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St Margaret's Golf & Country Club

St Margaret's, Co. Dublin · Designed by Pat Ruddy & Tom Craddock (1992)

The village of St Margaret's takes its name from Teampall Mhaighréide — "Margaret's Church" — with documentary references to the area dating to 1182, when Pope Lucius III confirmed the town to the Archbishop of Dublin. Two kilometres from the clubhouse, Dunsoghly Castle (c.1450) was built by Sir Thomas Plunket, Chief Justice of Irish Common Pleas. It retains the only surviving original 15th-century wooden roof in Ireland — a hammerbeam roof used as a model for restorations at Bunratty Castle and Rothe House. The castle sits privately on ground that runs almost to the end of Dublin Airport's main runway.

Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock created the course in 1992 on agricultural farmland, transforming it into a championship parkland of 6,914 yards with a slope of 136. Water features throughout the round: the 12th is a roller coaster between two lakes and across a stream to a majestically elevated green; the 18th finishes downhill on a sweeping dogleg-left with a large lake protecting the right side of the green. Sam Torrance, the former Ryder Cup captain who won 21 events on the European Tour, called the 18th "the best finishing hole I have ever seen, and probably the strongest and most exciting in the world." Laura Davies, then ranked world number one, won back-to-back Ladies Irish Open titles here in 1994 and 1995.

The proximity to Dublin Airport is genuinely useful: the course is five minutes from the terminals, making it one of the few places in Ireland where you can book a flight in and play a championship round on the same afternoon. Swords Castle (a 12th-century archiepiscopal castle, free entry) is 10 minutes south; Malahide Castle and the seafood at Duffy's or The Ivory restaurant in Malahide village are 15 minutes east.

Holes worth knowing

118th (par-4) — a sweeping downhill dogleg-left with a large lake protecting the right side of the green. Sam Torrance called it "the best finishing hole I have ever seen, and probably the strongest and most exciting in the world." A good drive is required to see the green in two.
212th — rolls between two lakes and across a stream to a majestically elevated green. One of the most visually dramatic inland holes in the Dublin area.

Highlights

Slope 136 championship parkland — one of the toughest inland tests in Dublin
Sam Torrance: "the best finishing hole I have ever seen" — the 18th
Ladies Irish Open 1994 and 1995 host, won both years by Laura Davies
5 minutes from Dublin Airport — tee off on arrival, catch an evening flight home
Dunsoghly Castle (2 km): only surviving original 15th-century wooden roof in Ireland

Good to know

→The on-site restaurant is named Lir — after the Irish sea god whose children were transformed into swans near here in the legend of Fionnuala. The legend is set on the seas and lakes of this coastline.
→Malahide (15 minutes) is the best post-round dining option: Duffy's pub in the village for something casual, or The Ivory restaurant for something more substantial. The 12th-century Malahide Castle and demesne is worth an hour if you have time.
→Swords Castle — a medieval archiepiscopal castle in the centre of Swords town — is free to enter and often overlooked. Ten minutes from the course and genuinely impressive for its scale.

Visitor Information

Getting There

10min drive

Common questions

What tournaments has St Margaret's Golf Club hosted?

St Margaret's hosted the Irish Ladies Open in 1994 and 1995. Laura Davies won both years — her 1995 victory set world records for lowest aggregate score and biggest winning margin in women's professional golf, finishing 25 under par with a winning margin of 16 strokes. The course has also hosted the Irish PGA Championship and several other national events.

Is St Margaret's a good course for a visit?

St Margaret's is a demanding championship parkland — longer and more technically challenging than many north Dublin courses. It is ten minutes from Dublin Airport, which makes it one of the most accessible championship venues in the country. For golfers who want a quality test without the planning required for links venues, it is a strong option.

How do I book St Margaret's Golf Club?

St Margaret's books through GolfNow with reliable availability.

What other courses are near St Margaret's for a north Dublin golf day?

Corrstown is immediately nearby for a second round. Portmarnock Golf Club is thirty minutes southeast. The Island Golf Club is the same distance. St Margaret's is a natural anchor for a north Dublin golf day given its proximity to the airport.