Golf tournaments in Ireland

Every year the world’s best golfers descend upon Ireland’s shores to take part in prestigious tournaments, and we have rounded up eight high-profile competitions that take place on some of the best courses around the island.

These internationally renowned events offer a unique opportunity to catch the world’s elite players in action on the championship courses of Northern Ireland, the parklands of Ireland’s Ancient East and the links beauties of the Wild Atlantic Way.

The OFX Legends Tour will take place amid the lush surroundings of the Mount Juliet Estate in County Kilkenny. It’s a top event on the Legends Tour, the official tour for players over 50 that offers amateurs the rare opportunity to play in a championship alongside former major winners, world number ones and Ryder Cup players and captains.

Mount Juliet Golf Course has champion pedigree and then some. Designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, the pristine 18 holes feature no less than five lakes and some 80 bunkers. Unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods has mastered the course, famously winning the 2002 WGC-American Express Championship here. So, whether you’re testing yourself against some golfing heroes or simply enjoying the action from the galleries, a fun few days are in store in this stunning part of Ireland. Top tip: check out nearby Kilkenny city and walk the historic Medieval Mile.

Carton House in County Kildare will once again host the highly anticipated KPMG Women’s Irish Open on its O’Meara parkland golf course. Europe’s top professional female golfers will compete on the Par 73 course for the impressive prize fund. Over 37,000 spectators enjoyed the tournament here in 2024.

The O’Meara course takes players through woodland, to the banks of the River Rye and alongside the glistening waters of the lake – the 18th hole even offers views of the historic Palladian manor house. If you want to venture beyond the putting green, check out nearby Castletown House or uncover the county’s history at Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park.

3. The Open Championship (July)

It took 68 years for golf’s original major to return to Northern Ireland in 2019, but after a roaringly successful event in which 240,000 fans packed the course to see homegrown hero Shane Lowry lift the famous Claret Jug, the Championship will be coming back to Royal Portrush Golf Club this year for the 153rd Open. Will the luck of the Irish come into play once again?

When it opened in 1888, Royal Portrush only had nine holes, but within a year it became a challenging 18-hole course – one that is often ranked one of the best in the world by Golf Digest! The course was refurbished just before the 148th Open, and golfing greats loved it, with some even saying this was the greatest links course they had ever played. There’s much to see on this rugged stretch of the Causeway Coast. The clifftop ruins of historic Dunluce Castle are a sight that’ll linger long in the memory.

The 2025 edition of the Irish Challenge tees off at the historic Killeen Castle Golf Course in County Meath. It’s a key event on the European Challenge Tour, the top developmental tour on the continent. The likes of Justin Rose and Brooks Koepka have played on the tour in years past. Who knows which stars of tomorrow you’ll see in action as a hungry field of up-and-comers battle it out to earn promotion to the DP World Tour at the end of the season?

Killeen is one of only two Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses in Ireland. Designed by perhaps the greatest golfer of all time, the 7,700 yard course is a proper golfing test. The magnificent castle makes for a dramatic backdrop to the action on the fairways, and it’s quite a large clue as to the region you’re in: Ireland’s Ancient East. Historic landmarks abound here. Don’t miss the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Brú na Bóinne nearby, which is home to ancient passage tombs older than the Pyramids.

The NI Legends Open on the Legends Tour heads to Galgorm Castle Golf Club in Northern Ireland this year. Fancy challenging yourself against some golfing greats? Thought so! You can enquire about signing up for the Championship Pro-Am one-day event, or the four-day Legends Experience, which takes place under tournament conditions in front of TV cameras and crowds. If your game isn't quite up to this level, you can join the spectators for what will be a great few days of action.

This course on the 440-acre Galgorm estate has seen many big events including the World Invitational in 2019 and 2021 – 2023, LPGA and LET Tours. It’s a pleasant parkland course bordered by the waters of rivers Maine and Braid. Explore the natural surrounding area with a trip to Lough Neagh – the largest lake on the island of Ireland, or venture out to the Glens of Antrim situated in the Antrim Coast and Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Forming part of the DP World Tour’s 2025 season is the Amgen Irish Open, hosted by The K Club in County Kildare, a world-class golf destination and former Ryder Cup venue. Last year’s even saw high drama at Royal County Down, as local favourite Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on a hometown win. He will be back this year hoping to go one better at the 5-star golf resort just outside Dublin.

The K Club is home to not one but two courses designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer. Palmer North is one of the most pristine parklands in Ireland, while Palmer South is an inland links endeavour with dune-style mounds and imposing rock features. No stay in “the Thoroughbred County” is complete without a visit to the world-class Irish National Stud and Gardens, an elite equestrian centre that’s also home to Japanese Gardens which are considered the finest of their kind in Europe.

Last hosted on the island of Ireland in 2007, this prestigious event makes its return to these shores in 2026. Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare will host the best amateur male players from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States in a tournament that has helped stars including Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington make their names.

This will be the first time the Walker Cup will be held at Lahinch, widely regarded as one of the most challenging links courses on the island. And when the golf is over, there is plenty to see and do. Lahinch is famous for its surfing and with plenty of surf schools, it’s ideal for beginners. If you fancy something a little different, visit Doolin Cave, where you can see one of the longest stalactites in Europe.

A century after the first-ever Ryder Cup took place in Massachusetts, the best players in the US and Europe will play to win this prestigious competition when it returns to Ireland in 2027. One of the world’s great sporting events needs a venue to match – and it has found that in Adare Manor in County Limerick, just a 30-minute drive from both Limerick city and Shannon Airport. The course here is a state-of-the-art feat of engineering, recently redesigned by Tom Fazio and sprawling across 230 acres of parkland, dotted with mature trees and medieval ruins.

Adare Manor itself is the backdrop to the course but that doesn’t mean that it plays second fiddle to the manicured fairways. Its Gothic architecture, with signature arches, chimneys, gargoyles and, of course, the hallmark turrets, is only surpassed by its opulent interior, spa, fine dining and first-class hospitality. If you’re interested in attending the Ryder Cup, you can register your interest and start planning your trip to the Wild Atlantic Way, with its dramatic coastlines and challenging links courses. It will be the trip of a lifetime.