Golf in Southwest Ireland
The greatest run of links golf in the world, gathered along the wild Atlantic coast of Kerry, Clare and Cork. Ballybunion and Waterville, Lahinch and Tralee, and the clifftop drama of Old Head, all within a few hours of one another. The courses that matter, the regions, the seasons and how to plan it.
Photograph: Waterville Golf Links, Waterville Golf Links, via Google
Why golf in southwest Ireland
For many travelling golfers this is the trip of a lifetime, and with good reason. The Atlantic coast of Counties Kerry, Clare and Cork holds the densest concentration of world class links anywhere on earth, courses laid over towering dunes and rumpled seaside ground where the wind, the weather and the views are as much a part of the round as the architecture. Ballybunion's Old Course, founded in 1893 and shaped by Tom Simpson, was Tom Watson's favourite links in the world. Lahinch, the self styled St Andrews of Ireland, carries the fingerprints of Old Tom Morris and Alister MacKenzie. Waterville and Tralee sit out on the Ring of Kerry, and Old Head perches on a cliff promontory two hundred feet above the sea off Kinsale.
What makes it a trip rather than a single round is how close these giants sit. You can base yourself in Killarney and reach Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Dooks within a comfortable drive, swing north to Lahinch in Clare, and finish on the Cork coast at Old Head, all in a week. Between rounds you have the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle peninsula, the cliffs of Moher and some of the warmest welcomes in golf. It is not a budget destination, but for a bucket list links pilgrimage there is nothing quite like it.
The regions
County Kerry
The heart of the trip, home to Ballybunion in the north and Waterville, Tralee, Dooks and Dingle out along the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle peninsula, with Killarney's lakeland parkland inland.
County Clare
Lahinch, the great old links of the west, sits above the bay near the Cliffs of Moher, with the Greg Norman dunes of Doonbeg a short drive down the coast, served by Shannon airport.
County Cork
The southern coast, where the spectacular clifftop Old Head of Kinsale juts into the Atlantic, an easy pairing with Cork city, Kinsale's harbour restaurants and the run home to the airport.
The courses that matter
Ballybunion, Old Course
One of the greatest links on earth and Tom Watson's long stated favourite, a thrilling march through giant dunes above the Atlantic in north Kerry, founded in 1893 and refined by Tom Simpson before the 1937 Irish Championship.
Waterville Golf Links
A majestic, big scale links on the Ring of Kerry routed by Eddie Hackett and later reworked by Tom Fazio, long a favourite practice base for visiting major champions before the Open.
Lahinch, Old Course
The St Andrews of Ireland, an old and characterful County Clare links with roots from Old Tom Morris and a MacKenzie redesign, famous for the blind Klondyke and Dell holes and the goats by the clubhouse.
Tralee Golf Club
The first golf course Arnold Palmer designed in Europe, a dramatic links on the Barrow peninsula in Kerry where a benign front nine gives way to a wild, dune framed back nine above the cliffs and beach.
Old Head of Kinsale
A one off, laid over a cliff promontory that reaches two miles into the Atlantic off Kinsale, with nine holes playing along ocean cliffs hundreds of feet up. Not a true links but one of the most spectacular rounds anywhere.
Dooks Golf Club
One of the oldest links in Ireland on the shore of Dingle Bay, a natural, friendly course with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks as a backdrop, a charming and well priced complement to its grander neighbours.
Killarney, Killeen Course
A beautiful lakeland parkland rather than a links, set beside Lough Leane beneath the mountains, host of the Irish Open and a gentle, scenic change of pace within a Kerry trip.
Dingle, Ceann Sibeal
The most westerly links in Europe, out at the tip of the Dingle peninsula, a remote and authentic Irish links worth the drive for the setting and the sense of the edge of the world.
Designers and founding years verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
The best golf courses in Ireland Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to September | Warmest, firmest turf, daylight past 10pm in midsummer | Prime season, book the marquee tee times months ahead |
| April and October | Cooler, a higher chance of Atlantic wind and rain | Quieter shoulder months with softer rates and proper links bite |
| November to March | Short, wet, windy days, some services reduced | Hardy golf only, the cheapest and emptiest of the year |
The great links sit on sandy ground that drains well, so rain rarely stops play, but wind is the constant. Pack proper waterproofs whatever the month, and treat a calm day as a gift.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Old Head of Kinsale | Around €380 to €400 | Peak summer, the premium clifftop round |
| Marquee links | Around €220 to €300 | Ballybunion, Waterville, Lahinch, Tralee in high summer |
| A week, all in | Around €3,500 to €6,500 per person | Top links, good hotels, a driver, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Three airports frame the region. Kerry airport at Farranfore sits in the middle of the action near Killarney, Shannon serves Clare and Lahinch in the north, and Cork covers the southern coast and Old Head. Many visitors fly into one and out of the other to avoid backtracking. From the United States, the easy play is a transatlantic flight to Shannon or Dublin, then a connection or a drive south and west. Distances look short on the map but the coastal roads are slow and scenic, so a car is essential and a private driver is a popular upgrade for a group that wants to relax after a round and a pint.
Where to stay
Killarney is the classic hub for a Kerry trip, a lively town with the widest choice of hotels and restaurants and easy reach of Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Dooks. For Clare, Lahinch village itself or nearby Ennis keeps you on the doorstep of the links and the Cliffs of Moher. On the Cork coast, the harbour town of Kinsale is the natural base for Old Head, with some of the best food in Ireland. Many groups split the week between two bases to cut the driving, and book the marquee hotels and tee times well ahead for the summer.
Plan your southwest Ireland golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Southwest Ireland golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in southwest Ireland?
May to September is the prime window, with the warmest weather, the firmest links turf and daylight that stretches past 10pm in midsummer. April and October are quieter shoulder months with softer rates and a higher chance of Atlantic wind and rain. Winter golf is hardy but very good value, and the great links drain well on their sandy ground.
Which courses make up a southwest Ireland golf trip?
The classic loop links Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Dooks in Kerry, Lahinch in Clare and the clifftop Old Head of Kinsale in Cork, often with Dingle, Killarney or Doonbeg added. Most welcome visitors with advance booking, and the marquee morning tee times at Ballybunion and Old Head go months ahead.
How much does a golf trip to southwest Ireland cost in 2026?
Indicative 2026 peak fees run around €380 to €400 at Old Head and broadly €220 to €300 at Ballybunion, Waterville, Lahinch and Tralee in high summer, with lower shoulder rates. A week of top links with good hotels and a driver typically lands between €3,500 and €6,500 per head. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Irish links tee time windows, Ballybunion and Old Head booking advice and the best value weeks of the season. Every other week.