Arnold Palmer's first European golf course — a towering, dramatic links above Tralee Bay with cliff-top tees, sweeping Atlantic panoramas and a back nine that ranks among the finest stretches of links golf in Ireland.
Book directly via the club website. Advance booking strongly recommended for peak season.
Tralee Golf Club holds a unique place in golf history as the first European course designed by Arnold Palmer, working with Ed Seay and Bob Walker in the early 1980s. The location Palmer and his team chose — the Barrow Peninsula north of Tralee town, a finger of linksland jutting into Tralee Bay — was spectacular by any measure, but the routing they produced from it elevated Tralee into the front rank of Irish links courses.
The front nine eases visitors into the experience, playing inland through dunes before the back nine turns toward the Atlantic and the tone changes dramatically. The 12th through 18th holes run along and above the coastline, with cliff-top tees and fairways that drop to greens framed by the sea. The views from the back nine are as dramatic as links golf offers anywhere in the world — on a clear day, the Dingle Peninsula and Brandon Mountain are visible across the bay. On a stormy day, the wind off the Atlantic makes club selection a matter of survival.
Visitors are welcome every day. Advance booking is recommended, particularly for summer weekends. The course rewards strategic play — as Palmer intended — with accurate approach shots to protected greens valued over raw distance. A handicap certificate is recommended and the club has a smart-casual dress code.
| Time | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All visitor times | Contact club | Book via traleegolfclub.com |
Tralee Golf Club publishes current rates on their official website. Green fees were not publicly available for verification to 5 independent sources at the time of writing — please check directly for current pricing.
Yes — Tralee Golf Club welcomes visitors every day. Advance booking is strongly recommended, particularly for summer months. Book online via traleegolfclub.com or contact the pro shop by phone.
Tralee is famous as Arnold Palmer's first European golf course design — a fact that brought it immediate international attention when it opened. The course itself then more than justified the hype, with a back nine of clifftop links holes widely regarded as one of the finest stretches of links golf in Ireland. It regularly features in Top 100 lists for links golf globally.
Approximately 30 minutes from Killarney town (about 30km). From Ballybunion it's about 50 minutes. Tralee is well-placed to combine with both a Ballybunion trip and a Killarney stay.
A handicap certificate is recommended and may be required for peak season visitor tee times. Contact the club directly to confirm current requirements. Smart casual dress is required on the course and in the clubhouse.
Opinion varies but the back nine holes running along the Atlantic clifftop are universally praised. The 12th through 15th are particularly dramatic, with the ocean visible on multiple tee shots. The 13th is often singled out — a long par 4 with a cliff-edge approach to a green perched above the sea.
The world-famous Old Course — Tom Watson's favourite links, ranked in the world's top 20.
Ireland's classic Ring of Kerry links — established 1889, with Dingle Bay views and a warm welcome.
Six-time Irish Open host beside the Lakes of Killarney — a complete contrast to Tralee's exposed links.