Best of Ireland – 5-Star Escorted Tour 2016
Join us the first week in October of 2016 for a fun and adventure-filled 7-night trip to experience the very best that Ireland has to offer. We will visit the west, south, and east coasts of Ireland to play five of our favorite courses, including four of the world Top 100, as well as see many of the sights that draw millions of visitors to the Emerald Isle each year.
Play Ireland’s Top Courses:
•Lahinch Old Course
•Ballybunion Old Course
•Waterville
•Old Head
•Portmarnock
See Ireland’s Majestic Places:
•Cliffs of Moher
•Dingle Peninsula
•Ring of Kerry
•Blarney Castle
•Jameson Distillery
•City of Dublin
Saturday, October 1st – Arrive in Ireland at Dublin Airport, where you will be met by your Worldwide Golf Adventures hosts for the trip. We will then drive three hours west to County Clare, where we will stay at the 5-star Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland in Doonbeg. A welcome cocktail hour will be hosted that evening in the hotel bar, followed by dinner (included).
Sunday, October 2nd – Following breakfast, we will head north of town to the stunning Cliffs of Moher. This magnificent viewpoint is one of Ireland’s most popular attractions, as the 7 mile-long cliffs reach heights of over 700 feet above the crashing sea below. Following lunch, we will play Lahinch’s Old Course, a 19th-century links redesigned by both Old Tom Morris and Alister Mackenzie. The layout features a tremendous amount of variety for a links course, an impressive accomplishment for a traditional out-and-back design. Guests are encouraged to explore the 400-acre property, named Europe’s top resort byConde Nast Traveler, on their own this evening.
Monday, October 3rd – Today we will drive two hours south to play the Old Course at Ballybunion, perhaps Ireland’s most iconic golf course. The course weaves through towering sand dunes along the coast of County Kerry, finally meeting the sea at the sixth green. From the seventh hole on, the course is pure links bliss, with the approach at the eleventh being a real highlight as the waves crash in the background. Following lunch, we will visit the gorgeous Dingle Peninsula. This scenic coastal area is Europe’s westernmost point and features an abundance of historical sites, as well as some of Ireland’s best cuisine. We will dine this evening at one of the award-winning fine dining restaurants in the town of Dingle. We will then drive 1 hour southeast to the vibrant town of Killarney, where we will stay at the 5-star Aghadoe Heights Hotel.
Tuesday October 4th – Today we will drive 1 hour & 15 minutes west along the scenic road known as the Ring of Kerry to play Waterville. This links is set on a narrow parcel of land which separates the dazzling Lough Currane from the Atlantic Ocean. Hit it low and straight to avoid both the penal rough and ocean breeze, and pose for a picture with the statue of Payne Stewart, who was due to become club captain before his tragic death in 1999. Following the round, we will drive the rest of the Ring of Kerry, including a pass through the majestic Killarney National Park. Guests are encouraged to enjoy some of Killarney’s sights and sounds on their own this evening.
Wednesday, October 5th – There will be no golf today, as we visit the bustling city of Cork and its surrounding area, starting with Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the world-famous Blarney Stone. Following a few free hours in Cork city center, we will visit the Jameson Distillery in Midleton, where we will tour the historic distillery and sample a tipple or two. We will stay in Cork at the 5-star Hayfield Manor Hotel. Dinner will be included this evening, and guests will have a chance to sample some of Cork’s world-renowned culinary fare.
Thursday, October 6th – Today we will drive 45 minutes south to play Old Head, perhaps the most thrilling course in Ireland, if not the world. The course, laid out on a narrow peninsula jutting out 200 feet above the Atlantic, is nothing short of spectacular. 10 of the 18 holes play along the clifftops, with the churning tides waiting to swallow an errant shot at a moment’s notice. Following the round, we will drive 3 hours & 30 minutes northeast to Dublin, Ireland’s capital city, where we will stay at the 5-starWestbury Hotel. Guests are encouraged to explore Dublin’s electric city center on their own this evening.
Friday, October 7th – Today we will play Portmarnock, the Dublin area’s finest golf course. Occupying its own peninsula jutting out into the Irish Sea, Portmarnock has been considered one of the world’s great links since its very beginnings in 1894. Arnold Palmer, a man who knows a thing or two about good golf courses, is said to have called the par-three 15th, which plays along the exposed shoreline, the best in the entire world. After a free afternoon in Dublin, we will have a farewell dinner at one of the city’s many fine restaurants, where we will hand out prizes from the week’s friendly golf competitions.
Saturday, October 8th – We will depart the hotel after breakfast to transfer you to the Dublin Airport for your flight home.
Pricing
Golfers $4,999
Non-golfers $3,499
Single room supplement $950
What’s Included (hint: just about everything):
- Seven nights of 5-star accommodations at the hotels listed
- Five rounds of golf at the courses listed
- Services of a Failte Ireland-certified tour guide / driver
- Transportation in luxury motor coach throughout
- Full breakfast each day other than day of arrival
- Four lunches for both the golfers and non-golfers
- Four three-course dinners
- Welcome cocktail reception upon arrival
- Admission to sightseeing attractions listed in the above itinerary
- Additional sightseeing for non-golfers during golf rounds
- Guided tour of the Jameson Whiskey Distillery
- Services of accompanying Worldwide Golf Adventures representatives
- Entry into weeklong handicapped golf competitions (if desired)
- Services of one forecaddie per foursome
- Hotel staff, golf staff, and driver / guide gratuities
- Refreshments on board motor coach
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Meals and alcohol other than listed
- Travel insurance
Space is limited. For more information Please call us at 713.591.7983 or email katie@lucidroutes.com if you’d like to join this group.
