Old Head of Kinsale
There is no golf course on earth quite like the Old Head of Kinsale. Built on a diamond of land that juts two miles into the Atlantic off the south coast of Ireland, it has nine holes strung along clifftops up to 300 feet above the ocean, with all eighteen offering sea views and several greens hanging over the void. It is less a round of golf than a once in a lifetime experience, and the photographs do not exaggerate.
Photo: Old Head Golf Links via Google, contributor Shane McDonagh.
The verdict
The Old Head divides purists and romantics, and both are right. As a piece of golf architecture it is unconventional, with forced carries over the Atlantic and holes whose drama comes from the cliffs as much as the design, but as an experience it is unmatched anywhere in the game. Standing on a tee with ocean falling away on three sides and gannets wheeling below you is something no other course can offer.
Treat it as the centrepiece of a southwest Ireland trip rather than a pure architectural pilgrimage and you will love every minute. It pairs naturally with the links of Kerry and Cork, with the harbour town of Kinsale on the doorstep for food and a bed, and on a clear, breezy day it delivers the single most photographed round in Irish golf.
Old Head of Kinsale at a glance
- Founded
- 1997
- Designer
- Kirby · Hackett · Carr
- Type
- Clifftop links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,215 yds
- Green fee
- Around €475
Designer, opening, par and yardage verified June 2026; the Old Head opened in 1997 to a design team led by Ron Kirby and Eddie Hackett with Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins. It plays par 72 at around 7,215 yards from the back tees. Indicative 2026 high season green fee is around 475 euros per round with caddie fees on top, dropping to around 250 euros in a short shoulder window in late October. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The clifftop holes are the reason you come. The par 4 fourth bends along the cliff edge with the Atlantic the entire length of the left side, daring you to bite off as much as you dare, while the par 5 12th runs out toward the very tip of the headland with the ocean on both sides, a hole that genuinely takes the breath away.
The short holes are perched on the brink. Several of the par 3s play across or alongside the cliffs to greens with nothing but sea beyond, so the wind, which is rarely absent two miles out into the Atlantic, turns club selection into guesswork and a par into a small triumph.
What unites the round is exposure. There is no shelter out here, and the same hole can be a wedge one day and a long iron the next, while the views, the lighthouse, the old signal tower and the seabird colonies make even a poor shot feel worthwhile. The Old Head is golf as spectacle, and it knows it.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A privately owned clifftop course that welcomes visitors in season, by booking, with a resort and accommodation on site |
| Green fee | Around 475 euros per round with caddie fees on top in high season, dropping to around 250 euros in a short late October window in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book well ahead for the high season, late April to mid October, when tee times are limited and in demand |
| On the day | A walking course with caddies recommended given the cliffs and wind; an on site hotel, restaurant and clubhouse |
| Getting there | On the headland south of Kinsale in County Cork, about 45 minutes from Cork city and its airport |
| Best months | May to September for the best weather, though the Atlantic exposure means wind on most days |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the course; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Old Head Golf Links or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Old Head's own lodges and rooms put you on the headland itself for sunrise and sunset over the Atlantic, the most atmospheric base for a round here. The town of Kinsale, a few minutes inland, is one of Ireland's great food destinations, with harbour hotels, seafood restaurants and pubs for the evening.
For a wider trip, Cork city and the links of Kerry are within easy reach, so many groups base themselves around Kinsale and play the Old Head alongside the great southwest courses across a week.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near the Old Head.
Plan a southwest Ireland trip around the Old Head
We arrange the Old Head alongside the links of Cork and Kerry, secure the limited clifftop tee times and sort a Kinsale base and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Old Head of Kinsale questions
Who designed the Old Head of Kinsale and when did it open?
The Old Head Golf Links opened in 1997 to a design team led by Ron Kirby and the celebrated Irish architect Eddie Hackett, with input from the amateur great Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins. It was built on a dramatic clifftop headland on the south coast of County Cork.
What is the par and yardage of the Old Head?
The Old Head plays as a par 72 of around 7,215 yards from the back tees. Yardage is not its main defence; the wind two miles out into the Atlantic and the clifftop exposure on at least nine holes are what make it such a test.
How much does it cost to play the Old Head of Kinsale?
Indicative 2026 high season green fees are around 475 euros per round with caddie fees on top, with a short window in late October when the fee drops to around 250 euros. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play the Old Head?
Yes. The Old Head is privately owned but welcomes visitors by booking through the season, with accommodation, a restaurant and a clubhouse on the headland. High season tee times are limited, so book well ahead.
Is the Old Head of Kinsale a links course?
It is usually described as a clifftop links. It has the firm coastal turf and exposure of a links, but its defining feature is the headland setting, with nine holes running along cliffs up to 300 feet above the Atlantic and ocean views from all eighteen.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.