Lahinch is home to the 36-hole Lahinch Golf Club, founded in 1892. The original links was laid out by Old Tom Morris. Alister MacKenzie, who co-designed Augusta National Golf Club, redesigned and extended the links in 1927 for a fee of £2,000.Lahinch Golf Club is home to the South of Ireland Championship, an amateur golf tournament which began in 1895. It was also host to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, in July 2019.
Lahinch has become one of the foremost surfing locations in Ireland, and is home to a surfing school. On 14 May 2006, 44 surfers managed to ride one small wave, setting a new world record. Lahinch is also a location for other watersports including kitesurfing and windsurfing. Lahinch Sea Rescue, an independent lifeboat service, provides protection for water-users.
