Consistently ranked among the world's top 20 links courses. Tom Watson called it "the finest natural links in the world." A par 71 masterpiece carved from Atlantic dunes above the wild Shannon estuary — one of golf's true pilgrimages.
Tee times book out far in advance — often a year or more for peak season. Call +353 68 27146 or email reservations@ballybuniongolfclub.ie. At least one caddie or fore-caddie per group is mandatory on the Old Course.
Ballybunion Golf Club was founded in 1893 on a spectacular strip of linksland beside the mouth of the River Shannon, where the Atlantic swell has sculpted the dunes into some of the most dramatic golf terrain on earth. The Old Course — the club's senior layout — was shaped primarily by Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay in 1937, who transformed what was already a celebrated local links into a course that began to attract international attention in the decades that followed.
The course came to worldwide prominence in 1981 when a then-unknown golfer named Tom Watson visited and was moved to describe it as "the finest natural links in the world." Watson returned many times, and his advocacy — combined with the development of golf tourism in Ireland — transformed Ballybunion into one of the great pilgrimages of the game. It has been ranked consistently in the world's top 20 links by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and the major ranking bodies, and it regularly features in top-ten lists for links golf globally.
What makes the Old Course special is the terrain. The dunes here are enormous — some 50–60 feet high — and the routing uses them to create holes that feel entirely natural, as if golf were invented on this particular strip of land. The back nine, which runs close to the clifftop above the Atlantic, is as dramatic as links golf gets. The 11th — a long par 4 played across a ridge with the ocean crashing below to the right — is as memorable a hole as Ireland produces. A handicap certificate is required, advance booking is essential, and at least one caddie or fore-caddie per group is mandatory.
| Season | Per Person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Season (13–30 April 2026) | €400 | Weekdays only |
| High Season (1 May – 2 Oct 2026) | €450 | Weekdays only, advance booking essential |
| Cashen Course (combined) | Contact club | Reduced rate available with Old Course |
Rates confirmed from official club website for 2026 season. Caddies are mandatory — senior caddie €40, junior €25 (per player, approximate). Buggies are not permitted on the Old Course. Always confirm when booking.
Booking tip: Tee times on the Old Course are booked out a year or more in advance for peak season. Contact the club directly by phone or email as early as possible. Golf tour operators can sometimes access last-minute cancellations.
| Tee | Par | Yards | Played by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue (Championship) | 71 | 6,802 | Competition / low handicap |
| White | 71 | 6,350 | Club men / visitors |
| Red | 74 | 5,534 | Forward / ladies |
Played along the Atlantic clifftop with the ocean crashing far below to the right. Drive into a sweeping fairway that falls toward the green — one of the most dramatic tee shots in Irish golf. The wind off the Atlantic changes everything.
A short hole played down into a green surrounded by massive dunes — the flag is often invisible until you descend into the bowl. One of the most enclosed, atmospheric par 3s in links golf.
Drive to a blind plateau then play down to a long, narrow green angled below. The wind direction determines whether this is a birdie opportunity or a card-wrecking par 4 — as with most of Ballybunion.
Long, exposed clifftop par 3 playing directly into the Atlantic wind. Miss the raised green and recovery from the surrounding dune grass is brutally difficult. The shot that separates good rounds from memorable ones.
Visitors are welcome Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holiday Mondays) from mid-April to early October. Outside of this period, contact the club directly to check availability. Weekend play is reserved for members. Advance booking is essential — for peak season, contact the club a year or more in advance.
Yes. The club insists that every group has at least one caddie or fore-caddie on the Old Course. A senior caddie costs approximately €40 per player and a junior caddie approximately €25. Caddies add enormously to the experience — they know every quirk of the course and are often highly knowledgeable about the history of each hole. Buggies are not permitted on the Old Course.
A valid handicap certificate from your home club is required. While the club website doesn't specify a maximum, given the difficulty of the Old Course (SSS 74), a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for ladies is a sensible guideline. Players should be comfortable playing links golf in potentially strong Atlantic winds.
Contact the club directly by phone on +353 68 27146 or by email at reservations@ballybuniongolfclub.ie. Online booking is available through the club website at ballybuniongolfclub.com/visitors/. For peak season (May–September), book as early as possible — a year in advance is not unusual for competitive players.
Yes — the Old Course and Cashen Course are at the same club and a combined ticket is available. Playing both in one day is possible (and recommended if you're making the trip from Killarney or further) — the Cashen in the morning and Old Course in the afternoon, or vice versa. Allow approximately 4.5 hours per round. Check with the club for combined green fee rates.
Ballybunion is approximately 90 minutes from Killarney (about 75km via Tralee and the N69). From Shannon Airport it's around 45 minutes. From Dublin allow approximately 3.5 hours. The club has no on-site accommodation — see our Golf + Stay page for recommended hotels.
Robert Trent Jones Sr.'s 1984 design beside the Old Course — a wilder, more raw links through enormous dunes. Combine both for a full day at Ballybunion.
Arnold Palmer's first European design — dramatic cliff-top links above Tralee Bay with Atlantic panoramas. 50 minutes south of Ballybunion.
Ireland's oldest links (Est. 1889) on the Ring of Kerry, with Dingle Bay views and the McGillycuddy Reeks as backdrop.