How to Play Old Head
Old Head sits on a slender ocean promontory south of Kinsale, eight of its holes hung on the cliff edge two hundred feet above the Atlantic, and a round here ranks among the most spectacular days in golf. The good news is that visitors can play it. Here is what it costs, when the short season runs, how access works, and the simple steps to lock a tee time on the headland.
Photo: Old Head Golf Links via Google.
The short answer
Old Head is a privately owned course that welcomes visiting golfers, so you do not need a member to get on. What you do need is to book ahead and travel in season, because the links opens only from roughly mid April to the end of October and tee times on the headland are deliberately limited. The peak green fee has run around 395 euro per round in recent seasons, with cheaper rates at the very start and end of the year, and the famous clifftop lunch, caddies and buggies sit on top of that. There is no online booking; you enquire and the team confirms your time.
The links opened in 1997 on a dramatic promontory that juts two miles into the Atlantic south of Kinsale, routed by a team that included Joe Carr, Ron Kirby, Eddie Hackett, Liam Higgins and Patrick Merrigan after a long search for the right way around the headland. It is a par 72 of about 7,215 yards, with eight holes playing directly along cliffs that fall sheer to the sea. It sits about 40 minutes from Cork city and airport, which makes it easy to fold into a wider tour of the southwest of Ireland.
Old Head fees and access, 2026
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Privately owned, open to visiting golfers by prior arrangement; no online booking, enquire ahead |
| Green fee | Indicative around 395 euro per round in peak season (2026), with lower rates early and late in the season |
| Caddie and buggy | Caddies recommended on the clifftop holes; buggies and the celebrated lunch are available for an extra fee |
| Course | Opened 1997, par 72, about 7,215 yards, eight holes along the cliff edge on a two mile promontory |
| Season | Roughly mid April to the end of October; closed in winter |
| Getting there | About 12km south of Kinsale, around 40 minutes from Cork city and Cork Airport |
Designer, opening year, par, yardage and indicative fees verified June 2026 from Old Head Golf Links and recognized golf travel sources. Green fees are indicative, change by season and year, and exclude caddies, buggies and lunch. Always confirm directly before booking. Prefer it arranged for you? Use our tee time enquiry to have a concierge secure the round.
How to book Old Head, step by step
Travel in season
Old Head closes for winter and runs only from roughly mid April to the end of October. The settled, longer days of May through September give you the best chance of calm light on the cliffs, while the opening and closing weeks carry the lowest green fees of the year for those happy to gamble on the weather.
Enquire early, there is no online booking
Tee times are limited and there is no instant online reservation, so contact the golf reservations team well ahead, several months for a summer weekend. Flexibility on the day and time helps, and a small group is easier to place than a large one at short notice.
Confirm the fee, caddie and lunch
Check the current seasonal green fee and decide on extras. A caddie is genuinely worth it for the lines and the local knowledge on the clifftop holes, and the lunch in the clubhouse is part of the Old Head ritual. Decide whether you will walk or take a buggy across the rolling headland.
Plan the day and the journey
Allow time for the drive out from Kinsale and arrive early to take in the setting and warm up. Build the round into a relaxed day, with the harbour town of Kinsale and its restaurants for the evening, rather than rushing on to the next thing.
Pair it into a southwest Ireland trip
Most visiting golfers combine Old Head with the great links of the southwest, Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee and Lahinch among them. We can route the whole trip, secure the tee times and book the lodging as one package.
What to expect on the course
Old Head is less a traditional links than a clifftop spectacle, the fairways rolling across a wild promontory with the ocean on three sides and the Old Head lighthouse standing at its tip. The drama builds as the round moves out toward the point, and the stretch around the slender neck of the headland is unforgettable, with holes that ask you to flirt with the cliff edge for the best line in.
The 12th and 13th, near the narrowest part of the headland and perilously close to the sheer drops, perhaps best capture the experience, equal parts golf and vertigo. The wind off the Atlantic is the constant, so club selection and a steady nerve matter more than raw length, and a caddie earns their fee by reading the lines and keeping you on the safe side of the cliffs. Take your time, look up often, and play it as a day to remember rather than a card to protect.
For the wider plan, see our Ireland golf hub and the best courses in Ireland ranking, or build it into our Ireland golf holidays.
Plan an Ireland golf trip
We secure the Old Head tee time, pair it with the great links of the southwest and book the lodging around it. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and a concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Old Head questions
Can visitors play Old Head Golf Links?
Yes. Old Head is a privately owned course that welcomes visiting golfers by prior arrangement rather than a members club you must be introduced to. Tee times are limited and the season is short, roughly mid April to the end of October, so book well ahead. There is no online booking; enquiries go through the golf reservations team.
How much does it cost to play Old Head in 2026?
The peak season green fee has been around 395 euro per round in recent seasons, with lower rates at the very start and end of the season. Caddies, buggies and the celebrated lunch are extra. Figures are indicative for 2026 and change by season, so always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Old Head and what is the par?
Old Head Golf Links opened in 1997 on a dramatic ocean promontory near Kinsale, routed by a team that included Joe Carr, Ron Kirby, Eddie Hackett, Liam Higgins and Patrick Merrigan. It is a par 72 of about 7,215 yards from the back tees, with eight holes playing along the cliff edge.
Where is Old Head and how do you get there?
Old Head sits on a headland about 12 kilometers south of the harbour town of Kinsale in County Cork, around 40 minutes from Cork city and Cork Airport. Most golfers base in Kinsale or Cork and drive out for the round.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and access verified June 2026 from Old Head Golf Links and recognized golf travel sources; green fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.