5 Day Ireland Southwest and Clare Golf Itinerary
Five days down Ireland's wild Atlantic coast, five of the greatest links in the world. This route runs from the dunes of County Clare across the Shannon by ferry into Kerry, linking Lahinch, Doonbeg, Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville with one base change and short, scenic drives. From Alister MacKenzie to Arnold Palmer, here is the trip, with the ferry, the drive times and indicative 2026 green fees.
Photograph: Ballybunion Golf Club, via Google, contributor Peter Wortmann
Who this trip suits
This is the southwest links pilgrimage at a sensible pace, built for the buddies group or the serious golfer who wants the famous Kerry trio without skipping the two great Clare courses an hour to the north. Five rounds in five days is a full but comfortable plan when the drives are short and the ferry does the heavy lifting, and the route is logical: play Clare first, cross the Shannon, then work down through Kerry. It is a driving trip, so a hire car or a minibus and a relaxed attitude to Atlantic weather are the only requirements.
The one decision that shapes the week is your base. We split it, two or three nights around Lahinch or Doonbeg for the Clare golf, then a move south to Killarney or Ballybunion for the Kerry rounds, which keeps every drive to the first tee under an hour. Purists can play every course off the championship tees, but each of these links rewards local caddie knowledge, so we book caddies where it counts. Every fact, fee and drive time here was checked at the time of writing.
The 5 day plan
Lahinch, Old Course
Open in County Clare on the Old Course at Lahinch, the St Andrews of Ireland, laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1892 and reshaped by Alister MacKenzie in 1927. The blind Klondyke and Dell holes are quirks worth the pilgrimage, the dunes are huge, and the town wraps right around the links. An indicative 250 euros in peak season, and the perfect introduction to the trip. Base nearby in Lahinch or Doonbeg.
Trump International, Doonbeg
A short drive down the Clare coast to Doonbeg, a Greg Norman design from 2002 draped over a mile and a half of towering natural dunes above a crescent beach. Dramatic, exposed and modern in scale where Lahinch is old world, with a strong resort and clubhouse to settle into. An indicative 295 euros, about thirty minutes from Lahinch, and the last round before the ferry south.
Ballybunion, Old Course
Cross the Shannon on the Killimer to Tarbert ferry into Kerry and play the Old Course at Ballybunion, revised by Tom Simpson in 1936 and rated among the greatest links on earth, the course Tom Watson called the best he ever saw. The clifftop holes along the Atlantic are unforgettable. An indicative 320 euros, the headline round of the trip, and the day to move your base south to Killarney or Ballybunion.
Tralee Golf Club
Arnold Palmer's first European design, opened in 1984 on the Barrow peninsula and one of the King's proudest layouts. An open, playable front nine gives way to a wild, towering back nine through the dunes with the Dingle peninsula as a backdrop. An indicative 250 euros, about forty minutes from Ballybunion, and a thrilling change of character.
Waterville Golf Links
Finish at the far end of the Ring of Kerry at Waterville, an Eddie Hackett links from 1973 later refined by Tom Fazio, long, classical and beloved of the great players who tuned up here before The Open. The setting on Ballinskelligs Bay is sublime and the closing stretch a fitting crescendo. An indicative 295 euros, about an hour and a quarter from Tralee through stunning Kerry scenery.
Green fees, the ferry and drive times
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Drive to next |
|---|---|---|
| Lahinch, Old | Around 250 euros | About 30 min to Doonbeg |
| Doonbeg | Around 295 euros | About 1 hr 15 to Ballybunion via the Killimer to Tarbert ferry |
| Ballybunion, Old | Around 320 euros | About 40 min to Tralee |
| Tralee | Around 250 euros | About 1 hr 15 to Waterville |
| Waterville | Around 295 euros | About 2 hr back to Kerry airport |
Designers, opening years, revisions and indicative fees verified June 2026 from club and ranking listings. The Killimer to Tarbert car ferry runs roughly hourly and takes about twenty minutes, saving well over an hour of driving around through Limerick. Fees vary by season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates, availability and the ferry timetable directly before booking. Find a Clare or Kerry base.
When to go and where to stay
Play the trip from May to September for the longest daylight, the firmest turf and the best chance of dry days, though the Atlantic weather is changeable all year, so pack for wind and rain whenever you travel. April and October are quieter and better value with a real chance of fine spells. Split your base to cut the driving: two or three nights around Lahinch or at the Doonbeg resort for the Clare golf, then move south to Killarney, a lively, well connected hub for the Kerry courses, or to Ballybunion itself. Fly into Shannon for the Clare end or Kerry airport for the southern leg, and book the famous courses well ahead for summer dates.
Plan your southwest Ireland links trip
We hold the tee times at Lahinch, Doonbeg, Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville, book the caddies and the Shannon ferry, and match your Clare and Kerry bases to the golf so the drives stay short. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Southwest Ireland itinerary questions
What is the best 5 day golf itinerary in southwest Ireland and Clare?
A five day southwest links tour runs north to south down the Atlantic coast: Lahinch and Doonbeg in County Clare, then the Killimer to Tarbert ferry across the Shannon into Kerry for Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville. It pairs two of the great Clare links with the famous Kerry trio, with one ferry crossing and a base change from Clare to Killarney or Ballybunion mid trip. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a 5 day southwest Ireland golf trip cost in green fees?
Five rounds on this route run to roughly 1,000 to 1,300 euros per golfer in peak 2026 green fees, led by Ballybunion Old at an indicative 320 euros, with Lahinch, Tralee and Waterville each around 250 to 295 and Doonbeg around 295. Shoulder season rates and twosome or society packages bring the total down. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Do you need the Shannon ferry on a Clare and Kerry golf trip?
The Killimer to Tarbert car ferry across the Shannon Estuary is the key link on this route, saving well over an hour of driving around through Limerick between the Clare and Kerry courses. It runs roughly hourly through the day and takes about twenty minutes. Building the trip around it lets you finish Doonbeg in Clare and reach Ballybunion in Kerry inside about an hour and a quarter. Always check the current ferry timetable before travelling.
When is the best time to play links golf in southwest Ireland?
May to September is the prime links season, with the longest daylight, the firmest turf and the best chance of dry days, though the Atlantic weather is changeable all year, so pack for wind and rain whenever you go. April and October are quieter and better value with a real chance of fine spells, while the deep winter is for the hardy. Book the famous courses well ahead for summer. Always confirm conditions and tee times before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designers, opening years, revisions, indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.