Welcome to the 2025 edition of Destination Golf Ireland .
Another year passes and as we close in on ten years of Destination Golf Ireland , we can reflect on one more successful year for golf in Ireland . Our summer was not the best but it takes a lot more than inclement weather to keep golfers off the fairways of almost 420 courses .
Royal County Down , often regarded as the greatest golf course in the world , hosted a thrilling Irish Open , where Rory McIlroy came so close to claiming a second title … perhaps he ’ ll succeed next year when the championship returns to the K Club . Carton House ’ s O ’ Meara course hosted Europe ’ s elite competing for the Women ’ s Irish Open , won in a play-off by Annabel Dimmock , and Ballyliffin hosted the Open Amateur .
The arrival of the Open Championship in Royal Portrush , in July , will shine a spotlight on all that is great and good in Irish golf . The links courses will be inundated but Northern Ireland , as a whole , will also be the focus of golfers from the world over . It will put some less well known courses on the map .
It is no surprise that 2024 was another busy year for course developments with Jameson Links completing upgrades that saw the introduction of six new holes and a re-routing of the course . Galgorm Castle continues to improve its championship course and 2024 saw the 1st and 8th holes being upgraded . Co . Sligo has kicked off a series of renovations with Martin Ebert at the helm , and Ebert has also been immersed in major changes to Royal Portrush ’ s Valley course . Donegal has Paul McGinley making changes and the ongoing upgrades to the back nine at Portstewart are impressive . Monkstown ’ s total rebunkering programme will be completed in 2025 . The list goes on and on .
This year sees Ring of Kerry breaking into our top 150 . It is a hillside adventure and the course has improved greatly after languishing unloved for some years .
Kevin Markham Editor Destination Golf Media Ltd .