Over the last several years, H&B has seen a dramatic increase in the number of couples golf vacations to Scotland and Ireland. These Expeditions are often fundamentally different from the buddies trip variety. There’s sometimes a little less golf on the itinerary, and more time to stop and smell the roses. Couples golf tours typically place a greater emphasis on what we call the Good Life. Where they stay, what they see, and where they eat is just as important as where they play.
In other words, couples golf trips embrace our mantra of Golf and the Good Life to its fullest, and fit right in our wheelhouse.
Here are 5 of the best destinations for couples golf trips to Scotland and Ireland.
Southwest Ireland
Perhaps no destination is more synonymous with couples golf vacations than Southwest Ireland. The region features no less than 10 world-class courses, including several Top 100 golf courses such as Lahinch, Ballybunion, and Waterville Golf Links. What truly makes this the ideal destination for a couples, however, is the Good Life.
The sightseeing is second to none, from the stunning vistas of Killarney National Park to the jaw-dropping panoramas around the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. And then there’s the exceptional accommodations and dining, which require a post of their own simply to do it all justice.
The Highlands of Scotland
Across the Irish Sea, The Highlands of Scotland is, without question, one of the best destinations for couples golf tours across the pond. The Highlands is home to the highest ranked course in Scotland – Royal Dornoch – but there’s enough exceptional golf here to keep the player occupied for a week or better without visiting the same course twice.
Like Southwest Ireland, however, it’s the Good Life which makes The Highlands an ideal destination for couples. From the shores of Loch Ness and the gardens of Dunrobin Castle, to the outstanding dining and award-winning accommodations, the time off the course in The Highlands is just as grand as the time on it.
Belfast and Northern Ireland
Just two decades ago, Northern Ireland was seldom visited by traveling golfers. Today, a lasting peace and a deluge of investment has transformed the region into one of the great destinations for a couples golf trip. Belfast has emerged as a bustling center for the Good Life, thanks to a host of Michelin-starred restaurants and world-class hotels. It also makes the perfect home base for a couples trip.
Golfers can visit Royal County Down and Ardlgass to the south, as well as Royal Portrush, Portstewart, and Castlerock to the north. Tourists can explore the magnificent sites of the Antrim coast, plus the heritage of Belfast itself. And both can do it all without ever having to change hotels.
Edinburgh and Gleneagles
Thanks to an abundance of Golf and the Good Life nearby, the capital of Scotland is an ideal choice for couples golf trips. The courses of East Lothian – also known as Scotland’s Golf Coast – are all within easy reach of the city and include the likes of Muirfield and North Berwick. Likewise, the Good Life in Edinburgh is some of the finest in Scotland, from castles and historic sights to legendary shopping and exquisite dining. And then there’s nearby Gleneagles, which is an island of spectacular Golf and the Good Life unto itself. No couples golf tour of the Scottish capital would be complete without at least a couple of nights at “The Palace in the Glens.”
Dublin
Like the other capitals of the British Isles, Dublin is a popular couples destination, and for very good reason. The golf ranges from links favorites like The Island and Royal Dublin, to a former Ryder Cup host at The K Club. As one might expect from one of the great cities of Europe, Dublin is home to no shortage of exceptional sightseeing, shopping, dining, and hotels, not to mention the most popular tourist attraction in the country: the Guinness Storehouse. And while there is plenty of Golf and the Good Life on hand to keep one occupied for a week, a few nights in Dublin followed by the same in Belfast yields a perfect pairing for a couples golf trip.
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.
To continue researching your couples golf trip across the pond, visit the pages below, read our 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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