8 Golf Clubs not to be overlooked in 2026!

8 Golf Clubs not to be overlooked in 2026!

Yeah, 2026 is on the horizon and I’m starting to make plans about where I’m about to go in next year. It’s getting a bit chilly. Golf isn’t possible right now, but I’ve got a bit of Christmas cheer to bring along because I’m about to announce the biggest giveaway on my channel ever. Ireland’s Ancient East should be the next stop on anyone’s to-do list. And in today’s video, I’m going to give you a chance to win a trip for two to follow in my footsteps. This trip to Ireland provided me with some of the best value for money golf courses I have ever experienced. I got the full Irish experience of good beer, good food, and great crack. And I even got to squeeze in a visit to Ireland’s national stadium, Croak Park, to watch an Irish football final. Now, your best way to travel to Ireland’s ancient east is via the ferryports of Dublin and Ross lair or fly into Dublin airport. My trip included golf had eight incredible courses on Ireland’s ancient east and all within a short distance from Dublin. My journey started on a Stenoline ferry crossing from Hollyhead to Dublin and then a short drive to my first golf course of the trip, Headford. Head is home to two golf courses, the old course and the Christy O’ Conor Design Championship. All I can say is what a start to the trip. I played the full 18 holes on the championship, which is a mature parkland, big bunkering, large greens, lots of water, extremely picturesque, and in immaculate condition. It was a golf course that had me from the very first T-shot. The mature tree lines and sculptured fairways suggest a topass venue, and it did not disappoint. Each hole has plenty of character and will ask questions of your game. Water hazards and bunkers are a significant part of its defense and some strategic choices are required to navigate from tea to green and try to avoid water and sand along the way. So that was me done day one. Well, almost because I took a journey to Killing Castle, which is where I was going to stay for the next two or three nights of the trip. The long driveway up and the castle dominated the landscape on the horizon to a Jack Nicholas design of some serious pedigree. Now, this place has a special feel about it. Elevated, but very welcoming. Once you’re on the resort, you don’t really need to leave. We checked into our accommodation which is in the former lodges. Our property was four bedroomedroom and uh we had a shared living room area which is great as a group or to be honest with you if you’re just a two ball the rooms are perfect. I was up early and headed down for breakfast in the main clubhouse with views overlooking the first fairway. Just get the juices flowing. Keen does one thing really well and offer multiple tea box options so you can play from a yardage that suits your ability. As with many great parklands, water hazards are plentiful and the design of the course has a lot of the risk and reward elements that are seen in Jack Nicholas design. I feel like it’s fairly generous on the fairways. The greens are big, but so are the hazards. It’s an absolute joy to play, and each hole is very individual in its layout. As you can see, it’s in extremely good condition. The castle is pretty much visible throughout the round and as I understand, could be ready for some conversion to further accommodation next year. All in all, an incredibly good experience and a course that leaves you want to come back for more. I can’t wait to return. So, I originally posted this series of videos one episode a week, but seeing them all together just reminds me just how incredible this trip was. The variety of the golf courses that Tannon had organized also meant they were very different. So, the challenge every day was different. And one thing I’ll say about the Irish is they do hospitality incredibly well. And I don’t just mean drink Guinness, although they’re not too bad at that either. But they’re just very welcoming, very warm. Um, every time you go in a clubhouse or you see fellow golfers, they all want to have a chat. And the offcourse crack is well as good as anywhere in the world to be quite honest with you. But that wasn’t it. We weren’t finished because next up was the first time on this trip at least. It was 36 holes in the one day. County La and Seoint would make up my first 36 holes in a day on this trip. They’re about 40 minutes drive from Kellen and share the same stretch of coastline. First up is County La or more affectionately known as Alree. Valtree is the epitome of links and ranked amongst the very best in Ireland. Some unreal contouring around the green