When a vacation is coming up, golfers eagerly anticipate the time where they can load their gear and race to the courses. But for some who have worked the daily grind, these precious time will be spent on something truly worthwhile that would be the stuff memories are truly made off. Some of them save up and go to Ireland.

Why Ireland?

Simple, they have got some of the best golf courses, whether it be links or parkland courses, that the world have ever seen. Many golfers have discussed the fabulous games they have played and this has made the popularity of Ireland with regards to their golf even grow so much more.

Situated 8 kilometers northwest of the town of Sligo, you will find a century old golf course that has tested many seasoned golfers and have continually to do so. Founded at Rosses Point, the County Sligo Golf Club started in 1894 as a nine-hole links course and was soon developed as a full 18-hole course a dozen years later. Today, this mature golf course has been the site for many prestigious events such as the West of Ireland Championship which calls the course its home. The club has also been chosen as the host for the Irish Close Championship, the Interprovincial Championships, and the Home International Championships, cementing its stature as a world class golf course.

One of five beautiful golf courses found in Sligo, the County Sligo Golf Club golf course is a natural beauty that is encompassed by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a range of mountains on the other. The fresh breeze from the ocean is a welcome accompaniment as you play along the course, but this same wind could get treacherous as strong gusts can greatly affect the game play. This has been a great challenge for many skilled and seasoned golfers and also a great teacher for the novice.

And since it’s a vacation, you’re family can tag along as well. Sligo town offers a wide variety of attractions and activities for the whole family. The kids can be taken to the biggest birds of prey sanctuary in the whole of Ireland and watch these predators swoop down and soar in their homes. You can also take them to the Woodville farm where rare animal breeds and historic farms can be visited.

You may also take your family in a horse ride whether it is a run in the beaches or a slow ride through the scenic views of this side of Ireland. True family fun for adults and kids are assured and you get to enjoy nature’s best.

But what would an Ireland vacation be if you don’t get a chance to savor a true Irish meal. A number of restaurants are just waiting to serve you the finest that this side of Ireland has to offer. Choose from a wide array of specialties and get a chance to be a witness to great Irish cuisines.

A golf vacation doesn’t have to mean that you need to leave your family behind. No vacation would be fun without them. Going to Sligo would be the best choice as you get to play golf in some of the greatest courses in the world and have the chance to do a host of activities as well with your family.

Ireland’s golf courses have been receiving many accolades in the past year and have even been regarded as one of the five best countries to golf in. Offering a variety of parkland and traditional link courses, you can pick blindly among the courses that dot the whole country and still get a great course to play in.

Many of these amazing golf courses have been the venue of international professional tournaments with its championship courses and great accommodations. The warm Irish welcome alone would make you feel right at home.

Its heritage in golf is unquestioned as a number of golf courses are “mature” dating back to the late 1800′s. One of these is the Cork Golf Club in Little Island, Co. Cork. Established in 1888, the Cork Golf Club was redesigned in 1927 by the renowned golf course designer Dr. Alexander Mackenzie, who designed also other famous golf courses like the Augusta National, Royal Melbourne and the Cypress point to name a few.

Throughout the course you will see many mature trees and various patches of gorse growing and making the course look more natural. The estuary of the River Lee, Lough Mahon provides the scenic Background that stretches on almost the entire course. Cork’s limestone quarry affects the course and provides a play that is similar links courses with its crisp heath like playing surface.

Like wine, the age of the Cork Golf Club has made it more palatable and more enticing to golfers. With finely manicured greens carpeting the par 72, 6,731 championship course, the Cork Golf Club course can offer the same if not better game play as any other premier golf course in Ireland and even the world.

But it’s not only the golf course that makes the Cork Golf Club a success and a favorite. Its clubhouse and other facilities as well are world class and have been handed with accolades by many golf enthusiasts and experts.

In 2004 alone, the prestigious All Ireland Award for Clubhouse presentation was given to the Cork Golf Club. Its deluxe and top quality service restaurant has a full bar and top notch dining facilities with fantastic food as well. It is open seven days a week and offers a great way to end a day of playing golf. In the clubhouse you will also find their roomy and well-designed changing rooms that have fantastic facilities for both members and visitors.

A bit of stretching, practice and warm up before the game? The Cork Golf Club also has practice facilities like a perfectly maintained and manicured putting green as well as a practice ground for your swings. There you will also have the chance to rent some clubs and, caddy and golf carts as well.

Then you can just go their Pro shop if you want to buy some souvenir shirts, caps, bags that have the clubs logo on it. You may also purchase any equipment you need to play your game. There you may also be able to get the chance to talk to the club pro for some pointers or enroll in some short classes to get some tips to improve your game.

Many people have grown a passion for golf. This has led them to grow the need to play challenging games to test themselves. Make a vacation out of that need, golf vacation spots in Ireland are abound and one of this is the Cork Golf Club.

