Maybe the game of golf wasnt invented in Ireland but to most visitors it seems that way. After all, there are more golf courses per square mile in Ireland than in any part of the world. A golfing visit to Ireland will be the trip of a lifetime for many reasons. First, links courses sparkle like an emerald necklace around the coastline of Ireland. It is subjective to pick the best from so many great courses but here are a few: Royal Portrush, Portstewart. Royal County Down, Baltray, Portmarnock, The European Club, Old Head, Waterville, Ballybunion, Tralee, Lahinch, Doonbeg, Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Murvagh, Ballyliffin and Rosapenna. Second, the past two decades have brought world class resorts with the finest facilities and championship level courses, including The K Club, Lough Erne, Druids Glen, Mount Wolsely, Killeen Castle, Glasson, Galgorm Castle, Slieve Russell, The Heritage, Powerscourt, Adare, Fota Island, Dromoland Castle and many more. Third, visitors can enjoy over 400 private golf clubs scattered throughout Ireland where greens fees offer excellent value and local members make you feel at home. Not least, the 19th hole is a great opportunity to meet local golfers. An old saying puts it like this: There are no strangers in Ireland, only friends you havent met before. The successes of Irish golfers on the international circuit has also put the spotlight on the great golf found throughout the Island. Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowrey and others have been not just successful competitors but wonderful ambassadors for Irish fun and hospitality. I hope you and your friends will come to experience golf in Ireland for yourselves. I can assure you a warm welcome and some wonderful memories. Joe Byrne Executive Vice-President Tourism Ireland

Maybe the game of golf wasnt invented in Ireland but to most visitors it seems that way. After all, there are more golf courses per square mile in Ireland than in any part of the world. A golfing visit to Ireland will be the trip of a lifetime for many reasons. First, links courses sparkle like an emerald necklace around the coastline of Ireland. It is subjective to pick the best from so many great courses but here are a few: Royal Portrush, Portstewart. Royal County Down, Baltray, Portmarnock, The European Club, Old Head, Waterville, Ballybunion, Tralee, Lahinch, Doonbeg, Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Murvagh, Ballyliffin and Rosapenna. Second, the past two decades have brought world class resorts with the finest facilities and championship level courses, including The K Club, Lough Erne, Druids Glen, Mount Wolsely, Killeen Castle, Glasson, Galgorm Castle, Slieve Russell, The Heritage, Powerscourt, Adare, Fota Island, Dromoland Castle and many more. Third, visitors can enjoy over 400 private golf clubs scattered throughout Ireland where greens fees offer excellent value and local members make you feel at home. Not least, the 19th hole is a great opportunity to meet local golfers. An old saying puts it like this: There are no strangers in Ireland, only friends you havent met before. The successes of Irish golfers on the international circuit has also put the spotlight on the great golf found throughout the Island. Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowrey and others have been not just successful competitors but wonderful ambassadors for Irish fun and hospitality. I hope you and your friends will come to experience golf in Ireland for yourselves. I can assure you a warm welcome and some wonderful memories. Joe Byrne Executive Vice-President Tourism Ireland

“Scotland is known as the Home of Golf and is renowned for its fascinating history, rich culture and heritage and but above all, our golf courses are situated amid some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Throughout Scotland there is a huge choice of golf courses to suit every skill level, offering quality, value for money, and above all, a fantastic and unique golfing experience. You are never too far from a golf course with more than 400 courses less than an hour from a city or an airport. Furthermore, the average green fee is £45 which is only around $70. Every golfer in the world should experience golf in Scotland at least once in their lifetime. Up and down the country Scotland offers unique coastal courses and magnificent links golf, complemented by breathtaking parkland, heathland and moorland golf courses, many of which have been designed by renowned golf architects and played by the golfing elite; another reason for cementing Scotland’s golfing reputation. Scotland of course boasts the famous greens of Turnberry and The Old Course. But we are not ones to rest on our laurels and new courses are being added to Scotland’s amazing collection all the time. Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club, set hard against the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, is the first 18-hole links golf course to be built on the west coast of Scotland in 100 years, while Castle Stuart in the Highlands is a championship links course overlooking the Moray Firth and well-known landmarks that are synonymous with Highlands. With more than 550 courses populating the stunning scenery the length and breadth of the country, you will never be stuck for quality or choice. With all this and more, there is always a reason for visiting Scotland.” Phillip Riddle, Chief Executive VisitScotland

For anyone planning a dream golfing vacation to Ireland, Trolleys and Squibs is the most comprehensive guidebook in the market. Frustrated by sketchy guidebooks while on a golfing tour, authors Louise and Rick Miracle decided to compile their own definitive guide to Irish links. In addition to its practical travel tips, this book offers insightful essays -- including several by leading figures in Irish golf -- that explain the history and particular character of golfing in Ireland. Vacation planners will especially love the book's extensive, geographically balanced coverage of individual golf courses, presented by way of two whimsically named lists. The Trolleys List contains thorough summaries of 153 courses, including small maps and directions for getting there, scorecard data, descriptions of each course's layout and club facilities, and recommendations on local restaurants and hotels. The Squibs List offers basic information -- addresses, phone numbers, brief descriptions -- about 138 additional golf courses. With Trolleys and Squibs, you can plan a detailed itinerary and make your reservations, even before landing on Irish shores (though armchair travelers as well will gain immense enjoyment from the colorful portraits of the courses and countryside).

Now in a fully updated and expanded edition, this book presents detailed portraits of Ireland's greatest and lesser-known links. ""Award-winning journalist Phinney and sports broadcaster Whitley have teamed up to create a golf-lover's dream book. Extensively researched, this guide details the history and creation of Ireland's renowned golf courses. Geographically arranged, each course includes information on its design, designers, unique features, green and hole characteristics, and notable golfers and tournaments. Pertinent information--location, green fee, address, and phone--is listed for each course. Brief listings of 100 additional, not so famous courses, the country's best 18 holes, tournaments for visitors, and helpful trip-planning tips follow the discussion of the famous links. Sure to be enjoyed by golfers everywhere."" --Library Journal

Unlike many other books written by American writers for an Aemrican market, Golfing in Ireland is notable in that real understanding, humour and irreverence are key to the visitor being told exactly what they need to know.-The KerrymanIreland is Europe's hottest golfing destination and one of the most popular golf venues for Americans eager to sample the fabled links. Author Rob Armstrong predicted the Irish golf boom in the first edition of Golfing in Ireland; in the third, he revisits old courses that have undergone revision or expansion and uncovers the best of Ireland's new courses. In his crisp, irreverent style, he also points out those courses that have not stood up, those that have been poorly maintained or managed, and those that have simply proved disappointing.Profiled in this edition are: the magnificent Old Head Golf Club in County Cork, one of the most exciting new golf courses in the world; the extraordinarily beautiful new Ring of Kerry Golf and Country Club in County Kerry that overlooks Kenmare Bay; and the expanded golf complex at Ballyliffin in County Donegal. He also reviews several new hotels and restaurants that cater to golfers and are near some of Ireland's best courses. Armstrong's travel tips include a discussion of the Euro, which will soon become the unit of currency in the Irish Republic, and a warning about the proliferation of Irish golf tours.

Over 2,500 courses covered in detail. Hotels recommended by golfers, for golfers.