Sligo’s golf ‘on par’ with the best at PGA Show in Orlando

TOURISM Ireland’s golf promotional programme for 2024 kicked off last week at the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida. Thirty-four (34) golf and tourism operators from Ireland took part in this important event in the golfing calendar – including County Sligo Golf Club and Enniscrone Golf Club.

The PGA Show is one of the biggest golf exhibitions in the United States and attracted around 30,000 golf professionals and journalists last year.

Before the show kicked off, Ireland’s world-class golf was highlighted to around 120 golf pros and buyers, at a special Ireland Golf Day – sponsored by Tourism Ireland, North & West Coast Links Golf Ireland and SWING Golf Ireland – at the Reunion Resort & Golf Club near Orlando.

On day two of the show, Tourism Ireland organised a panel discussion for top American golf journalists. Hosted by Matt Adams of NBC Golf Channel, the panel included Paul Vaughan from Ardglass Golf Club and Jason Straka, the designer of the exciting new Curracloe Links in Co Wexford, scheduled to open in 2026.

The panel discussion provided an excellent opportunity to highlight our superb golf, as well as the fact that this year’s Irish Open will take place at Royal County Down in September, The Open will return to Royal Portrush in 2025 and the Ryder Cup will take place at Adare Manor in 2027.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “The American golf market remains a priority for Tourism Ireland in 2024 and we will continue to promote Ireland as a top golf destination.

“We’re also taking every opportunity to highlight the fact that this year’s Amgen Irish Open will take place at Royal County Down, The Open will return to Royal Portrush in 2025 and that Adare Manor will host the Ryder Cup in 2027. Tourism Ireland will be pulling out all the stops once again to leverage the tourism potential of these prestigious sporting events, in the US and in our other important golf markets.

“Golf is the world’s largest sports-related travel market and Tourism Ireland, together with our partners Fáilte Ireland and Tourism NI, is working hard to drive home the message that the island of Ireland offers American golfers the complete package – with some of the very best golf in the world, stunning scenery and the warmest of welcomes.

Paul McDonagh, Tourism Ireland (left); Joe Murphy (second left) and Martin Donnelly (eighth left), both Fáilte Ireland; Colin Starrett, County Sligo Golf Club (eleventh left); Alison Metcalfe (ninth right), David Connellan (second right) and Ruth Moran (right), all Tourism Ireland, at the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida.