Welcome to Talking Golf Travel: No.19.
With the season in full swing, April has been a bonanza of great golfing content from Ireland and Scotland.
And it’s waiting for you in this must-read issue.
Now, let’s hit the links across an incredible collection of bucket-list destinations.
There’s something undeniably cinematic about Carne Golf Links.
So it’s no surprise that this jaw-dropping dunescape in Mayo caught the eye of Edward Burns, the writer, director and star of the upcoming movie, Finnegan’s Foursome.
Understandably, Burns chose Carne as a location for his film (released June 19) about a golf-loving Irish American family.
However, judging by the new Paramount trailer, you should expect more belly laughs than epic shots!
Here’s a tip for planning your golf trip:
Embrace the joy factor. Ultimately, that’s what you remember.
Enter Chris Bertham, who compiled a magnificent list of the most fun courses in Ireland and Great Britain.
Naturally, links abound.
At the top, in East Lothian, is the wonderfully eccentric North Berwick.
Not far behind, in Donegal, you’ll find the 9-hole clifftop cracker at Cruit Island.
Learn more in Today’s Golfer here.
Prestwick Golf Club is your gateway to the very roots of the game.
Here, in untamed Ayrshire, you play the majestic links course that staged the first 12 Open Championships.
Then you have the newly reimagined clubhouse.
Decorated with 175 years of history, including the Claret Jug, the renovated Prestwick venue now features a resplendent modern lounge with glorious views over its legendary layout.
It’s bucket-list stuff.
Learn more here.
Speaking of The Open.
As you may have heard, the Championship returns to England in 2028, even though many expected Scotland to get the nod.
Interestingly, the announcement also shed light on the much-mooted maiden Major in Ireland.
Specifically, Dublin’s prestigious Portmarnock Golf Club.
While progress has been slower than hoped, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon remains ‘cautiously optimistic’ about the momentous event.
Learn more in Irish Golf Desk here.
It’s easy to forget that there’s more to Home of Golf than the hallowed Old Course.
Actually, St Andrews Links offers you seven other top-notch tee times.
The high-octane Castle Course arrived in 2008, and it belongs on your itinerary.
Designed by David McLay Kidd, this scenic seaside links takes you on a rip-roaring ride along craggy cliffs to billowing fairways and outrageous greens.
Hit play and see what awaits.
Anna Abom will forever be remembered as the trailblazing winner of the inaugural South of Ireland Women’s Amateur Open.
Meanwhile, her stunning 10-shot victory set the stage for a seismic 2026 at Lahinch.
In July, the storied men’s South (est. 1895) returns to the untamed, distinct, and remarkably varied Old Course.
Next, you’ve got the much-anticipated main event. Buckle up for the Walker Cup.
Learn more in Irish Golfer here.
May 15th promises to be a historic day for golf in the soul-stirring Scottish Highlands.
Old Petty, the acclaimed new Tom Doak links course, officially opens at Cabot Highlands.
So, now you have another reason to visit this picture-postcard property on the moody Moray Firth.
Old Petty is a sequel. And Castle Stuart is the blockbuster original.
That means 36 unforgettable holes for you.
Learn more in Break80 Golf here.
When you think of Irish great links, you probably think of the sublime Atlantic coastline.
After all, it’s the canvas for the likes of Ballybunion and Royal Portrush.
The Dublin suburbs? Not so much.
And yet…
That’s where The Island Golf Club sits in splendid isolation.
It might lack name recognition. But this otherworldly links course overflows with raw beauty and heroic holes.
Learn more in National Club Golfer here.
Welcome to Gullane.
Nestled atop the enchanting East Lothian coast, the Village of Golf is a magical place, where the game has been played for 300 years.
At the heart of everything is Gullane Golf Club.
This 54-hole haven serves you links golf in its purest form.
Recently, the Golf Pilgrim Top 100 podcast team played its marquee course, the glorious Gullane No.1.
Irish golf courses are revered worldwide for many reasons.
It’s their rich history. It’s their remarkable linksland. And it’s their masterful design.
But it’s also the unfathomable natural splendour that greets you at every turn.
Waterville brings you to the Ring of Kerry. Doonbeg is on the doorstep of the Burren.
Rosapenna and Ballyliffin reveal Donegal. County Sligo Golf Club showcases Benbulben Mountain
Learn more in Condé Nast Traveler here.
By any definition, Dumbarnie Links belongs in the instant classic category.
The thrilling course on the southern shores of Fife opened to universal applause in 2020.
Already, Dumbarnie has won multiple awards, staged premier tournaments, and earned a place among Scotland’s top 20 golf courses.
Yet the quest for perfection on the spectacular 5,000-acre Balcarres Estate is never-ending.
During the off-season, Dumbarnie received significant enhancements.
Learn more in bunkered here.
You undoubtedly saw Rory’s history-making antics at the Masters.
So we picked a Course of the Month with all the awe-inspiring majesty of Augusta.
The Ailsa at Turnberry rests on the glistening Ayrshire coastline and delivers a championship links experience unlike any other.
Throughout this immaculate course, you encounter beguiling scenery, supreme strategy, storied history, and sheer joy.
Eventually, you lose count of showstopping shots!
Explore the four-time Open venue.
Share
Author: Tom Rooney
