The Lodge at the Doonbeg Golf Club

The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club, built in traditional style from Irish stone, offers luxurious accommodations set between the #1 tee and the #18 green in the crescent of Doughmore Bay. Talk about luck of the Irish. Ever since Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare, Ireland, opened its Greg Norman-designed course four years ago, the par-72, 6,911-yard development has been lauded as one of Ireland’s best links layouts. And that’s saying a lot considering the country is loaded with compelling coastal courses including Ballybunion and Lahinch, the historical duo located within a short drive of Doonbeg.

And now that Doonbeg has officially unveiled its long-awaited seaside accommodations and members’ clubhouse, golfers in this part of southwest Ireland have a luxurious yet laid-back place to use as their new base. The Lodge at Doonbeg, which nestles against beautiful Doughmore Bay by the first tee and 18th green, resembles an Irish castle that’s been a part of the surrounding countryside for decades, but it offers service and amenities on par with any modern five-star property. The private first-class lodging combined with the spectacular course that sits on what might be the last great piece of developable links land makes Doonbeg the ultimate links experience.

That partly explains why the lodge’s 47 member-owned suites—ranging in price from about $806,400 to $1.953 million—practically sold out three years ago. The “suites,” which provide much more than traditional hotel rooms, come in varying configurations of one to four bedrooms along with the added comfort of a well-appointed living room and kitchen. The Lodge also features a formal dining room, a Clodagh-designed spa, and separate members’ bar and locker facilities. Even though Doonbeg Golf Club is private, with an initiation fee of $60,000, the Lodge is open to the public based on availability.

Overnight rates at the Lodge at Doonbeg, located about 40 miles from the Shannon Airport, range from $265 to $1,020 depending on the size of the suite, season, and view. Last May an additional 2,800 to 3,100-square-foot cottages were well under construction, and according to Ed Tovey, Doonbeg’s director of real estate, four of the four-bedroom units, which cost $1.4-$1.6 million each, were already sold.

Developed and owned by Kiawah Development Partners, Doonbeg has a predominance of American members, which should come as no surprise since Kiawah Development Partners is the U.S. firm responsible for the overall development of South Carolina’s Kiawah Island. Tovey explains that Doonbeg’s strong demand is due first of all to “the quality golf course” and second to the fact that Ireland is perceived as a much safer place to invest. “Since the troubles in Northern Ireland have gone away, Americans are coming back in droves,” he adds. “Where else do you have a great links golf course and these accommodations… right on the ocean 600 yards away? There’s nothing else like this in Ireland!” —Scott Kauffman

For more information on membership to Doonbeg Golf Club please call 866.366.6234 or visit doonbeggolfclub.com.

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