The golf courses of Dublin, Ireland
COUNTY DUBLIN, Ireland -- Within a 30-minute radius of Dublin, there is a tremendous variety of golf courses, from rugged links to posh parkland playgrounds.
A golf trip to Ireland's capital city provides two big bonuses for visitors: The downtown nightlife in Temple Bar and a convenient highway system that allows easy access to all sorts of places to play.
The north of Dublin is stacked with links, starting with Royal Dublin, Portmarnock Golf Club and Portmarnock Links within minutes of the airport.
Further up the coast, The Island Golf Club and County Louth Golf Club boast the biggest dunes of the region.
The scenic Irish countryside is home to three great full-service resorts with 36 holes, spas, multiple restaurants and well appointed rooms: The K Club, Carton House and Druids Glen Resort. The K Club's Palmer course hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup. You can add Killeen Castle to the list of area parkland courses that have hosted memorable international competitions. The Jack Nicklaus course and castle provided a perfect backdrop to celebrate a stunning European comeback at the 2011 Solheim Cup.