Munster, Ireland
Southwest Ireland in 8 Days
Estimate: per golfer, 7 nights in shared rooms, six rounds at 2026 summer green fees (Lahinch, Ballybunion and Tralee €450 each, Waterville €425, Old Head €500, Dooks well under those), caddies on most rounds, car hire, excluding flights; converted from EUR, 2026 rates.
Southwest Ireland has the best run of links golf you can drive in a week. This route starts at Shannon, crosses the Shannon estuary by car ferry into Kerry, works down to the Ring of Kerry, and finishes on the cliffs at Old Head near Kinsale. Each drive is short enough that you're never on the road for more than about two and a half hours.
The headline rounds are Lahinch and Ballybunion, two of the best old links courses anywhere. Tralee and Waterville supply the big dunes, and Dooks is the cheaper, friendly round that groups tend to remember. Expect rain and wind most days and dress for it. Green fees have climbed fast and most of the big names are now €425–€500, so this is not a budget trip.
Day by day
- 1
Land at Shannon
Overnight flights land early. Collect the car, drive about 50 minutes to Lahinch, and stay awake by walking the Cliffs of Moher, about 15 minutes up the road. Early night.
- 2
Lahinch
Lahinch Golf Club – Old CourseMorning round on the Old with the required caddie. Afternoon in the village pubs, or the Castle Course if you can't sit still.
- 3
Ferry to Ballybunion
Ballybunion Golf Club – Old CourseDrive to Killimer for the Shannon Ferries crossing to Tarbert (about 20 minutes), then on to Ballybunion. Make this a weekday, since the Old is heavily restricted on weekends.
- 4
Tralee
Tralee Golf ClubAbout 30 minutes south to Barrow. Stay patient on the front nine; the back nine is what you came for. Dinner in Tralee or back at Ballybunion.
- 5
Dooks
Dooks Golf LinksDrive about an hour to Glenbeigh for Dooks, then continue on the Ring of Kerry to Waterville, about an hour more. A light day.
- 6
Waterville
Waterville Golf LinksMorning round at Waterville. It's long, so play the right tees. Spend the afternoon on the Skellig Ring or in the hotel bar.
- 7
Old Head
Old Head Golf LinksThis is the longest drive of the trip, about 2.5–3 hours to Kinsale, so book a late-morning or early-afternoon tee time. Finish with dinner in Kinsale.
- 8
Fly home
Cork airport is about 30 minutes away for connections through Europe or the UK. For a direct transatlantic flight, drive back to Shannon, about 2.5 hours.
The courses
Lahinch Golf Club – Old Course
Old Tom Morris; redesigned by Alister MacKenzie; restored by Martin Hawtree · 1892 · public; at least one caddie per visitor group required
Blind shots over the Klondyke and Dell. 2026 fee is €450, rising to €500 in 2027.
Ballybunion Golf Club – Old Course
Lionel Hewson; later changes by Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay · 1893 · visitors mainly on weekdays; handicap limit 24 men / 36 women
A long stretch of holes running along the Atlantic dunes. 2026 summer fee is €450.
Tralee Golf Club
Arnold Palmer · 1984 · public, online booking
Palmer's front nine is resort-style. The back nine through the dunes above Barrow beach is the real draw. Summer 2026 fee is €450.
Dooks Golf Links
Martin Hawtree (2003–06 redesign) · 1889 · public; visitors restricted Sundays and closed to outside play Nov–Dec
Short, quirky links on Dingle Bay with mountain views. Much cheaper than the big names and a good change of pace.
Waterville Golf Links
Eddie Hackett; later refined by Tom Fazio · 1973 · public
Long, quiet links at the tip of the Ring of Kerry. The back nine in the dunes is the highlight. Summer 2026 fee is €425.
Old Head Golf Links
Ron Kirby, Eddie Hackett, Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins and Haulie O'Shea · 1997 · public, seasonal
Clifftop golf on a headland that sticks two miles out into the Atlantic, with nine holes on the cliff edge. Summer 2026 fee is €500.
Booking it
Book directly with each club by email or online, ideally 9–12 months ahead for summer. Ballybunion and Lahinch release visitor times well in advance and sell weekday mornings first. Many US groups use a tour operator to bundle tee times, a driver and hotels, which costs more but takes the sequencing headache away. Confirm each club's handicap certificate requirement when you book.
Worth knowing
- Carry a handicap certificate. Ballybunion caps visitors at 24 for men and 36 for women and checks.
- Lahinch requires at least one caddie per visitor group and doesn't use buggies. Plan to walk every course on this route.
- You drive on the left, and Kerry roads are narrow with stone walls. Rent the smallest car that fits your bags, or hire a driver and enjoy the post-round pints.
- Pack full rain gear, a spare glove and a towel. A dry, calm day in Kerry is a bonus.
- Old Head is seasonal (roughly spring to autumn). Confirm it's open before building a shoulder-season trip around it.