When prospective travelers approach H&B to craft Ireland golf packages, one of the many questions they have usually centers around timing:
When is the best time of year to play golf in Ireland?
In our experience, the family and work obligations of you and your travel companions will impact the timing of your trip more than anything else. However, there are several things to keep in mind when choosing the best time of year for your golf trip to Ireland.
Stick to the Travel Season
Generally, the best time of year for Ireland golf trips is April through October. This aligns with the golf travel season across the British Isles and should serve as your starting point for selecting dates. This is also when the weather in Ireland is most favorable and all of the hotels, restaurants, and courses operate at full capacity.
Although most of the courses are open year round, the onset of winter temperatures, limited daylight hours, as well as diminished operations of some restaurants and popular attractions usually makes travel outside of these months ill advised.
Take Advantage of the Shoulders
Ireland has typically presented golf travelers with a little more bang for the buck compared to its counterparts in Scotland. Still, thanks to an ever increasing demand, the cost of an Ireland golf trip has been on a steady rise for a decade or better. If you’re looking to squeeze a little more value out of your Ireland golf tour, consider traveling during the shoulder months of April and October. It’s probably a good idea to pack some warmer layers during these months, but the savings will buy plenty of hot toddies along the journey.
Check the Calendar
Before settling in on your dates, it’s a good idea to see if your trip will coincide with other events around Ireland. For example, graduation weeks may constrain hotel availability in Uni towns such as Cork. Likewise, the Orange Order parades and accompanying protests often steer our travelers around Belfast in mid-July. On the other hand, taking in an event off the course can add some unique excitement to your trip. Perhaps U2 is in concert in Dublin, or maybe the classic Clare-Tipperary hurling rivalry is set to square off on a pitch near Lahinch.
All of which is to say, check the calendar before choosing your dates and departure.
2025 Might be the Best Bet
The current unprecedented demand for overseas golf travel continues to strain availability at the marquee courses across the pond. As a result, the window for booking most courses has shifted significantly earlier in the calendar. For this reason, you may find that a 2025 golf trip to Ireland is the play for you. Planning for 2025 – and even beyond – is already well underway.
Ireland Weather
The golf travel season aligns with the best time of year for weather in Ireland. But experiencing all four seasons during a single round of golf is still quite possible. As any experienced golf traveler will tell you, you’ll need a little bit of luck on your side when it comes to the weather.
This chart offers a loose approximation of the weather at some of the most frequented destinations for golf in Ireland.
Of course, your H&B Expedition Planning Manager will help you navigate these factors when choosing the dates for your golf trip to Ireland. Whether you’re starting with a blank slate, or have a rough idea of when and where you’d like to play, they’ll be able to guide you to the best combination for your itinerary. All you’ll need to do is sit back and count down the days to Golf at its Finest and Life at its Best in Ireland.
Our free guide includes over 40 pages of valuable insight, plus links to nearly 50 additional resources, on Golf and the Good Life in Ireland.
For more insight on planning your golf trip to Ireland, visit the pages below, read our Ireland golf trip reviews, or have a look through our Yardage Book, where you’ll find answers to many of our most frequently asked questions.
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