Dublin and East Ireland Golf Vacations

Par 72, yardage 7,105. There's a good reason why Portmarnock Golf Club has hosted more professional tournaments than just about any other course in Ireland - it's a fantastic golf course. It was once described as "the most natural (course) in the world" and you don't have to wait long to find out why. It is true links golf at its very best and it's no real surprise that the cream usually rises to the top when a professional tournament is held at Portmarnock, where the roll of honor contains the likes of Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Ben Crenshaw.

From start to finish, this is a fabulous test of golf and, quite simply, it's a course you won't want to leave off your itinerary.

*All groups of 3 players or more must have a fore caddie

Par 72, yardage 7,077. Situated on an island just three miles from the city centre, Royal Dublin is steeped in history. It was the first club in all of Ireland to have 18 holes, though the original 1885 layout in Phoenix Park is no longer the club's home. In 1890, it moved to its present site at Bull Island, where the legendary Harry Colt carried out some redevelopment work on the course after the war. It's a pretty flat links course which used to host the Irish Open, the great Seve Ballesteros lifting that title twice over the course.

The club is home to another golfing legend, Christy O'Connor, who made his name while playing at Royal Dublin. It's worth finding out why it is rated so highly.