DESTINATIONGOLF. TRAVEL DESTINATION GOLF GLOBAL GUIDE AUTUMN 2026
Of course, you want the big names. If someone has dreamed for 20 years about playing Royal Portrush, that’ s a priority, but then you have Portstewart, Castlerock, two World Classes in Ballyliffin, North West GC, all within a short drive. The magic is in what you put around those headline courses.
I always think of it a little bit like putting together a good fourball. You don’ t necessarily want four superstars. You want the right combination.
DG: Ireland isn’ t always the easiest place to predict when it comes to the weather. What do you tell golfers who are worried about rain, wind and everything else the Atlantic might throw at them? DW: Bring waterproofs! Seriously, I always tell golfers that the weather is part of Irish links golf. The old adage is that you can have four seasons in a day, but you can also have some absolutely stunning weather. This summer for example has been incredible, and we are already seeing those guys that travelled with us, rebook.
You just have to embrace whatever comes your way.
And if it really is raining sideways, there’ s always the 19th hole. Ireland has invested heavily in those over the years.
DG: For someone planning their first Irish golf trip, how far ahead should they really be thinking, particularly if they have a bucket-list course or two in mind? DW: The earlier the better, particularly for the really popular courses and peak travel periods.
For a bucket-list trip, I’ d ideally be talking to golfers 12 to 18 months ahead. That gives you the best chance of getting the courses, tee times and hotels you really want rather than building the itinerary around whatever happens to be left. You can absolutely still have a fantastic trip, but you may find yourself having to compromise.
DG: You’ ve presumably seen just about every kind of golf traveller over the years. What separates the golfer who has a good trip from the golfer who comes home saying,“ That was the trip of a lifetime”? DW: I think it’ s the attitude they arrive with.
If you’ ve been dreaming about a particular course for 20 years, I’ d suggest giving us more than 20 minutes’ notice!
The golfers who have the best trips tend to embrace the whole experience. They’ re not obsessing over whether the weather is going to be 72 degrees and sunny every day or whether they’ re going to shoot their handicap. They’ re there for the experience. And I think the other difference is that they allow a little bit of spontaneity. Some of the best memories aren’ t necessarily the ones that were written down on the itinerary.
It might be a brilliant caddie, a chat with a local in the pub, an unexpected stop somewhere or simply sitting with your group after golf saying,“ That was some day.”
You can’ t always schedule those moments thank God!
DG: Tell us about one trip or customer experience that has stayed with you over the years. What made it memorable? DW: There have been so many that it’ s difficult to pick one. What always sticks with me are the groups who arrive as customers and leave as friends. We’ ve had golfers who have been coming back to Ireland for years and, over time, you get to know their families, their lives and their stories.
I remember one particular group where everything that could possibly go wrong seemed to happen, weather, transport issues, delays, the usual stuff. At the time it felt like a disaster.
But at the end of the trip they told us it had been one of their best golf holidays.
That’ s when you realise that people remember the stories. And thankfully, we had done enough right that the stories were funny rather than traumatic!
DG: Finally, let’ s forget about business for a moment. You’ ve got one perfect day of golf in Ireland. One course, one group of playing partners, perfect conditions, where are you teeing it up, and where are you heading afterwards for a pint? DW: That’ s probably the hardest question of the lot.
If we’ re talking one perfect day, I’ d have to say Carne- I love the place. It’ s wild, natural, remote and feels like links golf in its purest form. Give me a bit of sunshine, a light breeze and a good fourball and I’ d be very happy. A tee time at 10am, enough time to go back to the Hotel, check in and head to McDonnells, AKA the Lobster Pot, for a pint and a chat with the lads about the birdies( or Bogeys in my case)!
WORLD GOLF AWARDS VOTE: https:// worldgolfawards. com / award / ireland-best-inbound-golf-tour-operator / 2026
FIND OUT MORE www. northandwestcoastlinks. com
29