Photo: Wikimedia CommonsGolf in County Sligo
Rosses Point · Enniscrone · Strandhill
At a glance
- Key courses
- County Sligo · Enniscrone · Strandhill
- Best base
- Sligo town or Strandhill
- Best months
- May, June, September
- Nearest airports
- Sligo (SXL) · Ireland West Knock (NOC)
- Drive from Dublin
- 2h 30min
Yeats Country
County Sligo sits at the top of Ireland's west coast — flat-topped mountains, Atlantic dunes, and estuary light. W. B. Yeats is buried under Benbulben, the plateau mountain that watches over nearly every fairway in the county. It makes an extraordinary backdrop for golf.
Sligo has three courses worth serious attention. One is a Harry Colt championship links with a century of amateur championship history. One is a wild Atlantic duneland course that most visiting golfers never find. One is a short links in a surf village with views across Sligo Bay. They are all different. All worth the detour.
County Sligo Golf Club — Rosses Point
Rosses Point · Championship links
Harry Colt designed County Sligo Golf Club in 1927, threading fairways across the headland at Rosses Point with Benbulben and the Dartry Mountains as a constant backdrop. The course is honest, demanding, and classically proportioned — the kind of links where the difficulty is in reading the ground and the wind, not manufactured obstacles.
The West of Ireland Amateur has been played here every April since 1923. Consistently ranked among the top twenty courses in Ireland. Visitors are welcome but should check for competition closures in April.
Enniscrone Golf Club
Killala Bay · Wild Atlantic links
Donald Steel redesigned Enniscrone in 1999. The dunes here reach 100 feet above the Atlantic, and twelve holes wind through them before the closing stretch drops to bluffs above the beach. Tom Coyne, who walked the entire Irish coastline playing every course for his book A Course Called Ireland, called Enniscrone probably the best off-the-beaten-track course in Ireland.
Technically on the Mayo-Sligo border, equidistant from both county towns. Most visiting golfers never find it. That gap between quality and discovery is exactly why the people who do find it keep coming back.
Strandhill Golf Club
Strandhill village · Seaside links
Strandhill is a short links in a surf village beneath Knocknarea — Voya seaweed baths, good coffee, Benbulben across the bay. Not in the same league as Rosses Point or Enniscrone, but charming and walkable from the village. Worth a morning round as part of a longer Sligo stay.
Getting there and where to stay
Sligo Airport (SXL) has limited scheduled services. Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC) is an hour away with more connections. Dublin is 2h 30min by road.
Sligo town is the most practical base — central, 20 minutes from Rosses Point, with a food and pub scene that has improved dramatically. Strandhill has charm and its own course walking distance away. Ballina (Co. Mayo, 30 minutes south) works if you are combining with Enniscrone.
Common questions
Can visitors play County Sligo Golf Club (Rosses Point)?
Yes — visitors are welcome at County Sligo. Tee times should be booked in advance, especially for weekends. The club hosts the West of Ireland Amateur Championship every April, so check for closures during that week.
How does Enniscrone compare to County Sligo?
They are different experiences. County Sligo is the more refined, traditional links with championship credentials. Enniscrone is wilder and more dramatic — dunes 60–100 feet high, a rawer setting, and arguably more memorable for first-time visitors. Both are exceptional.
Where is the best base for a Sligo golf trip?
Sligo town is the most practical — central, well-served by hotels, and 20 minutes from Rosses Point. Strandhill is a surf village with charm, walking distance to its own course. Ballina (Co. Mayo) is 30 minutes from Enniscrone and worth considering if you are including courses in Mayo.
What else is there to do in Sligo besides golf?
Sligo is Yeats Country — the poet's grave is at Drumcliff church under Benbulben. The mountain itself is unmissable. Strandhill has a legendary seaweed bath at Voya. The food and pub scene in Sligo town has improved significantly in recent years.