5 Reasons to Plan Your Ireland Golf Vacation

Ireland has some of the most impressive golf courses in the world. Here are 5 reasons to book your vacation.

The Ballybunion Courses, both Old and Cashen, are a must see and play for any serious golfer. Located in the Southwest of Ireland, County Kerry, the course is 65 miles from Shannon and presents a lovely drive to get there. The town of Ballybunion welcomes with a statue of President Clinton in full golf swing. The Old course is said to remind visitors of St. Andrews, and Cashen, built in 1984, is described by one site as "a theatrical event all its own, and a highlight of any golfing visit to Ireland."

Druid's Glen, 30 minutes south of Dublin in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, is considered to be one of the finest new parkland courses in Ireland. Located in an area known as the Garden of Ireland, in an area of abundant wildlife, the course is considered Europe's answer to Augusta. The name of the course comes from a pre-Christian stone altar discovered during the construction of the course. The altar stands today with a Druid presiding over the 12th green.

Royal Dublin Golf Course sits on an island just 3 miles north of Dublin. It was the first club in Ireland to have 18 holes. Although originally built in 1895 in Phoenix Park, it moved in 1890 to Bull Island, in Dublin Bay, its present location, which is also a protected wildlife habitat. Besides offering a glorious golf experience, the setting provides breathtaking scenery.

Lahinch, County Clare, is often described as "the St. Andrews of Ireland," and the site also offers two courses, Old Course and Castle Course. Lahinch town is just over 30 miles west of Shannon Airport in County Clare. Founded in 1892, the course today is a favorite of Phil Mickelson. Castle Course offers the sights of Castle ruins as you play.

Finally, Adare Golf Club, County Limerick is host to the 2007 Irish Open. It is an 18-hole parkland course established in 1900. The course is built around the ruins of Desmond Castle, built in 1200, and the ruins of the Franciscan Abbey, built in 1464, offering challenges and diversions.

A tour of Ireland's magnificent and varied courses is certainly on every serious golfer's wish list. These are only five courses out of hundreds to be found in Ireland. There are accommodations either at the course itself or quite nearby, and they range from luxury to more basic. You can plan your vacation yourself or avail yourself of the many tour planning companies that specialize in golf vacationing. While not cheap, there are ranges of prices to fit most budgets.

Make this your year for an Ireland golf vacation.