With the country coming down with golf resorts, and a dearth of tourists to fill them, there are currently terrific bargains to be had by golfers who may be finding that they have more time to play these days. In most places, a round of golf at a championship course is costing less than half of what it did a year ago. Most resorts have spas to entice non-golfing other halves and the ones featured here also have decent food.

1. The Lodge At Doonbeg Golf Club

It's hard to conceive of a golf course more beautifully located than Doonbeg in Co Clare. Chosen for his 'least disturbance philosophy', the course was designed by two-time British Open Champion, Greg Norman and spans a mile and a half of a stunning crescent shaped beach and sand dunes, with views out over the Atlantic from 16 out of the 18 holes. Variations in wind speed and direction ensure that the course plays differently each time, but many holes feature five or more tee locations to allow for this. The Par-72 layout features a single loop of nine holes out and nine back and an unusual combination of five par 3s and five par 5s. Serious golfers might think about an excursion to play Lahinch, half an hour away, and compare the two.

Inside, The Lodge at Doonbeg has the feel of an American country club, with a level of finish and comfort rarely found in Ireland. Accommodation is in suites in the Lodge itself, Courtyard Suites or fabulous Links Cottages (3,000 square feet of cottage, in fact, with massive beds and en suite walk in showers for every room!) which accommodate up to eight people in great style.

These are ideal for families or groups of friends who prefer the independence of self-catering, although that seems an inadequate description of the superior experience to be had. There is a supervised children's activities programme (including surfing on the beach) available – of great interest to golfing couples so that no one goes home feeling martyred. The White Horses Spa, designed by the legend that is Clodagh, features specialised golfers' treatments including deep tissue massage as well as the usual selection of facials and pampering. A Golf Biomechanics Programme "assesses postural imbalances relating directly to common swing faults and develops a personalised programme of corrective stretching and conditioning to focus on flexibility, stability, strength and power – essential elements in the golfer's game". And if you don't manage a hole-in-one after that there's no hope for you.

Food-wise, the casual Darby's offering is just the thing after a bracing four and a half hour trek around the course, but the Long Room, with its views across the sea, is something special. Service is a happy mélange of all that is good about Irish and American hospitality and the shortish table d'hote menu (€70 plus 12% service) of five starters and five mains plus a fish special or two devised by Sebastian Schulze delivers fine dining using the best of Irish produce. Tian of Liscannor Crab, gazpacho dressing and mixed leaves perhaps, or Pan Fried Foie Gras, brioche crostini, mushroom duxelles and verjus reduction, followed by Fillet of Wild Cod, cauliflower puree, poached baby leeks and roasted garlic foam or Burren Leg of Lamb, aubergine purée, tapenade, mint and basil jus?

One nights B&B in a luxurious one bedroom suite, plus dinner in Darby's Restaurant and a round of golf on Doonbeg's award winning course costs from €295 per person sharing. The table d'hote menu in The Long Room is €70.

www.doonbeggolfclub.com, Tel:?(065) 9055600

2. Lough Erne

Lough Erne is on a bit of a high these days, as its new Nick Faldo designed course has been selected as the venue for a 'Lough Duel' in July between Padraic Harrington and the young upstart, Rory McIlroy (right). The Lakeland course is stunningly beautiful, as well as challenging, and complements the existing Castle Hume course, giving guests the opportunity to play two very different courses from the same base. The resort itself, located a couple of miles outside Enniskillen, is sumptuous – no expense has been spared in creating a luxury experience, both in the rooms and the on site lodges - and General Manager Jonathan Stapleton, who spent many years at St Andrews, is well-placed to deliver exactly what serious golfers want.

Executive Chef Noel McMeel, a regular on The Afternoon Show who used to be in the kitchen at Castle Leslie, is now ensconced at Lough Erne and there are big plans for a diverse range of dining experiences. A series of winemaker dinners is proving popular – a recent visit by Doug Shafer of Shafer Vineyards in the Napa Valley saw Noel and his team create an exceptional meal (including Lobster Gazpacho, Smoked Duck and Asparagus Salad and Citrus Fruit Terrine with Peach and Ricotta Ice Cream), to complement the wines served. The Catalina is the resort's fine dining restaurant, where McMeel has placed his distinctive stamp on familiar dishes, even reinventing that old stalwart, the Mixed Grill. The Thai Spa and proximity to the shopping of Enniskillen are both draws for non-golfers.

