Ballybunion vs Lahinch
Two of the great links of southwest Ireland, an hour or two apart on the Wild Atlantic Way, and a real choice for the golfer who can only play one. Ballybunion is the raw, revered classic among towering dunes in Kerry, the course Tom Watson called one of the best in the world. Lahinch is the charming, quirky links set in its Clare seaside village, the St Andrews of Ireland. Here is the honest head to head, verdict first.
Photograph: Ballybunion Golf Club, via Google
The verdict
For the grandest, most revered links test in Ireland, Ballybunion wins. The Old Course, founded in 1893 and shaped into greatness by Tom Simpson in the 1930s with later care from Tom Watson, runs through enormous dunes above the Atlantic in north Kerry. The closing stretch along the cliffs, the 7th, the 11th and the run for home, is among the most thrilling in golf, and the sense of raw, natural links land is unmatched. It is the connoisseur's pick, the one the great players make a pilgrimage to play.
But for charm, character and the warmest welcome, Lahinch wins. Old Tom Morris laid it out in 1894, Alister MacKenzie redesigned it in 1927 and Martin Hawtree has restored it, and it sits right in its lively seaside village in Clare, goats and all. The famous blind holes, the Klondyke and the Dell, are pure links theater, and the whole place is more playable and more fun than its fearsome reputation suggests. Pick Ballybunion for the purest, most dramatic links. Pick Lahinch for character, quirk and the village. Better still, on one southwest Ireland trip, play both.
Head to head
| Ballybunion (Old) | Lahinch (Old) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A raw, dramatic championship links among giant dunes above the Atlantic, with a second course, the Cashen, alongside | A charming, characterful links in a seaside village, with a second course, the Castle, alongside |
| Where | Ballybunion, north County Kerry | Lahinch, County Clare, on Liscannor Bay |
| Design | Founded 1893; Tom Simpson redesign in the 1930s, later refined with Tom Watson | Old Tom Morris, 1894; Alister MacKenzie redesign, 1927; restored by Martin Hawtree |
| Par and yardage | Par 71, around 6,800 yards from the back tees | Par 72, around 6,950 yards from the back tees |
| Green fees, 2026 | Around 400 euros mid season, about 450 euros high season (indicative; confirm) | Around 450 euros high season (indicative; confirm) |
| Signature golf | The cliff top run home, the par 4 7th and 11th along the Atlantic edge | The blind par 5 Klondyke (4th) and blind par 3 Dell (5th), pure links quirk |
| Best season | May to September is driest and firmest; spring and autumn quieter and windier | May to September is the prime window; shoulder months quieter and cheaper |
| Getting there | About 75 minutes from Kerry Airport, under two hours from Shannon | About 45 minutes from Shannon Airport |
| Who it suits | The links purist who wants the most dramatic, revered round in Ireland | The golfer who wants charm, quirk and a welcoming village base |
Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026 from the clubs and leading course listings; fees vary by season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Ballybunion if
You want the most revered and dramatic links in Ireland and you do not mind that it asks hard questions. The Old Course threads vast dunes above the Atlantic in north Kerry, and the run home along the cliffs, from the 7th through the 11th and on to the finish, is the stuff golfers remember for life. Tom Simpson gave it its modern shape and Tom Watson loved it enough to help restore it. It suits the purist building a southwest Ireland trip around the very best links land, and it pairs naturally with Tralee, Waterville and Lahinch.
Pick Lahinch if
You want charm, character and the friendliest introduction to Irish links. Old Tom Morris and then Alister MacKenzie shaped a course full of personality, set right in its seaside village in Clare, with the famous blind Klondyke and Dell holes and the goats that have become its mascots. It is more playable and more fun than its reputation suggests, an easy base with food and pubs on the doorstep, and it sits a short hop from the Cliffs of Moher and Doonbeg. The pick for a sociable, characterful golf week on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Plan your Ireland golf trip
The raw drama of Ballybunion, the charm of Lahinch, or a southwest Ireland tour that plays both with Tralee, Waterville and Doonbeg. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge builds the tee times, transfers and base, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Ballybunion vs Lahinch questions
Is Ballybunion or Lahinch more expensive?
They are close. On the Old Course at Ballybunion, indicative 2026 visitor green fees run around 400 euros in the mid season and about 450 euros in the high season. On the Old Course at Lahinch, the visitor fee rose to around 450 euros for the 2026 high season. Both also offer their second course, the Cashen at Ballybunion and the Castle at Lahinch, at a much lower rate. All figures are indicative and move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
Ballybunion or Lahinch for a southwest Ireland golf trip?
Most serious links golfers play both, because they sit on the same Wild Atlantic Way run through Clare and Kerry. If you must choose one, Ballybunion is the grander, more revered links, raw and dramatic among giant dunes above the Atlantic, the connoisseur's pick. Lahinch is the more charming and characterful, set right in its seaside village with the famous blind Klondyke and Dell holes, and the friendlier introduction to Irish links.
Who designed Ballybunion and Lahinch?
Ballybunion Golf Club dates to 1893, and the Old Course took its celebrated modern shape through a 1930s redesign by Tom Simpson, with later refinement by Tom Watson, who fell in love with the links and helped restore it in the 1990s. Lahinch was laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1894, redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie in 1927 and restored in recent years by Martin Hawtree. Both are par 71 to 72 links of around 6,800 to 6,950 yards.
When is the best time to play each?
The southwest of Ireland plays best from May to September, when the days are long and the links are at their driest and firmest, with the high season fees applying through summer. Spring and early autumn are quieter and a touch cheaper, with a higher chance of Atlantic wind and rain. Both courses are exposed seaside links, so pack for weather whenever you go and always check the forecast for your dates.
How do you get to Ballybunion and Lahinch?
Both sit on the Wild Atlantic Way and pair naturally on one trip. Ballybunion is in north County Kerry, around 75 minutes from Kerry Airport and under two hours from Shannon. Lahinch is in County Clare, around 45 minutes from Shannon Airport. The two are roughly two hours apart by road, often via the Tarbert to Killimer car ferry across the Shannon Estuary, so a single southwest Ireland itinerary takes in both with ease.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.