Golf Retreats to Ireland 101 – A Complete Ireland Golf Trip Itinerary Guide For Women

Known as 'golfer's paradise,' there is a reason why golf retreats to Ireland are one of the most elating, memorable (and downright amazing) adventures a woman can experience. Sure, Ireland in and of itself is a gorgeous country filled with incredible people, places, and things to do for every wanderluster. But for us passionate golfers, Ireland is a one-of-a-kind golfing vacation where ladies like us can cart across the scenic fields, soak in the stunning landscapes, and uptick our game a few professional notches along the way.

In short, women’s golf in Ireland should be on every lass’s bucket list. And if it already is, the next step is none other than planning out your Ireland golf trip schedule to ensure you get the most out of every moment. I know, a lot easier said than done. But to help you out, below is a foolproof Ireland golf trip itinerary that you can follow so you can b 100% confident that your retreat is nothing shy of perfect.

Ireland Golf Trip Itinerary – The Breakdown

Make the executive decision to take up women’s golf in Ireland? Check. Golf clubs? Check. Awesome outfits for the fields? Triple check. Actually forming a concrete Ireland golf trip schedule that both works and makes sense? If your answer entails anything but ‘yep, check!’, then below is a sample itinerary to help make that happen. Keep in mind that these places and recommended courses are vetted by yours truly and I can promise that it will inspire you to bring you a-game!

…Let’s get started, shall we?

Figure Out Your Flights

Wherever you are in the world may determine your flights and costs, but the goal should be to arrive close to where the action is. In this case, consider departing from your local airport and arriving at Shannon Airport. For this case, let’s just say you leave on a Thursday evening so you can arrive in Ireland by Friday morning. Be sure to sleep well on the flight because in this Ireland golf trip schedule, golfing will be in the cards after you land! 

Nail Down The Hotel

Once you land at Shannon, where will you stay? In general, there are hotels at just about every corner – some good and some not so good. Some of the closer ones include the Park Inn by Radisson, Carrygerry Country House, and Treacy's Oakwood Hotel, which is only 2.4 miles from the airport. But as a lady who has taken on women's golf in Ireland before, I recommend going with the Adare Manor Resort. It is a perfect mixture of luxury, Irish appeal and even possesses its own golf course, which is an essential perk and convenience to any golfer's itinerary.

Step Three: Golfing!

While you rest up and settle in, your upcoming day(s) should already be filled with several different courses that you can look forward to. For example, that Friday when you arrive, you can plan out a round of golf at the Dooks Golf Club with a lunch break at the all-amazing Natterjack Restaurant. For reference, the Dooks Golf Club is one of Ireland's oldest golf links and was voted as Ireland's most scenic course in 2020. In a nutshell, it's a course you will not want to miss for both its beauty and historic value. The other days could go something like:

• Saturday: Golfing at Tralee Golf Club with dinner at The Tack Room. Let me tell you, the gorgeous Atlantic Coast with green mountainous backdrops is a sight you will never forget.
• Sunday: Golfing and exploring the Golf Course right at the Adare Manor (part of why I love that hotel so much). Then when you are done, you can relocate to the 5-Star Marrion Hotel and fuel up at Matt the Thresher for dinner. Why relocate? Because the other amazing courses are a tad further away, and this one jump will make it 10x easier for you to make the most of the second half of your journey.

Planning The Second Leg

The morning after you check in to Marrion, get ready for a whole new scene of golfing at the Portmarnock Golf Club. Being the grounds where so many historic golfers played, here you can enjoy the majestic coastline curves of Ireland's most top-rated courses in national polls. Though you will likely want to spend the full day here, you can always have the leisure freedom of exploring Dublin City just 10 miles away.

The Last Rounds

Golf retreats to Ireland would not be fully complete without hitting up the Royal County Down course. Hailing right in the center of the beautiful Murlough Nature Reserve, the Royal County Down is a wonderful, beautiful, and dynamically challenging course all in one – perfect for ending a women’s golf in Ireland retreat on an epic note.

PS: Instead of ordering take-out, be sure to schedule a farewell dinner at La Caverna/Patrick Guilbaud

Hauling It Home

To avoid extra travel time by car or bus, you will want to depart from Dublin Airport this time around. As noted above, Dublin is not far from the Marrion and can make morning check-out and last-minute packing checks a little easier. Or, if you plan on leaving in the afternoon, this can be another opportunity to check out Dublin yet again!

Too Much To Read? Here Is A Short List For The Scanners

• Thursday: Depart for Shannon Airport
• Friday: Check into Adare Manor Resort and proceed to the Dooks Golf Club. Lunch or dinner can be at Natterjack Restaurant.
• Saturday: Golf at the Tralee Golf Club with dinner at The Tack Room.
• Sunday: Golf at the Golf Course right at the Adare Manor. Once done, relocate to the 5-Star Marrion Hotel and have dinner at Matt the Thresher.
• Monday: Golf at the Portmarnock Golf Club
• Tuesday: Golf at The Royal County Down and have a final dinner at La Caverna/Patrick Guilbaud.
• Wednesday: Head back home from the Dublin airport.

Still Too Much? Skip The Planning Phase Entirely With Girls Gone Golfing

• I read this Ireland golf trip itinerary and am still not sure where to even begin.
• I get what I need to do to make this Ireland golf trip schedule work, but I just don’t have the time to actually do it.
• I am nervous that I will miss a critical step, and it will throw off my entire schedule!

Did you say or think any of these things above? If so, you are certainly not alone because the fact of the matter is that even with having a women's golf in Ireland guide laid out, actually executing it can pose its own set of unforeseen challenges. That said, if your heart is unbudging on hightailing it to a golfer's paradise without having to face the planning hassles involved, the good news is that you can. 

Established to help women from all corners of the earth come together with a common passion, Girls Gone Golfing is an all-inclusive, pre-planned golf retreat to Ireland that enables you to have the experience of a lifetime without the scheduling strings attached. From departing, leisure time, dinners, and of course, golfing at all the world’s finest locations, we already have it all ready and armed to go so you can leave one less (pretty hefty) worry behind.

To see the full 2023 Ireland golf trip itinerary, you can find that here!

In the end, I love golf to an obsession, and I know how empowering it is to enjoy something you deeply care about with others who value it as much as you do. That there is what Girls Gone Golfing is all about: to give women like us an outlet to explore, embrace, connect, and improve their game to new boss babe levels. Even more, become an unparalleled retreat that allows you to focus less on the details and more on the experience itself. That said, if you are ready to play your best rounds on some of the world’s most gorgeous soil (psst: minus the planning hassle), then be sure to sign up today to make 2023 one heck of a year to remember.

See you on the fields, ladies.

- Tori
Instagram: @tori_totlis
TikTok: @tori_totlis
Website: CompeteConfidenceGolf.com