Ballybunion Tee Times and Booking
On the wild Kerry coast, the Old Course at Ballybunion is one of the world's great links, a procession of towering dunes and blind shots above the Atlantic that Tom Watson called the finest seaside course he had seen. Visitor tee times run weekday mornings through the season, booked direct and paid in full, with a caddie required. Here is how the booking works and what a round costs in 2026.
Photo: Ballybunion Golf Club via Google.
The short answer
Visitor tee times on the Old Course are booked directly with Ballybunion Golf Club, by phone or email, and they are confirmed only with full payment at the time of booking. Visitors play in the mornings, Monday to Friday, from mid April to early October, and the weekends and Irish public holidays are reserved for members. The club requires every group to have at least one caddie or forecaddie, which is arranged with the office before arrival, and a complimentary practice facility is available before your tee time.
On cost, green fees on the Old Course are indicatively around 400 euros per person in the mid season window of 13 to 30 April 2026 and around 450 euros per person in the high season from 1 May to 2 October 2026, with caddie fees and gratuity on top. The companion Cashen course, a Robert Trent Jones design, offers more links golf alongside the Old. Prime summer dates go early, so book well ahead, and plan the round as part of a wider southwest Ireland links trip.
Ballybunion Old Course fees and booking, 2026
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mid season fee | Around 400 euros per person, 13 to 30 April 2026 (indicative) |
| High season fee | Around 450 euros per person, 1 May to 2 October 2026 (indicative) |
| Visitor times | Mornings, Monday to Friday, mid April to early October; excludes weekends and Irish public holidays |
| How to book | Directly with the club by phone or email; confirmed only with full payment at the time of booking |
| Caddies | At least one caddie or forecaddie per group is required, arranged with the office before arrival; fee and gratuity additional |
| Practice | Complimentary use of the practice facility for visitors before the tee time |
| Second course | The Cashen course, a Robert Trent Jones links, complements the Old for a two round day or a longer stay |
Green fees and booking verified June 2026 from Ballybunion Golf Club information; rates are seasonal and change year to year, so always confirm the current 2026 pricing and availability directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
How the booking works
Ballybunion is a members club that welcomes visitors on weekday mornings, so the booking is direct and simple but firm. You contact the club, choose a morning slot within the visitor window, and pay in full to confirm, because the tee time is only held once the full green fee is settled. There is no deferred deposit and no holding without payment, which keeps the tee sheet honest on a course in heavy demand. The same call sorts your caddies, since the club requires at least one caddie or forecaddie per group.
For groups and for anyone building a Kerry or wider southwest Ireland trip, planning early is essential. The best summer mornings fill quickly, and a confirmed Ballybunion tee time is often the anchor the rest of the itinerary is built around. Our concierge can secure the round, arrange the caddies and slot it into a links tour with the other great Kerry and Clare courses, taking the admin off your hands. For the full cost picture, see our guide to Ballybunion green fees.
When to play, and what to expect
The Old Course is a par 71 of around 6,700 yards, but the yardage tells you little: this is a links of huge dunes, blind and semi blind shots, tumbling fairways and greens perched in the sandhills, with the wind off the Atlantic the constant variable. It is exhilarating, demanding golf where a caddie's lines and local knowledge are genuinely worth the money, finding balls and reading the run that the card cannot. The closing stretch along the dunes above the beach is among the most thrilling finishes in the game.
The visitor season runs mid April to early October, with high summer the busiest and most settled, and the spring and early autumn shoulders quieter with firm turf and a real chance of fine days between the squalls. Pack for wind and rain whatever the month, because this is exposed Atlantic links golf. Most visitors pair Ballybunion with the other Kerry and Clare links over several days. For how the holes play and where it ranks, see our guide on how to play Ballybunion and the best golf courses in southwest Ireland.
Plan a Ballybunion golf trip
We secure the Old Course tee time, arrange the caddies and build the round into a wider southwest Ireland links tour with Lahinch, Tralee, Waterville and the rest. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs the whole trip to the head, with no obligation.
Ballybunion tee time questions
How do you book a tee time at Ballybunion?
Visitor tee times on the Old Course at Ballybunion are booked directly with the club by phone or email, and they are secured only with full payment at the time of booking. Visitors play in the mornings, Monday to Friday, from mid April to early October, excluding weekends and Irish public holidays. The club requires every group to have at least one caddie or forecaddie, arranged with the office before arrival. Popular dates go early, so book well ahead. Always confirm current arrangements directly before booking.
How much does it cost to play Ballybunion Old Course in 2026?
Green fees on the Old Course are indicatively around 400 euros per person in the mid season window of 13 to 30 April 2026 and around 450 euros per person in the high season from 1 May to 2 October 2026. Caddie fees and gratuity are additional, and the club requires at least one caddie or forecaddie per group. These are indicative figures that change year to year, so always confirm the current 2026 pricing directly before booking.
Can you play Ballybunion at the weekend?
Generally no for visitors on the Old Course. Visitor tee times are offered in the mornings, Monday to Friday, from mid April to early October, and exclude weekends and Irish public holidays, which are reserved for members. Plan a weekday round, and pair it with the companion Cashen course or other Kerry links to fill the trip. Always confirm current visitor access directly with the club before booking.
Do you need a caddie at Ballybunion?
Effectively yes. The club requires every group to have at least one caddie or forecaddie on the Old Course, arranged with the office before arrival. A caddie is well worth it in any case on a links of blind shots, towering dunes and wind off the Atlantic, where local knowledge saves shots and finds balls. Budget the caddie fee and gratuity on top of the green fee. Always confirm current caddie arrangements directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Green fees and booking verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.