Northwest Ireland based in Sligo Northwest Ireland based in Donegal Scottish Highlands Golf Trip St Andrews (Scotland) Golf Trip East Lothian (Scotland ) Golf Trip

If seeking out underrated golf experiences in far-flung destinations is your cup of tea, then steep your favorite bag of Earl Grey and nestle in. We have unearthed five of the best “hidden” gem golf tours in the UK and Ireland, each of which will not only give you and your buddies the chance to play some of the best courses across the pond but will also leave your friends at home wondering how the heck you found these diamonds in the rough.

Within each of the following itineraries, you’ll see everything from under-the-radar courses on the northern coast of Ireland to the unsung heroes of St Andrews, Scotland. The shadow of the Old Course, Royal County Down and Muirfield loom large, but those are far from the only vacation-worthy tracks you’ll find in the UK and on the Emerald Isle.

1. Northwest Ireland — Sligo

Perched on the edge of Ireland along the Wild Atlantic Way, Sligo’s riverside Glasshouse Hotel is the perfect home base for a week-long golf trip. Within an hour of the hotel, you’ll find five of Ireland’s finest courses: Carne Golf Links, Strandhill Golf Course, Rosses Point at County Sligo Golf Club, Donegal Golf Course and Enniscrone, known as one of the top links in the country.

2. Northwest Ireland — Donegal

Venture even further into Golfbreaks’ northwest Ireland trips and you’ll find this five-round, seven-night gem based in Letterkenny. You’ll be staying all seven nights at the Station House Hotel, a family-run  boutique that provides in-house dining plus easy access to the town of Letterkenny and the rest of northwest Ireland. You’ll play a round at five courses: Narin & Portnoo Links, Sandy Hills Course, Glashedy Links & Old Links and Old Tom Morris Links (yes, that Old Tom Morris).

3. Scottish Highlands

For No. 3, we’re headed across the Irish Sea to the Scottish Highlands, where you’ll find a unique combination of links and parkland courses. The seven-night trip includes five rounds of golf, each of which boasts distinctive Scottish challenges, from links on the coast to highland and parkland terrain. You’ll play Tain Golf Course, Brora Golf Course, Nairn Golf Course, Golspie Golf Course & Nairn Dunbar Golf Course, a group that includes Old Tom Morris-designed courses and one of the most northern courses in the entire country (Brora). Your lodging is the bed-and-breakfast-style Glen Mhor Hotel, made up of 11 different Victorian-era buildings and has views of the River Ness.

4. St Andrews

Yep, this is the one you’ve been waiting for. Ok, so this trip doesn’t include the Old Course but there’s a reason we’re calling them hidden gems, right? You’ll stay seven nights at the Albany Hotel, a Georgian terraced house that dates to 1764. Scottish breakfast is included, and you can visit the Bar Lounge in the evenings. Your five rounds will be at New Course (neighbor to The Old Course), Jubilee Course, Balcomie Links, Castle Course and Leven Links Golf Course. Each of these is often overlooked for the area’s big players but the thing about Scotland is that there’s no shortage of beautiful courses — you just need to venture off the beaten path sometimes. 

5. Edinburgh and East Lothian

Our final hidden gem is just east of Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. You’ll be staying at Marine North Berwick, a beautiful Victorian hotel that overlooks the West Links at North Berwick and the Firth of Forth. Your five included rounds will be played at Gullane No.2 Course, Dunbar Golf Course, West Links, Kilspindie Golf Course and North Berwick Glen Golf Course, some of the country’s oldest links. The highlight is the West Links at North Berwick Golf Club, the 13th oldest course in the world and consistently ranked as one of the top five places to play golf in Scotland.

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