6 Day Southwest Ireland Golf Itinerary
The southwest of Ireland holds the greatest concentration of links golf in the world, a wild Atlantic coast where Lahinch, Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville sit within a couple of hours of one another. This focused six day trip works north to south down the Wild Atlantic Way, pairing four of the finest links on earth with the scenery of Clare and Kerry, without the longer drives a longer trip adds. Here is the plan, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Lahinch Golf Club, County Clare, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the bucket list links week trimmed to its essentials, built for golfers who want the genuine article, firm rumpled fairways, towering dunes, sea wind and the warmest welcome in the game, but who have six days rather than a full week. By holding the route to Clare and Kerry and leaving the longer run to Cork and the Old Head of Kinsale for the seven and eight day versions, it keeps the drives short and the golf the star. It suits low handicappers chasing the championship tees and social groups alike, because every course flexes by tee, and the evenings in Lahinch, Killarney and Kenmare are as memorable as the golf.
Two bases do the job nicely: a couple of nights around Lahinch in Clare, then south into Kerry around Killarney or Kenmare for the rest. Aim for late spring to early autumn for the best of the weather and the long northern evenings, and book Ballybunion and Lahinch well ahead, then let the route fall into place down the coast.
The 6 day plan
Arrive at Shannon, settle in County Clare
Fly into Shannon and transfer down the Clare coast to a base near Lahinch, about 45 minutes away. Settle in, stretch the legs along the beach or the Cliffs of Moher nearby, and ease into the time zone before the golf begins. With four great links ahead, a relaxed first evening over a pint and some seafood sets the week up perfectly. Confirm your tee times and the order with your host or planner over dinner.
Lahinch Golf Club, the Old Course
Open the golf at Lahinch, the St Andrews of Ireland, a tumbling links laid out by Old Tom Morris and refined by Alister MacKenzie among the great dunes of Liscannor Bay. The blind par 3 Dell and the par 4 Klondyke are quirks the membership would never change, and goats on the course are a genuine weather forecast. A wild, joyous start to the trip and an easy day on the legs near your Clare base.
Ballybunion, the Old Course, then south to Kerry
Cross the Shannon by the Tarbert ferry and drive into Kerry for Ballybunion Old, the course Tom Watson called the finest test of links golf he had seen, where the dunes tower over the fairways and the Atlantic crashes alongside the closing holes. After the round, continue south to a new base around Killarney or Kenmare for the rest of the trip. A long but glorious day that swaps Clare for Kerry.
Tralee Golf Club
Arnold Palmer's first European design, on a spectacular stretch of the Kerry coast at Barrow. The front nine runs along the beach where Ryan's Daughter was filmed, while the back climbs into towering dunes for one of the most dramatic closing stretches in Irish golf. A shorter drive from your Kerry base and a course that photographs as well as it plays. An afternoon for Killarney or the Dingle peninsula follows.
Waterville on the Ring of Kerry
The trip's crescendo, a remote and magnificent links at the tip of the Ring of Kerry, an Eddie Hackett design later enhanced by Tom Fazio and long a favourite of Payne Stewart and the touring pros who tune up here before the Open. The drive out along the Ring is among the great coastal roads in Europe, so leave time for it. A fitting finale to a week on the Atlantic links before a final evening in Kerry.
Depart from Kerry or Shannon
An easy departure day. Kerry airport near Killarney serves regional connections, while a drive back up to Shannon, about an hour and three quarters, opens transatlantic and wider European routes. If your flight is late, a quick nine or a walk around Killarney's lakes sends you home on a high. Confirm your transfer and return tee times with your planner before you leave.
Indicative 2026 green fees
| Course | Design | Indicative peak 2026 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Lahinch, Old Course | Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie | Around 450 euro |
| Ballybunion, Old Course | Lionel Hewson, Tom Simpson | Around 450 euro |
| Tralee | Arnold Palmer, 1984 | Around 450 euro |
| Waterville | Eddie Hackett, Tom Fazio | Around 425 euro |
Four rounds total roughly 1,750 to 1,800 euro per golfer in peak high season, before caddies, buggies and any package discount. Indicative 2026 figures verified June 2026 from club sources; shoulder season rates are lower. We do not quote our own pricing, so always confirm current fees directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Logistics and where to stay
A hire car or a private driver is essential, because the great links of Clare and Kerry are spread along a rugged coast with drives of one to two hours between them and no quick public transport. Many groups prefer a driver so everyone can relax in the evenings and on the Ring of Kerry. Base in two spots to keep the days short: a couple of nights near Lahinch or Doonbeg in Clare, then move south into Kerry around Killarney or Kenmare for the back half. The Tarbert to Killimer ferry across the Shannon estuary saves a long inland drive between Clare and Kerry, so build it into the Ballybunion day.
Need a base near the links? See our recommended southwest Ireland hotels and lodges across Clare and Kerry.
Plan your southwest Ireland golf trip
Tell us your dates and group, and one concierge books the tee times in the right order, lines up the driver and the lodges and costs the whole week to the head. Lahinch and Ballybunion tee times go early in season, so the sooner we start the better. No obligation.
Southwest Ireland trip questions
What is the best 6 day golf itinerary in southwest Ireland?
A focused six day trip works north to south down the coast and plays four of the great southwest links without rushing. Open in County Clare at Lahinch, the St Andrews of Ireland, then drop into Kerry for Ballybunion Old and the Arnold Palmer designed Tralee, and finish on the Ring of Kerry at Waterville. Base in two spots, around Lahinch and around Killarney or Kenmare, to keep the drives short. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a 6 day southwest Ireland golf trip cost in green fees?
Four rounds on this route add up to roughly 1,750 to 1,800 euro per golfer in peak 2026 green fees, with Lahinch, Ballybunion Old and Tralee each around 450 euro in high season and Waterville around 425. Shoulder season rates and multi round packages bring the total down. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Is six days enough for a southwest Ireland golf trip?
Six days is an ideal length for a focused southwest Ireland trip. It gives you four rounds on the great Clare and Kerry links with a relaxed arrival day and a comfortable departure, without the longer drives a seven or eight day trip adds to reach Cork and the Old Head of Kinsale. If you want to add Old Head or a second Ballybunion round, step up to the seven day version. Always confirm tee times and fees directly before booking.
When is the best time for a southwest Ireland golf trip?
Late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, gives the best balance of weather, daylight and firm links turf, and is the peak season for fees and tee sheets. May, June and September are the sweet spot for long evenings and good conditions. The shoulders of April and October trade some weather risk for lower rates and quieter courses. Book the marquee tee times well ahead and always confirm current seasonal rates directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.