Golf in Kerry — The Complete Guide to Ireland’s Greatest Courses
Ireland is one of the world’s great golfing nations — and Kerry is its crown jewel. The county has a concentration of world-class links courses that rivals anywhere on earth, set against a backdrop of Atlantic coastline, mountain ranges, and some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe.
Golf tourists — particularly Americans — have been making the pilgrimage to Kerry for generations. Tom Watson called Waterville his favourite course in the world. Arnold Palmer designed Tralee. The fairways at Ballybunion have hosted some of the game’s greatest names. And yet Kerry’s golf courses remain refreshingly unstuffy — open to visiting golfers, welcoming to all abilities, and set in landscapes that make even a bad round feel worthwhile.
Why Kerry for Golf?
Links golf — played on coastal land between the sea and farmland, on turf shaped by wind and tide over centuries — originated in the British Isles and Kerry has some of its finest examples. The combination of factors that makes Kerry golf special:
- Atlantic links terrain — fast-running fairways, natural contours, coastal winds
- Spectacular scenery — ocean views, mountain backdrops, island vistas
- World-class course design — from natural links to Arnold Palmer-designed clifftop courses
- Genuine welcome — Kerry clubs are open and friendly to visiting golfers
- Concentration of quality — four world-class courses within an hour’s drive of each other
A Kerry golf trip typically combines two or three courses over a long weekend or a week, combined with the scenery of the Ring of Kerry or Dingle Peninsula, excellent seafood, and traditional pub evenings. It’s one of the great Irish travel experiences and one that’s genuinely hard to replicate anywhere else.
Waterville Golf Links
Waterville Golf Links is Kerry’s most celebrated course and one of the finest links courses in the world. It sits on a narrow peninsula between the Atlantic Ocean and Lough Currane — with water on three sides and the McGillycuddy Reeks visible on clear days across the estuary.
The course is consistently ranked among the world’s top 20 links courses and has hosted some of the game’s greatest players. Tom Watson, who won five Open Championships, called Waterville his favourite course in the world and was made an honorary member. A statue of him stands near the clubhouse. Mark O’Meara and Payne Stewart were also honorary members.
Course Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,349 yards (championship) |
| Green fees (approx) | €175–€250 depending on season |
| Best hole | 17th — “Mulcahy’s Peak”, one of the great par 3s in golf |
| Location | Waterville, Ring of Kerry |
The 17th hole — known as Mulcahy’s Peak — is one of the most photographed holes in Irish golf. A par 3 played from an elevated tee to a green perched above the Atlantic, with the ocean stretching to the horizon and the Skellig Islands visible on clear days. Even if you make a mess of the shot, the view is worth every cent of the green fee.
Ballybunion Golf Club
Ballybunion is arguably Ireland’s most famous golf club — a place of pilgrimage for serious golfers from around the world. Located on the north Kerry coast, it has two championship links courses — the Old Course and the Cashen Course — both of extraordinary quality.
The Old Course is the jewel. It was described by Tom Watson as “a true test of golf” and by Herbert Warren Wind as “the finest seaside course I have ever seen.” President Bill Clinton played here in 1998, a visit that brought Ballybunion international attention and a permanent place in golf folklore.
Old Course Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,593 yards |
| Green fees (approx) | €150–€230 depending on season |
| Best holes | 11th and 17th — both played along clifftops above the Atlantic |
| Location | Ballybunion, North Kerry |
The back nine at Ballybunion Old is among the greatest stretches of links golf in existence. Holes 11 through 17 follow the clifftops above the Atlantic — with the ocean crashing below, the fairways tumbling over natural dunes, and the wind doing whatever it pleases. On a stormy day it is both terrifying and magnificent.
The Cashen Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr, is newer and less celebrated than the Old but still an exceptional links test — and often easier to get a tee time on.
Tralee Golf Club
Tralee Golf Club has one of the most dramatic settings of any golf course in the world. Designed by Arnold Palmer — his only course design in Ireland — it occupies a narrow peninsula of duneland at Barrow, north of Tralee town, with the Atlantic on three sides and the Slieve Mish mountains behind.
Palmer reportedly said of the site: “I have never been asked to design a golf course on land as spectacular as this.” The front nine plays through the dunes above the ocean — several holes are carved into clifftops with sheer drops to the sea below. It is genuinely breathtaking.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,977 yards |
| Green fees (approx) | €100–€175 depending on season |
| Best hole | 3rd — a par 3 played across a clifftop chasm to a green above the sea |
| Location | Barrow, near Tralee |
The 3rd hole at Tralee is one of the most photographed in Irish golf — a par 3 where the tee shot must carry a deep clifftop chasm to reach the green. It is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. If you only play one hole in Kerry, make it this one.
Dooks Golf Club
Dooks is one of Ireland’s oldest golf clubs, founded in 1889, and one of its most charming. It’s a natural links course — no grand design, just golf as it evolved organically over more than a century on a strip of duneland overlooking Dingle Bay and the Iveragh Peninsula.
