County Cork Golf Holidays
The cliffs of Old Head, the parkland of an Alister MacKenzie classic and three Irish Open courses on a single island. County Cork pairs the southwest of Ireland's biggest scenery with Cork's food, harbors and whiskey, all within an easy drive of the city.
Photo: Old Head Golf Links, Kinsale via Google.
Who it suits
County Cork suits the golfer who wants the drama of Atlantic links without committing the whole trip to the far west. The headline round is Old Head of Kinsale, laid out on a promontory that runs two miles into the ocean, but the county also holds a genuine architectural treasure in Cork Golf Club at Little Island, remodeled in 1927 by Alister MacKenzie of Augusta National fame. It works for buddies trips and couples alike, with Kinsale and Cork city giving the evenings real character.
It is also one of the more rounded weeks in Irish golf. Fota Island Resort puts twenty seven championship holes and a hotel in one place, the rounds sit close enough together to avoid long transfers, and the non golf days fill themselves with the Wild Atlantic Way, the English Market in Cork, the harbor town of Kinsale and the old distilleries of Midleton. Most golfers fly into Cork Airport and base near the city or in Kinsale.
- Best months
- May to Sep
- Golf hub
- Cork and Kinsale
- Headline round
- Old Head
- Trip length
- 4 to 6 nights
- Fly into
- Cork Airport
- From / head
- about $1,900
Courses to build around
Old Head of Kinsale
The marquee round, opened in 1997 on a headland that juts two miles into the Atlantic. A par 72 of over 7,300 yards from the tips with ocean on three sides and cliff edges in play, one of the most photographed courses on earth.
Cork Golf Club · Alister MacKenzie
Founded in 1888 and remodeled in 1927 by Dr Alister MacKenzie, the architect of Augusta National and Cypress Point. A par 72 parkland at Little Island that uses an old quarry to brilliant effect, the connoisseur's pick in Cork.
Fota Island · O'Connor Jr and McEvoy
A 27 hole resort on an 780 acre island, designed by Christy O'Connor Jr and Peter McEvoy in 1993 and reworked by Jeff Howes in 2000. A three time host of the Irish Open and the easy hotel base for a Cork week.
Kinsale Golf Club
A friendly parkland at Farrangalway above the harbor town, a relaxed counterpoint to Old Head on the same peninsula and an easy add for a mixed ability group.
West Cork links
Beyond the city, the coast runs out toward Bantry, Skibbereen and the rugged links and parkland of West Cork, a scenic detour for trips with time to wander the Wild Atlantic Way.
Beyond the course
Kinsale's restaurants, the English Market in Cork, the Jameson distillery at Midleton, Blarney Castle and the harbor at Cobh fill the afternoons and the rest days.
Facts verified June 2026 from the clubs and recognized course databases. Old Head opened in 1997 as a par 72 over 7,300 yards; Cork Golf Club was remodeled by Alister MacKenzie in 1927; Fota Island was designed by Christy O'Connor Jr and Peter McEvoy in 1993 and revised by Jeff Howes in 2000. Access, conditioning and green fees change, so always confirm with each club before booking.
A sample week, day by day
Arrive in Cork
Fly into Cork, settle in the city or in Kinsale, and open with dinner in the harbor town or the English Market quarter.
Cork Golf Club
The Alister MacKenzie parkland at Little Island to start, with its quarry holes, then an afternoon in Cork or at Cobh.
Old Head of Kinsale
The marquee clifftop round on the headland, followed by a long evening among the restaurants of Kinsale.
Fota Island
A championship round on the island resort, three time host of the Irish Open, with the spa and the hotel for the afternoon.
Kinsale, West Cork and home
A relaxed round at Kinsale or a run west along the coast, a distillery stop at Midleton, then transfers to the airport.
Indicative costs and when to book
| Item | Indicative 2026 |
|---|---|
| Old Head green fee | premium, peak summer, confirm |
| Cork Golf Club or Fota green fee | upper mid, peak, confirm |
| Four or five star hotel, per night | indicative, confirm |
| Car hire and transfers | indicative, confirm |
| Package per head, golf week | indicative, confirm |
Best time to book: the Irish golf season runs May to September, with the longest, driest days at midsummer, so book three to five months ahead for Old Head tee times and the better Kinsale and Cork hotels. Tee times via our trip enquiry; where to stay via our recommended hotels and resorts.
Plan a County Cork golf holiday
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and who is in the group, and a concierge will build a County Cork trip around Old Head and the MacKenzie classic at Cork Golf Club, costed to the head, with no obligation.
County Cork golf holiday questions
Which courses should you play on a County Cork golf holiday?
Build around Old Head of Kinsale, the clifftop links on the headland, and Cork Golf Club at Little Island, the Alister MacKenzie parkland. Add Fota Island Resort for its 27 championship holes and Kinsale Golf Club for a relaxed round, all within an easy drive of Cork city.
How much does a County Cork golf holiday cost?
Old Head carries a premium green fee while Cork Golf Club and Fota Island sit in the upper middle, so a week with several rounds, a four or five star hotel and a car typically runs from the low to mid thousands per head. Figures are indicative for 2026; always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time for a County Cork golf holiday?
May to September is the Irish golf season, with the longest and driest days in June and July. Shoulder months in spring and early autumn bring value and quieter tee sheets, while the Atlantic weather can turn at any time of year, which is part of the appeal.
Is Old Head worth the green fee?
For most visiting golfers it is a bucket list round, a one of a kind walk along the cliffs of a two mile headland with ocean views from every hole. It is best treated as the centerpiece of the trip rather than an everyday round, with the MacKenzie parkland at Cork giving the architectural depth.
Can non golfers enjoy a County Cork trip?
Very much so. Kinsale's restaurants, the English Market in Cork, Blarney Castle, the harbor at Cobh, the Jameson distillery at Midleton and the Wild Atlantic Way give couples and non golfers plenty to do between rounds.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts verified June 2026; green fees and package figures indicative for the 2026 season, always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.