The Lodge Golf Experience (available from July onwards) offers golfers into one upmanship the opportunity to be amongst the first to play The Faldo Course, with a two night stay in a Luxury Loughside Lodge with Full Irish Breakfast each morning and one dinner in The Loughside Clubhouse Bar & Grill, a lunch in the Halfway House and Seafood Experience and a spa treatment plus lots of other extras from £200 per night, based on four people sharing. Dinner in the Catalina restaurant is £39.50 for three courses.

www.loughernegolfresort.com Tel:(004428) 6632 3230

3. Mount Juliet

Golf courses love to trumpet their awards and Mount Juliet is no exception, currently revelling in its acclamation as the best parkland course in Ireland by Backspin golf magazine. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, this is a challenging championship course that has hosted two American Express World Golf Championships (won by Tiger Woods and Ernie Els) and three Irish Open Championships in its time. Big name golfers love Mount Juliet for its layout and year-round excellent condition – Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Retief Goosen and Sergio Garcia are all fans, and it is also popular with groups looking for a combination of good golf, high-quality accommodation and terrific food. The Mount Juliet Conrad Hotel itself is uber-luxurious, plush and comfortable, and there is also accommodation available in Hunter's Yard, The Paddocks and Rose Garden Suites which might appeal to groups. For non-golfers there is a spa, pool and health centre. The Lady Helen Restaurant in the hotel itself serves a traditional Irish country house menu, while the offering in Kendal's in Hunter's Yard is more modern (and cheaper).

Mount Juliet's bargain deal of the moment is 18 holes of golf with a two course lunch for gourmets with simple taste (steak sandwich, cod and chips, grilled cornfed chicken or chargrilled burger followed by pudding) is €100 on a Monday or Tuesday, rising to €130 on a Friday or Saturday. Mount Juliet's location 20 minutes from Kilkenny makes it very accessible as a day trip from many parts of the country. Play and stay packages including dinner in Kendal's or The Lady Helen are also available.

www.mountjuliet.ie, Tel: (056) 777 3000

4. Fota Island

The Christy O'Connor Jr designed woodland interwoven course at Sheraton Hotel and Spa at Fota Island Resort, Cork is set amongst beautiful parkland scenery and has in the past hosted the Irish Open and AIB Seniors Open. Families will enjoy visiting the famous Wildlife Park. The Cove, the hotel's celebrated fine-dining restaurant, has developed something of a reputation for exceptional food under executive chef, Neil Foster. The new summer menu includes innovative starters such as Seared Diver Scallops and Slow Roasted Sumac Spiced Pork Belly, Cauliflower and Lemon Grass Purée, Sherry Vinegar and Raisin Dressing. Entrees include Grilled Native Ballycotton Lobster, Smoked Sea Salt and Parsley Mash, Mesclun Leaf and Shaved Pecorino Salad.

A weekend break at Fota Island Resort with two nights' accommodation and breakfast with dinner in the Cove on one evening and a round of golf at the renowned Fota Island Golf Club costs €264 per person sharing until the end of June.

www.fotaisland.ie, Tel: (021) 467 3000

5. The K Club

The K Club, less than an hour from the city centre, has hosted 13 European Opens and, famously, the 2007 Ryder Cup. There are two exceptional championship courses and a good range of eating options. The destination restaurant Byerley Turk, with a reputation for innovative modern Irish cooking, reopens on 6 June for Saturday evenings. Legends, in the Palmer Ryder Clubhouse, and decorated with golfing memorabilia, and the River Room, an elegant brasserie, are the alternative dining options.

The K Club's current website offers include the Ultimate Championship Golf Experience – two nights accommodation with full Irish breakfast, a round of golf on each of the Palmer Ryder Cup and Smurfit European Open Courses and dinner on one night, with complimentary club hire (non-golfers get a €100 spa voucher) for €395pps.

www.kclub.com, Tel: (01) 6017200