Dangling off of Ireland's southern coast atop a promontory that towers hundreds of feet above the Atlantic, the Links of Old Head occupies perhaps the most spectacular setting for golf on the planet. Enough said.

The 2019 Irish Open host shares the same stretch of County Clare's coastline with the Cliffs of Moher so designer Alistair MacKenzie had a great canvas on which to work. So good in fact, that after completion MacKenzie, who worked on the likes of Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne, called Lahinch the finest course that he or anyone else ever constructed.

Tom Watson’s favorite golf course is regularly ranked as Ireland’s best course and it's not hard to see why. The design's great variety of holes are carved between massive sand dunes and the result is a visually challenging but stunning test.

Located at the end of the Ring of Kerry, Waterville effortlessly encapsulates the beauty and serenity of County Kerry's Macgillycuddy's Reeks Mountains and Atlantic shoreline. Don't be fooled though, as the course is as challenging as they come. In fact, member Tiger Woods has been known to fine-tune his game there in advance of the Open Championship.

Tralee's layout plays across two distinctly different nines. The front is more subdued, although it has a fun mix of holes with the standout par 3 third playing towards castle ruins. The back, though, is pure magic and may be Ireland's best nine holes. With elevated views across miles of Atlantic coastline, the setting inspired designer Arnold Palmer to proclaim: “I designed the front 9 and god designed the back."

The seaside village of Doonbeg is home to Greg Norman's only course in the British Isles and upon seeing the property's mountainous dunes and location alongside Doughmore Bay, Norman proclaimed he was the luckiest designer in the world. Situated between the likes of Lahinch and Ballybunion, and voted among Golf Digest’s World Top 100, the Shark's work should not be missed.

Simply put, Adare Manor is Ireland's most luxurious golfing experience. Billionaire JP McManus poured €100 million into an overhaul of the former Irish Open host, and the investment paid off with news that the course will host the 2027 Ryder Cup. The parkland layout is a great compliment to Southwest Ireland's classic seaside links.

Founded in 1889, Dooks is one of Ireland's oldest clubs and also one of it's most beautiful. The course sits along the Ring of Kerry between the McGillycuddy Reeks mountains and Dingle Bay and its distinct, quirky layout is an absolute joy to play.

Although overshadowed by the neighboring Old Course, the Cashen Course stands on its own among Ireland's best courses. The topography of the Cashen is dramatic, with tight fairways cut between the tallest dunes at Ballybunion (even bigger than the Old Course!). In fact, designer Robert Trent Jones called the Cashen the finest piece of links land he had ever seen. To overlook it would be a mistake.

Dingle Golf Links, known locally as Ceann Sibeal, is actually the westernmost course in all of Europe, and its secluded location at the tip of the breathtakingly beautiful Dingle Peninsula feels like the edge of the world. You may hear the native Irish language between locals but a warm welcome awaits visitors to this awe-inspiring, rugged coastal links.