Rarely would a person find a place so peaceful amidst today’s fast paced lifestyle. But this estate has been developed with tranquility in mind and a place where one can unwind and just enjoy life the way it was meant to be. With 15,000 acres of lush greens and landscapes, there is a host of activities that a whole family can truly enjoy, so when one is thinking about a golf vacation trip in Ireland, this is the spot for you, the Mount Juliet Estate.

A property and house that was built in the latter part of the 1770′s, Mount Juliet is a dedication by the Earl of Garrick to his wife when he bought the property. In the early stages of the 1900′s the property were sold to the McCalmont family, from then on, more renovations were done and in 1989 a luxury hotel was opened. By 2002, the place was then a Conrad Hotel.

One of its major tourist attractions is a championship 18-hole golf course designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus himself. Opening in 1991 with a match between the designer and another legendary golfer, Christy O’Connor Sr., the mesmerizing and well-designed challenging course has made a name for itself and has been the venue of many games from professional and amateur golfers worldwide.

Mount Juliet has been the scene for so many major golfing events and was the venue for the 2004 World Golf Championships featuring the World’s fifty best golfers. Crowds to the said event turned up in the thousands as major golfing names like Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn played a thrilling game that was decided only at the last hole.

As each year pass by, more features and extensions are being done to the golf course to make it more challenging and appealing to its members and to those who play there for major titles. This just proves Mount Juliet’s dedication to pursue golf excellence and to provide their members the utmost service and the greatest facilities there is. This course is the only one in the whole of Ireland that has been chosen as the “Big Bears” signature course, Jack Nicklaus took many pains in his design and personally overlooked the construction of the project.

After a days round of golf, a golfer can look forward to retiring to the Juliet House which has been bestowed in 1999 with the AA Hotel of the Year award. Mount Juliet Conrad prides itself in providing the highest international standard in service and fine dining served in a warm, welcoming and relaxed way.

If you came with your family or your friends, you can also enjoy a plethora of activities aside from Golf. Mount Juliet Estate can provide other activities such as roaming the estate on the back of a horse. With 1,500 acres of lush greeneries and scenes to explore, riding on a horse would certainly be a calming experience, a peaceful activity one would cherish in their memories forever.

When you are finally decided to go on a golf trip, finding a golf vacation spot in Ireland is not that difficult. With all of the natural beauty that has blessed thie country, you can be sure that you will have the time of your life, like what many people have experienced in Mount Juliet.

A game that is centuries old, golf has grown extremely popular that many lands have been clipped and mowed, mountains and sand dunes sculptured and traps are set and trees are moved just so man can have a golf course that they can have fun on. More than just a stick and a ball, a quiet round of golf has forged many partnerships, bonded new friendships and has given a sense of peace and relaxation like no other.

As each man develops the passion for the game, playing in his local golf course wouldn’t just suffice. The golf links in Ireland would pose a great challenge to his ability to play the game with its treacherous winds and fantastic sand dunes. A golf vacation trip in Ireland is definitely in order and as soon one has the time and has saved up the money for the trip, a dedicated golfer would never pass up the chance to play in a vacation golf spot in Ireland.

And when it is indeed time to pack up your bags and golf equipment, there is definitely one golf links course that should be on the top of every list, the Tralee Golf Club.

Its designer itself, the legendary Arnold Palmer said that the Tralee Golf Club was the most ideal piece of land he had ever seen for a golf course and he shared the glory with God saying that he designed the first nine holes and God did the back nine. Every golfer is advised to play the course twice, the first one for the game and the second one to enjoy the scenery.

The Tralee Golf Club was first instituted in 1896, with a nine-hole course in Tralee. Then after a year,another nine-hole course was started in Fenit found on the southwest side of the Barrow Harbor. In 1984, Arnold Palmer designed the present course in Barrow. He earned lots of creditsa for his design as he used the natural flora and landscape without having to barely alter the land. This created a mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind course that 5 holes in the back nine situated along the Atlantic Ocean.

But aside from playing, you can also enjoy your vacation spending time with your family and friends in the Tralee Golf Club Clubhouse. There you can find a restaurant that provides a remarkable and amazing view of the golf course and its terrain. You can have meals consisting of fresh seafoods and steaks which are the local specialties. Brought to you by a gracious staff, you can have a very memorable dining experience.

Just finished playing, a pint of Guinness can be best enjoyed in the bar where glass walls provide a pleasant view of the links as you discuss the day’s game. You may also lounge at the balcony for the same stunning view and have your meals there as well.

But aside from that, the Tralee Golf Club also provides world class amenities that you can definitely enjoy. You can use their roomy dressing rooms with locker facilities. Relax in the steam room and rinse off in the specially designed shower areas.

The Tralee Golf Club club shop offers also everything you may need to make your game enjoyable. There is also a putting green and a practice area to hone your skills and play that game of your life.

With all of what Tralee Golf Club has to offer, it is certainly a golf vacation spot many golfers would keep coming back to.

