Old Head Golf Links

Old Head Golf Links occupies one of the most dramatic pieces of golfing real estate on the planet — a 220-acre diamond-shaped headland jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, connected to the mainland by a narrow neck of land just 100 metres wide. Situated on the Kinsale Peninsula in south County Kerry, the course offers sheer cliff faces dropping hundreds of feet to the sea on almost every hole, creating a visual spectacle that is simply unmatched in world golf.

Opened in 1997, Old Head was carved from the ancient de Courcey lands by local businessmen John and Patrick O'Connor, who saw the potential of this extraordinary natural amphitheatre. The design team produced a course where virtually every hole commands oceanic views, and where the prevailing south-westerly winds — which can reach gale force without warning — make club selection an art form rather than a science. The par-72 layout stretches to 7,222 yards from the championship tees, but its playing length is almost irrelevant given the conditions.

Old Head is a members' club that welcomes visitors by prior appointment. A handicap certificate is required (men 28 and under, ladies 36 and under), and the green fee is among Ireland's highest at €350–€395 — a premium that its unique setting absolutely justifies. The experience is complemented by a superb clubhouse, excellent food service and arguably the finest views in world golf. This is a once-in-a-lifetime round that belongs on every serious golfer's bucket list.