complex is requiring some real skill and ingenuity to get the ball in the hole. From the tea box, it very much depends on which way the wind blows. Almost every hole faces a different direction. So, very much a challenge to understand the breeze, which adds to the difficulty. classic link style revetted pop bunkers that always seem to be where your ball comes to rest thanks to the shaping and runoffs on fairways and greens. I can’t stress enough the severity of the runoffs around the greens, presenting an almost impossible scenario if you’re on the wrong side of the pin. Baltree would be in my top 10 courses I’ve ever played and somewhere I’d love to return someday. But for now it was a hop over the fence and my next 18 holes awaits at the neighboring sepoint links. Now whilst they share the same coastline and adjoining landscape they are very different golf courses and seepoint is a worthy neighbor providing another challenge on the links. As with all the courses I’ve played, they’re in some amazing condition. And Seoint was as good as we’ve played. And the greens were exceptional. The breeze had picked up a little from the morning’s play and the challenge that the lynx presents was more prevalent in the afternoon. Once again, the greens were protected by severe runoffs and bunkers await for any stray. Using the contours to your favor can sometimes pay dividends or just get lucky. Either way, it’s always nice to capitalize. Once again, Seapoint has raised tea boxes which allow the enjoyment of the sea that hides beyond the dunes. And when you can’t see it, you can hear it landing on the beach. The closing stretch is as tough as boots. And if the wind is in two, then the closing four holes can ruin any good scorecard. I had just played 36 holes in one day and enjoyed it from start to finish, but it was time for a lie down and get ready for the grand finale. I was at two belters in terms of links golf. Thoroughly enjoyed uh my first four rounds, but next up I was moving base. I was going down to the southeast corner of Ireland into Wexford. I was staying at Whites of Wexford. That would be my base. top class hotel and it’s where you will be staying if you enter this week’s giveaway with Club Choice Island. If you want to follow in my footsteps, then this is the perfect opportunity. We’ve teamed up with Tannon and the team at Club Choice Island for the biggest giveaway ever on this channel. You can win two nights bed and breakfast, three rounds of golf, and return Steneline Ferry for a car and two persons to Islands Ancient East. You’ll be staying at the wonderful whites of Wexford and playing golf at three incredible golf courses, McCreddin, Rossair, Lynx, and Mount Juliet. All you need to do to enter is go to the website on screen or via the link in description and provide your details. These seas apply and can be found at club choice islandire.com. Good luck. So, good luck to all of you that enter, but if you want to see the courses you’ll be playing, then don’t go anywhere because they’re up next. Now, the first thing that will take your breath away is the unique clubhouse building, but it won’t be the last thing that has you stuck for words. It was early morning, clear blue skies, and only the whistle of birds could break the silence. I’d arrived in golfer’s paradise, set in the foothills of the Wikllo Mountains, is Buncla Golf and Fishing Club. The golf course is mature beyond its 25 years. Generous fairways weave through the tree line, often interrupted by a pond or two and the odd bunker along the way, beautifully presented from the first to the last hole of this adilic parkland setting. It’s a golf course that if you had to play every day until your last, then you wouldn’t get tired of it. Every tea box, fringe, fairway and green was in perfect condition. I enjoyed every minute of Bunglai and my day had only just gotten started. I was making the most of the gorgeous Irish weather and a short drive took me to my second 18 of the day at the nearby mccrediting golf club which was equally as spectacular. McCreditin is the work of Paul Mcinley and at the time of year we visited can only be described as a sea of yellow. The landscape suggested Switzerland with the tall pines and the Wikllo mountains in the backdrop and set in true isolation. McCreddin is no walk in the park. It’s a tough track that as you hold in your breath that your T-shot lands on grass and not in gors. I don’t think I’ve seen a golf course so well presented. Patterns in fairways and greens cut with precision and care were a sight to behold on every tea box. Now, if you have a minute, just sit back and relax because my words just