7 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, Waterville and the clifftop Old Head sit within a few hours of one another. This week works north to south down the Wild Atlantic Way, pairing five of the finest links on earth with the scenery of Clare, Kerry and Cork. Here is the seven day plan, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Ballybunion Golf Club, via Google, contributor Peter Wortmann.
Who this trip suits
This is the bucket list links week, built for golfers who want the genuine article: firm, rumpled fairways, towering dunes, sea wind and the warmest welcome in the game. The southwest is not a tidy resort cluster but a string of small links towns along a rugged coast, so the trip rewards those happy to drive, move base once or twice, and take the weather as part of the experience. It suits low handicappers chasing the championship tees and social groups alike, because every course flexes by tee, and the evenings in Doonbeg, Killarney, Kenmare and Kinsale are as memorable as the golf.
The two decisions that shape the week are the season and the marquee tee times. Aim for late spring to early autumn for the best of the weather and the long northern evenings, and book Old Head, Ballybunion and Lahinch well ahead, then let the route fall into place down the coast around two or three comfortable bases.
The 7 day plan
Arrive at Shannon, settle in County Clare
Fly into Shannon and transfer down the Clare coast to a base near Lahinch or Doonbeg, 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 five 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, Old Course
Open with the grand old links of the west, laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1894 and given its enduring shape by Dr Alister MacKenzie in 1927. Lahinch tumbles through huge dunes with quirks the modern game would never build, the blind par 3 Dell and the humped Klondyke among them, and it is all the better for them. A joyous, characterful start to the week. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 450 euro in high season; play it with a smile and a sense of humour.
Ballybunion, Old Course
Drive south into Kerry for the course many call the finest links in the world, a 1893 layout reshaped by Tom Simpson in 1937 that runs out along the dunes and the Atlantic with hole after hole of pure links drama. Tom Watson called it the best test of links golf he knew. The stretch along the sea from the seventh is as good as golf gets. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 450 euro in high season; the Cashen course alongside is a fine second round.
Tralee Golf Club
A short hop further into Kerry brings you to Tralee, Arnold Palmer's first design in Europe, opened in 1984 on a spectacular stretch of dune and beach at Barrow. The front nine runs gently along the strand, then the back climbs into towering dunes for a thrilling, exposed finish with the Atlantic always in view. Palmer himself said God built the back nine and he just routed it. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 450 euro in high season; the wind makes club selection everything.
Waterville Golf Links
Run the Ring of Kerry south to Waterville, an Eddie Hackett design from 1973 refined by Tom Fazio in 2006, a long, classical links on Ballinskelligs Bay that was a favourite of Payne Stewart and the Ryder Cup teams who warmed up here. Big dunes, a stern back nine and the loneliest, most beautiful setting of the week make it a highlight. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 350 euro; base yourself near Killarney or Kenmare for the drive and the evenings.
Old Head of Kinsale
Drive east to County Cork for the most spectacular round of the week, the clifftop Old Head, laid out across a slender promontory that juts two miles into the Atlantic with nine holes playing along sheer cliffs above the sea. It is less a links than a headland adventure, and one of the most photographed courses on earth. Indicative 2026 green fees run up toward 395 euro in peak season; take a buggy, plenty of golf balls and a camera, and play it for the experience.
Kinsale, then fly home from Cork
Spend a last morning in pretty Kinsale, the gourmet capital of the southwest, before the short drive to Cork airport to fly home. If your flight is late or you have an extra day, the nearby Kinsale and Cork courses, or a links such as Dooks back in Kerry, make an easy added round. Either way, you leave having played five of the finest links in the world in a single, unforgettable week. Confirm your departure logistics with your planner the evening before.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lahinch Old | Around 450 euro | County Clare base; about 45 minutes from Shannon |
| Ballybunion Old | Around 450 euro | About 1 hour 30 minutes south into Kerry |
| Tralee | Around 450 euro | About 45 minutes from Ballybunion |
| Waterville | Around 350 euro | Ring of Kerry; base near Killarney or Kenmare |
| Old Head of Kinsale | Up toward 395 euro | County Cork; about 2 hours from the Ring of Kerry |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and tee time listings; they vary by season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Find a southwest Ireland base.
When to go and where to stay
Play the trip from late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, for the best balance of weather, firm links turf and the long northern evenings that let you dine late after golf, accepting peak fees and busy tee sheets, or take the April and October shoulders for lower rates and quieter courses with a little more weather risk. Rather than one base, split the week: a few nights on the Clare coast near Lahinch or Doonbeg, then move to Killarney or Kenmare for the Kerry links and the Ring, and finish around Kinsale for Old Head and the flight from Cork. A hire car or a private driver is essential on this spread out coast, and leaves the evenings free for the seafood, the pubs and the Wild Atlantic Way. Build the week around the Old Head, Ballybunion and Lahinch tee times and the rest follows.
Plan your southwest Ireland golf week
We hold the marquee tee times at Old Head, Ballybunion, Lahinch and the Kerry links, match characterful bases to the route, and arrange the car or driver so the week runs smoothly. 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 7 day golf itinerary in southwest Ireland?
A week that works north to south down the coast covers the great southwest links with steady drives. Open in County Clare at Lahinch, the St Andrews of Ireland, then drop into Kerry for Ballybunion Old and the Arnold Palmer designed Tralee, run the Ring of Kerry to Waterville, and finish at the clifftop Old Head of Kinsale near Cork. Base yourself in two or three spots rather than one. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a southwest Ireland golf trip cost in green fees?
Five rounds on this route add up to roughly 1,900 to 2,100 euro per golfer in peak 2026 green fees, with Lahinch, Ballybunion and Tralee each around 450 euro in high season, Waterville around 350 and Old Head up toward 395. Shoulder season rates and multi round packages bring the total down. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current 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.
Do you need a car for a southwest Ireland golf trip?
Yes, a hire car or a private driver is essential. The great links of Clare, Kerry and Cork are spread along a rugged coast with drives of one to two hours between them and no quick public transport, so a car gives you the freedom to move base, reach early tee times and enjoy the Wild Atlantic Way between rounds. Many groups prefer a driver so everyone can relax in the evenings. Always confirm current arrangements directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.