along the Irish Sea.
  • Castle Stuart. The Gil Hanse creation clings to the magnificent Moray Firth.
Archerfield Fidra
Fidra Links at Archerfield
  • Enniscrone Golf Club. The championship Dunes unrolls across 40 acres of tumbling linksland.
  • King Robert the Bruce. The exhilarating junior sister links to the iconic Ailsa Course.
  • Tralee Golf Club. The Arnold Palmer signature design is packed with unforgettable holes.
  • Dundonald Links. The captivating centrepiece of the standout stay-and-play resort in Ayrshire.
  • Sandy Hills. The prototype modern links has 2 world-class siblings at Rosapenna.

Introducing Course of the Month

Lastly, some news from Irish Golf Tours. Today, we launch our new Course of the Month series for Talking Golf Travel.

And the illustrious Lahinch Golf Club seemed like the perfect place to start.

Our happy guests at Lahinch

Designed by Old Tom Morris.

Refined by Alister MacKenzie.

Ranked No.27 in the world by Golf Digest.

Chosen to host the 2026 Walker Cup by The R&A and USGA.

You could wax lyrical about Lahinch all day.

But the majestic Old Course is even better to play.

See for yourself. 

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