Mature golf clubs with ages over a century old can be found in almost all corners of Ireland, one of this is the Royal County Down Golf Club which has a history and tradition filled with unadulterated golfing experience. Set in the amazing Newcastle where it was described as “the Mountains of Mourne sweep down by the sea” by Percy French, the Royal County Down Golf Club doesn’t only present a real challenge and test to the golfers, but also mesmerizing and astounding views from all over the place.

The Royal County Down Golf Club has two golf courses to boast of. The championship links and alongside it, the Annesley Links. Both laid out alongside the Dundrum Bay and backdrop of huge mountains. While the Champio0nship links is designed to be a great challenge, the Annesley links was designed to be played by everyone, both pros and amateurs.

Just recently, the Royal County Down Golf Club has announced that it will be the host of the 2007 Walker Cup match to be played by great golfers from Ireland, Great Britain and the United States of America. The Royal County Down Golf Club will only be the second golf course where this prestigious biennial event will be played, after the Portmarnock in 1991. Truly a testament to its great designs.

One of the greatest accolades received by the Royal County Down Golf Club is being tagged in 2005 as number 4 in the 100 best golf courses outside of the US, this honor was bestowed by the Golf Digest.

Ant it is hard not to see why. Arguably one of Ireland’s best courses, the course is laid out with soaring sand dunes, profuse heather, and majestic scenes of the Mourne Mountains on each side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other.

One of the Great old Tom Collins design, a number of holes feature blind shots, unbelievable bunkering, and fantastic gently sloping greens. This indeed is a golf course any golfer visiting Ireland should not miss.

The Royal County Down Golf Club also offers world class quality service that greatly adheres to the warm Irish welcome that greets every tourist as they enter the country. All of the service staff employed by the Royal County Down Golf Club are well trained and is very much willing to extend a helping hand.

The Royal County Down Golf Club also has a changing room that can be found in the visitors accommodation area, making it easily accessible to change and freshen up after a tough and grueling day at the greens.

A restaurant is also available which can provide fine Irish fare and the catch of the season. You can be able to get some drinks while you discuss with your friends and fellow players the game you have just played.

Forgot your balls? Don’t have any tees? A Pro shop that is completely stocked with a wide range of clothing and golf merchandise is ready to serve you and cater to your every need. There is also a club pro that is on hand to provide lessons to enhance your game.

Being dubbed as one of Ireland’s greats is more than enough to entice a golfer who is keen to experience golf in Ireland. The next time your out for a great golf vacation, the Royal County Down Golf Club is just waiting for you to be played.

The summers are warm and the winters are moderate with some snow. May and June are the sunniest months. Weather changes quite frequently from cloudy to sunny and vice versa. If planning the visit during the summer, light weight woolen or cotton clothes are recommended and jacket for spring and autumn. Always carry raincoat for that untimely showers. Incase of emergency call 999 or 112.

Culture

Most of the locals prefer speaking English here. Handshaking is customary. Irish are social people and are good at having a lively chat even with strangers. People live in great harmony and make great friends. Foreigners are welcomed with warmth and are made to feel at home. Guests are never sent back empty stomach as food is always served at any time of the day, to the guest. Most of the locals come from an agricultural background. Dinner is considered to be a meal of importance as it is the time when the whole family gets together and eat. One can dress casually when out on the streets except women are expected to dress formally at social gatherings and at fine restaurants. Smoking is banned in public places.

Shopping

Many towns organize flee markets at least once a week, which is worth checking out for cheap goods. Belfast is the shopping capital of Ireland; most of the stores open up early and close early too. On Thursdays, shops remain open till 8 in the night. Value Added Tax of almost 17% is charged, which can be reclaimed later. So if the visitors buy anything from the stores remember to check if the store operates the Retail Export Scheme, which would require the passport and filling of the Tax Free Shopping Form by the sales person. If the restaurant bill doesn’t includes any tax, leave behind a 10% tip to appreciate their service. Giving a tip to the porters and hair dressers is customary here.

Electricity

The voltage in Northern Ireland is 240V, 50AC.

Getting There

The national airline that operates here is Aer Lingus, which provides service from most of the major cities of the world. Airlines like Delta Air Lines and many other have been introduced and to promote them, promotional air fares are being offered. Checking out such offers will prove to be money savers. There are many flights from UK to Ireland. The Dublin airport is located at 10 km away from the city. Services like taxis, air coach, buses transport passengers to their destination. Airport has duty free shops, bank, currency exchange, car hire, tourism information, and restaurants for a comfortable journey. Shannon Airport is situated to the north of Limerick City and is 24 km and 25 minutes away from it. Buses, coaches and taxis are available for transportation. Other services that are provided are duty free shops, currency exchange, bank, tourism information and restaurants. While planning to travel, check out other airports like Cork Airport and Knock Information Airport for more options. A departure tax of €10 is to be paid by people over 12 years of age at the Knock International Airport.