Welcome to Talking Golf Travel: May 2025.
It’s been another hectic month on the legendary linkslands of Ireland and Scotland. Isn’t it always?!
Thankfully, that also means another jam-packed edition of golfing goings-on for you to explore.
Take a look.
Click any headline to tee off on Issue #8 of Talking Golf Travel:
Famous faces are a common sight on Irish courses. But Matt Ginella must be Ireland’s most devoted celebrity golf fan.
This month, Matt returned to the island for a hidden gem tour.
First, the great Tom Watson joined him at Ardglass in Northern Ireland.
Next, he headed west for Old Tom Morris Links and Donegal Golf Club.
Finally, it was 27 holes across 400 acres of epic linksland at Enniscrone.
Every month, it seems like there’s something else to report about Royal Dornoch.
From the £13.5m clubhouse opening in 2026 to its 150th anniversary in 2027 and staging the Curtis Cup in 2028.
But this latest story in bunkered tops the lot.
The club has enlisted King Collins Dormer Golf Course Design to create a new 18-hole links layout to complement its Championship and Struie Courses.
Here’s the whole masterplan.
Coincidentally, your next destination has been called the ‘Dornoch of Ireland’.
Among the rolling dunes of Donegal, on the Atlantic edge of Inishowen, you’ll find Ballyliffin Golf Club.
Expect 36 holes of magical, savage beauty…
Recently, Kevin Markham of GOLF Monthly played the venue’s two showstoppers.
His verdict? Links golf to die for.
Kevin couldn’t get enough of the bump-and-run Old Course.
Or the big, muscular thriller that is Glashedy Links.
Your first of two stops in Aberdeenshire.
The countdown to the new MacLeod Course – opening in August – was already gathering pace.
Then Trump International Golf Links upped the ante with a blockbuster preview that Spielberg would be proud of.
As you’ll soon see, the imminent arrival shares the screen with an award-winning co-star, the resort’s Old Course.
Truthfully, the Greatest 36 Holes in Golf bit doesn’t seem far-fetched.
If you read last month’s Talking Golf Travel, you’ll know record crowds are coming to Northern Ireland for The 153rd Open.
Unsurprisingly, the excitement is palpable across the island.
Not least because the last Championship staged at Royal Portrush was such a fairytale event.
Who could forget Shane Lowry’s glorious 2019 victory?
Well, in case you did, the R&A compiled a round-by-round recap of his thunderous performance: Previously at Portrush.
In 2020, Neil White decided to play and review the world’s greatest courses.
The Golf Pilgrim Top 100 podcast, with co-host Ian Woods, chronicles his bucket-list odyssey.
This year, they’ve had tee times in France, Italy, Spain, England, and Scotland.
Recently, the lads visited four of the finest links layouts in Aberdeenshire.
They dedicated an episode apiece to Cruden Bay, Royal Aberdeen, Trump International, and Murcar Links.
Have a listen.
Compared to, say, Kerry, County Mayo has never been a traditional hotspot for overseas golfers in Ireland.
Apart from one secluded outpost on the cinematic Mullet Peninsula: Carne Golf Links.
Over the years, this otherworldly layout has gained a cult following across the pond, particularly among celebrities.
In fact, Carne just hosted its annual International Members Week, where award-winning broadcaster Ann Liguori succeeded best-selling author Tom Coyne as International President.
As much as any club, Crail Golfing Society embodies the tradition of the game in Scotland.
Located on the easternmost edge of Fife, Crail dates back to 1786. None other than Old Tom Morris designed its elder course, the breathtaking Balcomie Links.
This is a place of rich history and heritage.
However, as The Golf Business discovered, Crail has also embraced the future.
Check out its new state-of-the-art performance hub.
What was on the ballot?
Another step towards an unprecedented achievement.
As you may have heard, Portmarnock Golf Club is the frontrunner for the Open Championship venue roster.
If successful, the legendary links in Dublin would be the first outside the United Kingdom to host the oldest major.
First, Portmarnock members had to approve the proposed modifications to their home course.
And they did, overwhelmingly, according to Irish Golf Desk.
Don’t make this mistake.
For some touring golfers, Scotland’s Golf Coast ends at North Berwick, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh.
Alas, they miss out on a rare gem just beyond the horizon.
This is Dunbar Golf Club.
If you like your links courses challenging, intriguing, and charming, do yourself a big favour and go the extra few miles.
Don’t believe us? Then read this rave review in LINKS Magazine.
Welcome to a new series designed to inspire your next golfing adventure.
Golfer Journeys is a monthly on-the-ground report from guests of Irish Golf Tours on their travels across Ireland and Scotland.
First up is our 12-member Lawless Group from the U.S. East Coast.
They enjoyed an increasingly popular shoulder season trip in the iconic Irish Southwest.
Travel tip: It’s a little less cramped during April and May.
So, where did the guys stay and play?
We arranged six nights of luxury B&B between scenic Killarney and Lahinch.
Both of these delightful seaside towns are renowned for charming restaurants, lively pubs and natural wonders.
Now, for the six world-class courses on our visitors’ incredible itinerary.
Their dedicated driver whisked everyone to and from:
Just north of Dublin, where the River Boyne meets the Irish Sea, sits a magical stretch of linksland many visiting golfers overlook.
The lesser-known seaside pocket boasts two sensational championship layouts.
You’ve got beautiful Baltray, Ireland’s perennial No.1 hidden gem.
Plus, Seapoint Golf Links, the recent host of an unforgettable Irish Men’s Amateur Open and your new Course of the Month.
Explore this modern marvel with a killer back nine.
Author: Tom Rooney
Contact Us
Join the IGT newsletter
Copyright © 1993 - 2025 Irish Golf Tours Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Secure Payments: All major credit cards accepted and processed securely
