There are roughly 350 golf courses across Ireland. If you add in 9-hole courses, there are over 450 golf courses in the country. Ireland is also home to one-third of the world's natural links courses and some exceptional championship courses in spectacular locations. Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that every year, over 240,000 golfers from all over the world come to the island's greens to experience its impressive but unforgiving fairways.

With a whopping 100 golf courses, Northern Ireland is definitely worth visiting by golf aficionados. The best golf courses in the area include:

• Royal County Down Golf Club
• Royal Portrush Golf Club
• Portstewart Golf Club
• Ardglass Golf Club
• Lough Erne Resort
• Carnalea Golf Club

Northern Ireland is the perfect mix of links and parkland golf courses. It’s also home to the Golf Digest Number One Golf Course in the World, which is Royal County Down. For fun off the course, Northern Ireland has excellent facilities to enjoy that well-deserved relaxing time after a round of golf. You can indulge in a sumptuous meal and sample the local tipples, such as a smooth single malt distilled just several miles up the road from Royal Portrush Golf Club at the Old Bushmills Distillery.

The South West Region of Ireland ranks as one of the world's top 3 golf destinations. This unique location is home to some of the world's most famous golf courses, such as Lahinch, Ballybunion, Tralee, Waterville, and Old Head. The following is a brief description of each course:

• Lahinch: Over the years, this picturesque golf course has welcomed tour professionals such as Luke Donald, Davis Love, and Jim Furyk. The Old Course offers a unique challenge with towering sand dunes calling for frequent blind shots and the unpredictable Atlantic breeze, which keeps even the most experienced golfers on their toes. This course will truly challenge your game, as the terrain, weather, and bunkers can force some shots you may not have thought possible.
• Ballybunion: Located on the breathtaking South West coast of Ireland, this golf club is one of the finest in the country. With two beautifully maintained links golf courses, visiting golfers find it difficult to compare the Ballybunion experience to any other. The Old Course, consistently ranked as one of the world's top 10 golf courses, features a graveyard by the first tee, which some say is a warning to players who navigate the first five holes to come face to face with the ever-challenging 6th, the daunting 11th and the tricky 15th.
• Tralee: With mesmerizing views of the Atlantic from every hole, this location also features some historical landmarks and Irish folklore, with the tower located behind the 3rd green dating back to the 1190s. This course will challenge you, and precision is of utmost importance. While playing downhill with heavy rough to the right and a wall on the left, you should choose your club carefully. Don't relax yet, as your approach to the green has to be pinpointed.
• Waterville: As a combination of sand dunes, gorse, and native grasses, from teeing ground to putting green, this 18-hole course reflects the rugged charm of the Irish West. The pinnacle of the course is hole 17, also known as Mulcahy's Peak. This is the highest point golfers will climb to and the one that offers a picturesque bird's-eye view of the surrounding landscape with the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, which is the highest mountain range in Ireland, to the north and east.
• Old Head: The Old Head of Kinsale is one of the world's most superb golf courses. Perched on the rugged cliffs of southern Ireland, the golf course is seen as a bucket list destination for every golfer. With a maze of natural caves and cliffs underfoot, you'll play nine holes along the cliff tops, and all eighteen holes will offer you stunning sea views. The course is made of five par 5s, five par 3s, and eight par 4s, with a minimum of six tees per hole.

The number one golf course in Ireland can be found at Ballybunion Golf Club and is known as the Old Course. Home to some of the biggest sand dunes you'll ever see anywhere on a golf course, this masterpiece is not only well-ranked in Ireland but also features among the Top 20 Golf Courses in the World. The Old Course exudes a majestic feel that cannot be compared to any other course on earth.

For many players, the club is the true spiritual home of golf in Ireland. Certainly, for the many thousands of Americans who make the pilgrimage annually, this is one of the bucket list courses you can't leave the country without playing. While the first six holes leave you wondering slightly what all the fuss is about, the following will definitely leave you in awe.

Southwest Ireland has the best golf courses. Among the top courses, Old Head Golf Links is perhaps the biggest draw and is seen as one of the most spectacular experiences in the game. It’s also home to some of the finest golf hotels in the country, such as Adare Manor, Doonbeg, Hayfield Manor, and Killarney Park.

The Southwest features some of the most breathtaking sights in Ireland, thanks to Killarney National Park, the Cliffs of Moher, the Dingle Peninsula, and many more. The only downside is that the best golf courses are spread out over quite a large area of the coast. For this reason, golf trips often require multiple hotel changes and a few commutes of over one hour to the course.