Dooks is the most affordable of Kerry’s top courses and, many would argue, the most enjoyable. It lacks the international celebrity of Waterville and Ballybunion but has a quiet confidence and genuine links character that the bigger names sometimes lose to commercialism. The views across Dingle Bay to the mountains of the Dingle Peninsula are extraordinary.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,010 yards |
| Green fees (approx) | €70–€120 depending on season |
| Location | Glenbeigh, Ring of Kerry |
Kenmare Golf Club
Kenmare Golf Club is a parkland course rather than links — a beautiful mature layout winding through woodland and along the Kenmare River estuary, with the Caha Mountains as a backdrop. It’s a gentler test than the coastal links courses and a lovely place to play if the Atlantic winds are putting you off the big courses.
Green fees at Kenmare are very reasonable — around €40–60 — making it a good option if you want to play golf without spending a full day’s budget on a round. The course is well maintained and the setting is genuinely beautiful.
Other Kerry Courses Worth Playing
Beyond the five main courses, Kerry has several other options worth considering:
- Ring of Kerry Golf Club — parkland course near Kenmare with mountain views, good for mid-week play
- Killorglin Golf Club — well-kept parkland course on the Ring of Kerry, very affordable
- Castlerosse Golf Course — parkland course within Killarney National Park, stunning lakeside setting
- Killarney Golf and Fishing Club — two championship parkland courses (Mahony’s Point and Killeen), consistently ranked among Ireland’s top parkland courses
Killarney Golf and Fishing Club deserves special mention — its two courses are among the finest parkland layouts in Ireland, set beside the lakes of Killarney National Park with the mountains behind. Different in character to the coastal links but equally spectacular in their own way.
Planning Your Kerry Golf Trip
How Many Courses Can You Play in a Week?
Realistically, most golfers play 2–3 courses in a week in Kerry — particularly if you want to also enjoy the scenery, food, and culture of the county. Four rounds in a week is ambitious but doable if golf is the sole focus. Five is possible for the most dedicated.
A popular 4-day itinerary:
- Day 1: Ballybunion Old Course
- Day 2: Tralee Golf Club
- Day 3: Dooks (morning) + Ring of Kerry drive (afternoon)
- Day 4: Waterville Golf Links
When to Go
The Kerry golf season runs from April to October. May, June, and September offer the best combination of good weather, manageable winds, and daylight hours. July and August are busiest — book well ahead. October can be excellent for experienced links golfers who don’t mind a challenge.
Getting Around
A car is essential for a Kerry golf trip — the courses are spread across the county and public transport between them is non-existent. Book your rental car well in advance — particularly important if you need an automatic, which sells out very quickly in summer.
Green Fees and Budgeting
Kerry golf is not cheap — but it represents excellent value compared to comparable courses in Scotland or the US. Budget approximately €150–250 per round at the top courses (Waterville, Ballybunion, Tralee) and €70–120 at Dooks. Killarney and Kenmare are cheaper again at €40–80.
A realistic budget for green fees across a 4-day trip playing the top four courses is €600–800 per person, depending on season.
Where to Stay for a Kerry Golf Trip
Your base depends on which courses are your priority:
Killarney is the most central and practical base — within an hour of all Kerry’s major courses, excellent range of hotels and restaurants, and easy access to the National Park for non-golf days. Compare hotels in Killarney for your dates.
Kenmare is ideal if Waterville and the Ring of Kerry courses are your focus — beautiful town, excellent food, and a more peaceful atmosphere than Killarney.
Ballybunion village is the best choice if the Old Course is your main event — staying right beside the course means early morning tee times and evening walks along the cliffs.
Tralee suits those playing Tralee Golf Club and Ballybunion — a larger town with good facilities and central location in north Kerry.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends who you ask. Waterville is consistently ranked highest internationally and was Tom Watson’s personal favourite. Ballybunion Old Course has perhaps the greatest historical reputation and the finest back nine. Tralee has the most dramatic setting. Most golfers who’ve played all three have a different answer — and all three are genuinely world class.
For the top courses (Waterville, Ballybunion, Tralee) in peak season (June–August), book 3–6 months in advance. Shoulder season (May, September) can often be booked 4–8 weeks ahead. Dooks and Kenmare are easier to book at shorter notice. Don’t leave it until you arrive — the best tee times will be gone.
Yes — all of Kerry’s courses welcome golfers of all abilities. Links golf can be humbling for those used to parkland courses — the wind, the bounces, and the firm turf play very differently. But the courses are designed to be enjoyed rather than just survived. Go with realistic expectations, embrace the conditions, and you’ll have a wonderful time regardless of your score.
Walking is the traditional and preferred way to play links golf in Ireland. All Kerry’s links courses are walkable and caddies are available at the top courses. Buggies are available at most courses for those who need them but are not the norm. Walking gives you the full links experience — and the views from on foot are better.
Absolutely, particularly at Waterville and Ballybunion. A good caddie knows every bounce, break, and wind quirk on the course — on a links where local knowledge makes an enormous difference to your score. The caddie experience is also a genuine part of the Irish golf tradition. Expect to pay €50–80 per round plus tip.
Planning a Kerry golf trip? Compare golf-friendly hotels and B&Bs across Kerry — and book your rental car early to get the best rates for getting between the courses.
