Region: Clare, Kerry & Cork, Republic of Ireland | Best Time: May–September | Nearest Airport: Shannon (SNN) or Kerry (KIR)
Editor’s Note: The Wild Atlantic Way delivers the most dramatic golf scenery on earth. Old Head of Kinsale juts 100 metres above the Atlantic; Ballybunion’s clifftops were called the finest natural course in the world by Tom Watson; Lahinch’s goats still predict the weather better than Met Éireann. Ireland’s golf is raw, emotional and unforgettable.
The 5 Courses to Play
1. Old Head Golf Links, Kinsale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Patrick Merrigan & Ron Kirby (1997)
- Par / Yardage: 72 / 7,215 yards | Rating: 76.5 / 147
- Why Play It: The most spectacular setting in golf — a diamond-shaped headland jutting 100m above the Atlantic, where every hole has an ocean view. The dramatic par-3 12th plays along a sheer cliff edge. Expensive but utterly unforgettable.
- Book: oldhead.com | Green fees from €375
2. Ballybunion Golf Club — Old Course ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Natural links, extended Lionel Hewson
- Par / Yardage: 71 / 6,851 yards | Rating: 74.0 / 140
- Why Play It: Tom Watson’s favourite course. Massive sand dunes, clifftop holes along the Shannon Estuary and a cemetery occupying the 5th hole. The most natural championship links in the world.
- Book: ballybuniongolfclub.ie
3. Lahinch Golf Club — Old Course ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Alister MacKenzie & Tom Morris Sr.
- Par / Yardage: 72 / 6,950 yards | Rating: 74.5 / 141
- Why Play It: “The St Andrews of Ireland.” MacKenzie’s blind holes — including the famous Dell par 3 — divide opinion but define personality. The club’s resident goats have predicted weather for over a century. Host of the 2019 Irish Open.
- Book: lahinchgolf.com
4. Waterville Golf Links ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Eddie Hackett & Tom Fazio
- Par / Yardage: 72 / 7,354 yards | Rating: 76.0 / 145
- Why Play It: The most remote major golf course in Europe — at the very end of the Kerry coast. The scale of the dunes is unprecedented; the back nine is among the finest in Ireland. Tiger Woods and Payne Stewart practised here for the US Open.
- Book: watervillegolflinks.ie
5. Dooks Golf Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Designer: Natural links, redesigned Eddie Hackett
- Par / Yardage: 71 / 6,010 yards
- Why Play It: Ireland’s best-kept secret. An intimate, quirky links on the Ring of Kerry with MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountains behind and Dingle Peninsula ahead. Virtually no green fee queues; extraordinary value; a golfer’s golf course devoid of marketing but full of character.
- Book: dooks.com
Where to Stay & Practical Information
- Sheen Falls Lodge (5★): Ireland’s finest country house hotel, near Kenmare. Salmon fishing, spa and exceptional Irish cuisine. Check availability on Expedia →
- Parknasilla Resort (4★): Victorian estate on the Kenmare Bay — GBS wrote Pygmalion here. Pool, spa and direct Kerry coast access.
- Getting There: Shannon Airport (SNN) for Clare/Limerick courses; Kerry Airport (KIR) for Ring of Kerry courses. Car hire essential — public transport is minimal.
- Best Time: May, June and September. July and August are peak season with higher prices. Irish weather is famously unpredictable — always pack waterproofs regardless of forecast.