Why You Need to Book a Links Golf Trip Across the Pond

If you’re a serious golf enthusiast, love a vacation and love to test yourself on new golf courses, you need to book a golf trip across the Atlantic. Whether you’re exploring Scotland and Ireland to get better acquainted with the origins of golf or enjoying a sunny, beachfront trip to Portugal or Spain, the golf in the UK and Europe is undeniably good—and can be surprisingly good value considering the quality of the experience. 

You can play the rare oceanside golf course in North America, provided you have a fat wallet and can even get a tee time. In contrast, the UK and Europe provide ample opportunity for oceanfront golf outings (though a fat wallet may still come in handy). Playing overseas gives you the chance to not only experience new golf courses but new cultures, cuisines, climates and potential locations for repeat trips for you and your buddies or your family.

With a tool like Golfbreaks, you gain access to some of the most coveted courses and destinations in the UK and Europe. Their packages are easy to understand, cover all the bases and let you focus on enjoying your time on and off the course, rather than on a neverending list of confirmations and itineraries. Read on to find some of our favorite courses and packages. 

UK and Ireland

Play some of the most historically significant courses on the shores of the North Sea on the east coast of Scotland or visit gorgeous links courses along the Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. There’s nothing quite like a wispy, undulating 18 holes to stoke the flame of your golf adoration.The links of Ireland and Scotland are legendary, not only for their unbreakable bond to the origins of the game, but for their dramatic conditions and unceasing challenge — it doesn’t matter what time of year you visit, you’re always in for a battle with the elements. We love the tree-lined parkland tracks of North America but it’s hard to beat the wild, wide-open links courses that birthed the game of golf. 

We are huge fans of the Old Course-adjacent Golfbreaks trip to St Andrews, which includes a seven-night stay at The Albany Hotel and a whopping five rounds of golf at five courses in the St Andrews area. For an Irish adventure, we recommend visiting Donegal and the Station House hotel. Along with a week’s stay at the boutique hotel, you get five rounds of golf, including a round at the Old Tom Morris Golf Links. Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention a trip to the finest resorts in Northern Ireland: Royal Portrush or Royal County Down. For just about $1,000 US per person, you can stay four nights at the Portrush Atlantic Hotel and play at the Valley Course at Portrush Links, sister course to the Portrush Links, home of the 2025 Open Championship. 

What could be better? Perhaps a trip to Royal County Down. Spend $1,800 per person and you’ll find yourself on the stunning Championship Links at Royal County Down, where you can challenge yourself on one of the most beautiful links courses in the world. 

Spain and Portugal

If the UK and Ireland sound a bit too cold, head to the Andalusian coast of Spain and play European Tour tracks like Valderrama, La Reserva and Finca Cortesin or the courses surrounding Lisbon, Portugal, one of Europe’s finest cultural hubs. Southwestern Europe boasts a blend of links and park courses that rivals any region in the world. On one hand you’ll find ocean views and wide open links golf while on the other you’ll find yourself firing drives down a narrow, wood-lined fairway that makes life difficult for even the straightest hitter. Trips to the Iberian Peninsula, whether you’re nestled up against the Portuguese cliffs or on the Mediterranean Coast, will leave you awed by the vistas and thoroughly enraptured by the quality of golf. 

In Spain, check out the SO/ Sotogrande package at Golfbreaks and tackle Valderrama and Finca Cortesin all in one trip. For those wanting to spend their time on the Atlantic coast, we recommend Lisbon’s Marriott Praia D’El Rey Golf and Beach Resort, which features 36 holes of golf, including one of Europe’s most highly regarded new courses, West Cliffs Golf Links.

While Grail-worthy oceanfront golf trips in North America can be found everywhere from Wisconsin to Bandon,  Pebble Beach to Cabot Links, it’s hard to beat a trip to a country or region you may never visit otherwise. Traveling overseas is a great way to fold a relaxing vacation, an eye-opening cultural experience and a memorable golf trip into one. You never know, your family may even beg to join you on your next golf trip. And that’s a good thing.