Best Golf Courses in Ireland & Scotland for a Summer Golf Trip

There is no golf trip quite like a summer pilgrimage across Ireland and Scotland. This is where the game was born, where the wind writes the rules, and where firm fairways and crumpled dunes turn every round into an adventure. If you want the best golf courses in Ireland and Scotland on one itinerary, this guide names the courses worth building a trip around.

We have split it by country, with specific, playable recommendations for each. Pack a few extra balls, bring your rain gear even in July, and let Hole19 handle the yardages so you can focus on soaking it all in.

What are the best golf courses to play on a summer golf trip to Ireland and Scotland?

The best golf courses for a summer trip across Ireland and Scotland include St Andrews, Carnoustie and Turnberry in Scotland, and Royal County Down, Ballybunion and Old Head in Ireland. These links courses offer firm summer turf, long daylight hours and world-class coastal scenery.

Why summer is the best time for a links golf trip

Summer is prime time for links golf in Britain and Ireland. Daylight stretches past 10pm in Scotland, so you can squeeze in 36 holes and still make dinner. The turf is firm and fast, the gorse is in bloom, and the famous coastal weather is at its most forgiving.

It is also peak season, so book early. Use Hole19's Discover Courses feature to scout each course before you travel, check the scorecard and hole layouts, and build a realistic schedule. For a head start, read our guide to golf travel tips for planning the perfect golf trip. Knowing more before you arrive means scoring less once you tee it up.

Best golf courses in Scotland

Scotland is the home of golf, and a summer trip here is a bucket-list rite of passage. From the Fife coast to Ayrshire and Angus, these three courses belong on every itinerary. For even more options, see our roundup of the top golf courses in Scotland.

St Andrews, the Old Course (Fife)

No golf trip to Scotland is complete without the Old Course at St Andrews, the most famous links in the world. Walking the Swilcan Bridge and the closing stretch into town is a moment every golfer should experience at least once. Enter the daily ballot in advance to secure a tee time, and let Hole19's GPS rangefinder guide you over the blind shots and shared double greens.

Carnoustie Golf Links (Angus)

Carnoustie, known affectionately as "Carnasty," is one of the toughest tests in championship golf. The closing holes along the Barry Burn have decided Open Championships and broken hearts. Play the medal tees if you dare, and lean on Hole19's distances to hazards so you know exactly how far it is to carry that burn. Find Carnoustie on Hole19 and save it to your trip.

Turnberry, Ailsa Course (Ayrshire)

The Ailsa Course at Turnberry hugs the Ayrshire coast with views of the Ailsa Craig and a clifftop lighthouse that frames one of golf's most photographed stretches. It is dramatic, exposed and unforgettable in summer light. Plays Like distances are a lifesaver here, adjusting for the elevation changes so you never come up short on the cliffside holes.

Best golf courses in Ireland

Ireland's links are wilder, friendlier and every bit as world-class. The southwest and Northern Ireland hold some of the finest dunes golf on earth, and the welcome in the clubhouse is hard to beat. If you want to go deeper on the genre, our guide to the best links golf courses in Scotland and Ireland pairs perfectly with this trip.

Royal County Down (Newcastle, Northern Ireland)

Set beneath the Mountains of Mourne, Royal County Down is regularly ranked among the best courses in the world. Blind tee shots, bearded bunkers and that mountain backdrop make it as beautiful as it is demanding. Track your round with Hole19's Shot Tracker to see exactly where the course costs you strokes.

Ballybunion Golf Club (County Kerry)

The Old Course at Ballybunion is towering-dune links golf at its purest, tumbling along the Atlantic in County Kerry. Tom Watson called it one of the best and most beautiful tests of golf anywhere. Use Hole19's premium maps and distance arcs to pick smart lines off the tee through the dunes.

Old Head Golf Links (County Cork)

Old Head sits on a slender promontory jutting into the Atlantic off Kinsale, with holes that play along 300-foot cliffs. There is nothing else like it on the planet. Check the wind and your distances to hazards on Hole19 before every shot, because the ocean is very much in play.

How to plan your Ireland and Scotland golf trip

A great links trip is part golf, part logistics. Cluster your courses by region to cut down on driving: pair St Andrews with Carnoustie in the east, or Royal County Down with the Kerry links across a longer loop. Book tee times months ahead for summer, and build in a buffer day for weather.

Before you go, save every course to Hole19 and review the layouts, then log every round so your stats follow you home. Reviewing your Advanced Stats after the trip shows you which parts of your game thrive on links golf and which need work.

Track every round with Hole19

A trip across the best golf courses in Ireland and Scotland is the round of a lifetime, so make it count. With Hole19's GPS rangefinder, Shot Tracker and Discover Courses in your pocket, you will play every hole with confidence and remember every shot.

Download Hole19 free and start your 14-day Premium trial before you fly. Explore all of these courses and 43,000 more on the Discover Courses page, and tee off knowing more so you score less.