Golf in Ireland

Today we begin to talk about popular sports in Ireland and first we will start our story with golf. We think that many underestimate this sport and it's completely wrong. All around the world, about 60 million of people play golf, and the worldwide turnover of the golf industry has about 50 billions of Euros per year. At that, golf sports equipment sales volume is second best only after fitness equipment sales.

Ireland entered this industry very well thanks to three factors. The first factor is the climate which allows playing on green all the year round. The second factor is rather high living standard in Ireland. And the third factor is well elaborated policy of golf courses and rather democratic system of attracting new players.

As far back as the first half of the last century, golf was a privilege of aristocracy and rather prosperous people; it was a peculiar sign of belonging to the “high life”.

At present, in today's Ireland, absolutely all people can afford playing golf. It's not necessary to be a member of a golf club; one can just buy a ticket for visiting a golf course. That's why we can often even see teenagers in the golf courses. There are widespread courses for mini-golf as well.

Despite its small territory the island of Ireland has more than 400 golf courses. Almost every even a small town has a golf course. But this “golf paradise” is not only for Irish people. Every year, more than one quarter of million golf fans come to Ireland.

Not without reason, an international organization uniting golf tour operators, in 2004, acknowledged Ireland to be the country of the year. Of course, Ireland welcomes international golf competitions as well. So, in 2006, in Ireland there took place prestigious golf competitions, Ryder Cup.

In the year 2011, in the area surrounding the Killeen Castle, which is located in County Meath, will host the womans champiionship for the Solheim Cup between Europe and USA.

In our next posts, as much as possible, we are going to tell you about the most famous golf clubs of Ireland, and now we list the best of them. These are Royal Country Down, Waterville, Ballybunion, The European Club and Royal Portrush Golf Club.

By the way, while visiting the “Giants' Causeway” in North Ireland, you'll be able to visit the Royal Portrush Golf Club, which is situated at a distance of 5 kilometres from that place. In our next post we are going to tell about one of the oldest golf clubs" in Ireland.