get in the way of what you’re about to see. Oh, and this is one of the courses that you could be playing in 2026. Now, it wasn’t all golf and there’s plenty to do off course and I took a short trip into Kil Kenny where, first of all, it’s a great place to spend some time, few bars to have a drink in as well. But I was drawn into the Smithix Brewery tour and uh fully immersed into their interactive tour. And apart from the sort of testing my sensory skills, I also got the enjoyment of pouring my own pint and enjoying my labor. And next up was my final two rounds of this tour. And both of these will feature in the club choice giveaway. Now, Mount Juliet is a golf course from the higher echelons. It has held many a tour event and famously where Tiger Woods won the World Golf Championships in 2002. From the long drive into the estate, you have arrived at a five-star venue both on and off the course, and I had the privilege of playing in the Legends Tour Pro. It was an amazing experience. And let’s not forget this is one of the venues you could be playing in 2026 if you enter the Club Choice Island giveaway. I don’t have lots of footage from this one as I was deeply concentrated and not making a fool of myself and the camera. Well, that was the least of my worries. But what you can see from the brief footage is a golf course of the highest pedigree. I had the privilege of playing golf with Roger Chapman, Ray Hton, and let’s not forget the legend that is Tin and Burn. So, with one more day to go, we couldn’t get another day of pure sunshine, could we? Well, they say the sun always shines on the righteous. Not sure how we managed it, but my last 18 holes of the trip was to be at Ross Golf Links in perfect weather, and it was a fitting way to end such a trip. Now they say a picture paints a thousand words. So, I’m not sure why I’m still here waffling on, but this is a belter of a lynx set alongside the Irish Sea and close to Rossair Harbor. The dunes separate the course from the beach and the sea, although thanks to some new tea boxes, you get to see the tide meet the sand on numerous occasions. Rolling fairways, runoffs and swailes, reveted bunkers, greens that run pure. This is my idea of heaven. Okay, I’ll shut up for a minute and let you enjoy without further interruption. So ladies and gentlemen, that’s it. My tour of Ireland is complete and hopefully you’ve seen enough to encourage you to get entered into that draw. And if you don’t get lucky in that respect, then make sure you get this on your radar into the years ahead. Make sure you speak to the people at Club Choice Island and get them to help you out in organizing any tour or future trip. They are first of all genuinely nice people, but they also have a real interest in making sure your trip goes to plan. They their organization from start to finish was incredible. So, I must say a personal thanks to Tan and the team for organizing such an incredible week. I’m hoping that I will be back there next year and uh I certainly hope one of you or two of you get lucky into that giveaway. It’s certainly worth the trip and I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time just like I did. For the time being, that’s me done. I’ll finish me coffee. I’ve got plenty of work to do during these winter months and I’ll probably catch you in a few days time when we start reviewing some golf clubs that are on the way in 2026 also. But for now, happy Christmas. See you real soon.

If you want the chance to WIN this amazing trip to Irelands Ancient East then follow this link

Competition

2 Nights Bed & Breakfast in Whites of Wexford in a Superior Room

1 Evening Meal in the hotel restaurant

3 fantastic rounds of Golf

Macreddin Golf Club
Rosslare Golf Links
Mount Juliet Golf Club
Return Stena Line Ferry. Car + 2 people

Prize is for 2 people

Subscribe to The Average Golfer for FREE now – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwfGb-FXG66ZCRrS-VMc4oA?sub_confirmation=1
———————————————————————

Stewart Golf Trolley Aff Link – https://stewardgolfuk.sjv.io/c/5384975/982136/12914

———————————————————————

Join The Average Golfers Club:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwfGb-FXG66ZCRrS-VMc4oA/join

———————————————————————

AG caps and merchandise – https://www.theaveragegolfer.co.uk/merch

Links:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/averagegolfer99/
Twittter – https://twitter.com/AverageGolfer99
Website – https://www.theaveragegolfer.co.uk/
Media enquiries – averagegolfer99@gmail.com

———————————————————————

Just an Average Golfer giving unbiased opinions on all things golf, product tests, Golf travel vlogs and golf news!