DESTINATION GOLF GLOBAL GUIDE AUTUMN 2026
Art of the Irish Golf Trip- Q & A with Dave Wensley
DG: Dave, firstly congratulations on being nominated for an award with the World Golf Awards this year. Can you start by telling us a little bit about that and how golfers can vote for you? DW: Thank you. We’ re absolutely delighted to have been nominated for Ireland’ s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator 2026 at the World Golf Awards. It’ s a huge honour, particularly because the nomination recognises not just our team, but the courses, hotels and partners we work with right across Ireland.
We’ ve spent many years trying to convince golfers around the world that Ireland is worth the long flight, the unpredictable weather and the occasional ball disappearing into the Atlantic, so it’ s great to get some recognition for that.
DG: You’ ve had a front-row seat as North and West Coast Links has grown. When you look back at the early days, what has changed the most, and what has stayed exactly the same? DW: The scale has certainly changed. The international interest in Irish golf is enormous now, and golfers are far more knowledgeable about the courses than they were 15 or 20 years ago. You can have someone sitting in North Carolina who knows the 5th hole at Carne better than I do.
Technology has obviously transformed the business too. Communication is instant, golfers research everything online and expectations are higher.
The voting is open to golfers and golf travellers, and it takes about a minute. If anyone reading this has travelled with us, or simply likes the idea of supporting Irish golf, we’ d be hugely grateful for their vote.
DG: Okay, let’ s start at the beginning. How did you find yourself in the golf travel business, was it something you deliberately pursued, or did you fall into golf and the industry? DW: I’ d love to tell you there was a five-year masterplan and that I carefully mapped out my career in golf travel, but the reality is probably a little less glamorous.
I fell into it, really. I was fortunate enough to get involved with North & West Coast Links and quickly realised that golf travel is a fantastic industry to work in. You’ re dealing with golfers from all over the world, showcasing Ireland, travelling to some of the best courses in the country and, importantly, spending a lot of time talking about golf.
What I discovered fairly quickly is that the golf is actually only one part of the job. You’ re arranging accommodation, transport, tee times, restaurants, caddies, luggage, timings and about 100 other things that the golfer never realises are happening behind the scenes. When it all works perfectly, it looks easy. When it doesn’ t, that’ s when it gets exciting!
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