Increase in British golfers visiting east and south-east of Ireland

Strength in numbers appears a policy paying dividend for a growing alliance of golf clubs, resorts and hotels in Ireland’s east and south-east, whose unified cause is attracting increasing numbers of British golfers to their part of the world.

Club Choice Ireland, organisers of tailor-made golfing holidays in the east and south-east since 2010 and experienced a 60% increase in bookings from 2013 to 2014, has added Mount Juliet, Druids Glen, Carton House and Mount Wolseley to its collection of partners.

The company launched its programme for this year at a Tourism Ireland event at the Mere Golf Resort & Spa in Cheshire and the significance of its efforts to bring a lucrative section of the golfing market to Ireland earned an audience with Taoiseach Enda Kenny who, with Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons, met Club Choice Ireland directors Tiernan and Larry Byrne at Government Buildings recently.

Club Choice Ireland MD Tiernan Byrne said attracting golf tourists to the country has a big economic bonus for more businesses than just its partners, which also include Stena Line.

“Surveys show golf visitors are one of the highest spending demographics and, based on average figures, spent close on €½m in 2014,” Byrne said.