Ireland

Golf in the Republic of Ireland is inseparable from the land itself. The country holds roughly a quarter of all natural links courses in the world, with its Atlantic-facing coastlines providing the ideal combination of sandy soil, undulating terrain and prevailing wind that defines the links game at its purest. The tradition stretches back well over a century, with Ballybunion Golf Club (Old), Lahinch Golf Club (Old) and Portmarnock Golf Club (Championship) long established as pillars of the global golfing calendar.