STUNNING GOLF RESORTS IN IRISH CASTLES, MANOR HOUSES AND ESTATES

Last updated on May 15, 2024

“It has always been a bit more expensive to have a special taste – but what the heck, you only live once!”

If you want to play golf and stay in a stately home, then the Irish island is the place for you!

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Intro

Many country estates of former lords and noblemen are now magnificent castle hotels – often with a golf course! So you can combine a noble ambience with a touch of luxury with a dignified round of golf without having to leave the estate. Of course, because at teatime, the fine society meets to chat and play music in the salon…

Where can you find something like that? We’ll get to that in a moment.

By the way, I am a big fan of Irish castles, mansions and house-and-gardens and have already visited quite a few of them. We live in Ireland (second home) and know the island very well. At our location south of Dublin we run our motorbike rental business in summer (www.easycruiser.tours) and also offer guest rooms – they are not stately, but nice and spacious :-).

Let’s now move on to some particularly nice castle hotels with golf courses or castle golf resorts in loose order:

Adare Manor

Adare is a small village southwest of Limerick. The magnificent manor house, or castle hotel, is beautifully landscaped and surrounded by a river, gardens, parks and a perfectly laid out and maintained championship golf course with mature trees and ponds. See: https://www.adaremanor.com/golf/.

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Dromoland Castle

Dromoland Castle is also close to Limerick, to the northwest of the city. And this fine house is also lavishly appointed. Among other things, with a championship golf course. See: https://www.dromoland.ie/golf/.

Kilkea Castle

Kilkea Castle is a pretty castle hotel near the town of Carlow. On one side is a pretty rose garden and the other three sides are golf course. So you can play almost once around the castle. See: https://www.kilkeacastle.ie/.

Powerscourt House, Hotel and Golf

This house goes for understatement, at least in the name. It’s more of a castle, or at least a chateau, just a short drive south of Dublin. It is also one of the most important sights of the south-east. The magnificent gardens and parks are well worth seeing. Not far from the stately splendour is the mighty hotel and the stately golf course. See: https://www.powerscourthotel.com/.

Waterford Castle

This small private island in the River Suir is almost triangular. It lies off the Viking city of Waterford and can only be reached by ferry. Once you have reached the old castle on the island, you are in a golf resort – with water hazards in all directions, so to speak :-). See: https://www.waterfordcastleresort.com/golf.

Mount Juliet Estate

South of the beautiful town of Kilkenny are Mount Juliet Estate and Mount Juliet Manor. The lush 500 acre estate is home to a beautiful and extensive golf course, bordered only by the banks of the River Nore. See: https://www.mountjuliet.ie/golf/.

Dundrum House

The Rock of Cashel is another important sight in Ireland. It is an ancient castle with a cathedral inside, perched on a rock above the town. Not far from there is Dundrum House. The manor house is now a golf hotel and resort. See: https://www.dundrumhousehotel.com/golf-course.html.

Lough Erne Resort

Lough Erne is located in the northwest of the island, in Northern Ireland. The journey is worthwhile, as the beautiful golf resort built around the old Manor is beautifully nestled between the River Erne and Castlehume Lough – and so is the golf course! See: https://www.lougherneresort.com/golf/.

Slieve Donard Hotel

Strictly speaking, the Slieve Donard Hotel is a hotel and not a castle. However, I could not resist including it in this article. It looks like a castle and is located next to the Royal County Down Golf Club, which has an incredibly beautiful links golf course! See: https://marineandlawn.com/slievedonard/golf/.

The K Club

The K Club on the outskirts of Dublin has also grown far beyond the original Manor. Fans of classic castles may safely skip it. But if you want to play in fine surroundings on one of the best parkland courses on the island, you should take a look: See: https://www.kclub.ie/golf.html.

Glenlo Abbey Estate

This estate is located at the gates of Galway. Actually a former monastery with estates and not a castle, but also a classically beautiful place and today a fine hotel with a beautiful golf course. See: https://www.glenloabbeyhotel.ie/golf.

Ashford Castle

Located on the northern shore of Lough Corrib, this dream castle awaits you. A castle straight out of a fairytale – really! The golf course has only 9 holes, but the castle and the location are absolutely unique, even for Ireland!!! See: https://ashfordcastle.com/experiences-and-activities/golf.

Conclusion

Ireland has castles of all kinds, from square towers to magnificent palaces. Some of these magnificent castles and manor houses are now very nice castle hotels, often with a golf course.

Enjoy the dignified ambience, play a round of golf in the castle park and unwind while you relax in the spa.

You only live once!

So off to Ireland to play golf, my lord and my lady!