Looking for unbelievable playing experiences in jaw-dropping places? Start with the golf courses in Kerry, Ireland.
Kerry is a golfer’s paradise.
Nestled along the epic Wild Atlantic Way, this windswept county is a hub of world-class links courses beloved by regular golfers and Major winners alike.
In Kerry, you get golf at its purest.
It’s 550 miles of rugged landscapes, soaring sandhills, craggy cliffs, sky-scraping peaks, and unspoiled peninsulas.
But Kerry’s appeal goes beyond the fairways.
Between rounds, explore its charming towns, ancient ruins, natural wonders, and pristine beaches along scenic routes like the Ring of Kerry. Plus, Shannon Airport is only 90 minutes from the award-winning hotels in Killarney.
First, let’s hit the links.
Our 5 handpicked courses showcase why Kerry is the unofficial capital of the legendary Southwest Ireland golf tour.
Discover your mouthwatering tee times between Old Head and Lahinch:
Established: 1893 | Par: 71 | Length: 6,739 yards
Forget the best golf courses in Kerry. Forget even the best golf courses in Ireland.
The Old Course at Ballybunion Golf Club might well be the best in the world.
Certainly, it’s not an uncommon opinion among the countless golfers who have experienced the otherworldly championship links.
For example, eight-time major winner Tom Watson has waxed lyrical about Ballybunion since 1981.
In fact, he helped remodel the course into the absolute corker that you’ll play on your Southwest Ireland golf tour.
Why is Ballybunion so remarkable?
For starters, the immaculately conditioned Old Course is set on the most stunning stretch of linksland with the largest dunes you can imagine.
It’s like another planet.
But Ballybunion will bring you back down to Earth.
Expect a constant challenge, particularly when gales whip off the sea, packed with high-stakes tee shots.
From the 6th hole onwards, you play alongside the crashing Atlantic over firm fairways that favour the ground game.
There are no weak holes.
But the standouts must be Castle Green, the clifftop 7th, and Watsons, the nerve-jangling 11th.
Thrills and spills!
Did you know? County Kerry boasts 13 beautiful blue flag beaches, including two back-to-back in Ballybunion.
After your round, provided the weather cooperates, you can explore the pristine North and South Beaches. Enjoy a dip in the bracing Atlantic or a relaxing walk beneath rugged headlands and looming cliffs.
Established: 1889 | Par: 72 | Length: 7,347 yards
Every hole at Waterville Golf Links offers picture-perfect panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.
You’re completely surrounded by water.
And in this awe-inspiring isolation, you take on the ‘beautiful monster’ of golf courses in Kerry, Ireland.
Waterville unfolds along a promontory of natural duneland against a jaw-dropping backdrop of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range and Ballinskelligs Bay.
This is the quintessential Irish links.
Nevertheless, the Waterville golf course is set apart by its endless variety.
Your round includes four Par 3s, ten Par 4s and four Par 5s. Each hole veers in a different direction.
There are no blinds on the storied layout designed and refined by Eddie Hackett and Tom Fazio. But the wind is a constant menace as you navigate lilting fairways, tumbling dunes and well-protected greens.
The 17th, known as Mulcahy’s Peak, is a signature hole to rival the very best.
Off the course, Waterville Golf Links offers history and hospitality. Be sure to visit the bronze statue of the late Payne Stewart and the 1889 Bar & Restaurant for hearty beef stew and a creamy Guinness.
Waterville promises more than great golf. Located on the iconic Iveragh Peninsula, the magical waterfront village is celebrated for its stunning scenery, off-the-boat seafood, and historic pubs.
It’s also where you can take a boat tour to Skellig Michael, the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site made famous by Star Wars.
Established: 1984 | Par: 72 | Length: 6,975 yards
Like Ballybunion, the unforgettable links course at Tralee Golf Club bears the signature of a legend from across the pond.
Arnold Palmer set quite a benchmark with his debut European creation.
Granted, he couldn’t have asked for a better canvas than Barrow in County Kerry.
Still, Tralee is a masterfully designed layout that challenges and excites from start to finish. Otherwise, it wouldn’t rank among Ireland’s top 10 golf courses year after year.
Then there’s the scenery.
Tralee Golf Club offers majestic vistas across Barrow Harbour, Tralee Bay, Banna Strand, and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.
Interestingly, this spellbinding setting has also been the location for infamous shipwrecks and Oscar-winning movies.
Now, back to your round.
Tralee is a tale of contrasting nines.
Your first nine plays over reasonably level linksland along elevated ground that skirts the coastline. The signature 3rd, known as The Castle, is an absolute showstopper.
Meanwhile, the second nine takes you through soaring dunes with white-knuckle carries across ravines to plateau greens. Prepare for some make-or-break blind shots on the closing stretch.
It’s a non-stop links adventure.
Just 40 minutes from Tralee Golf Club, the glorious Gap of Dunloe is your gateway to Kerry’s most mesmerising natural wonders.
This scenic 11-km route meanders through Purple Mountain, the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, and five glacial lakes connected by the salmon-laden River Loe. You can only marvel at the savage beauty.
Established: 1889 | Par: 71 | Length: 6,511 yards
Avoid this common mistake.
Unfortunately, visiting golfers often bypass Dooks Golf Club on the trip between Ballybunion and Waterville, and they miss out on a delightful experience.
Both on and off the course.
Sure, Dooks may lack the name recognition of other golf courses in County Kerry. But that’s no reflection on the quality of this wonderfully natural links along the shores of Dingle Bay.
One of Ireland’s oldest golf clubs, Dooks has stood the test of time for a reason:
It’s a serene, scenic, quirky, and endlessly enjoyable golf course.
Like Waterville, Eddie Hackett designed the current layout at Dooks. Three decades later, Martin Hawtree’s firm revamped the course.
But it remains a true traditional links.
Vibrant gorse, heather and wildflowers line narrow sandy fairways on a gloriously quilted landscape framed by cinematic seaside and mountain backdrops.
Just wait until you reach those glorious undulating greens.
The standout feature at Dooks is no more evident than on the dramatic 2nd and the signature 13th. Absolute rollercoasters.
Finally, hit the Natterjack for great company, delicious grub, and ice-cold pints.
Thankfully, you’re right beside picturesque Glenbeigh. Hidden inside a horseshoe of hills and Seefin Mountain, uncover this wonderland of golden beaches, tranquil lakes, teeming rivers, and prehistoric monuments.
Plus, the Kerry Way and the Ring of Kerry intersect at Glenbeigh. Will it be an invigorating hike or an unforgettable drive?
Established: 1924 | Par: 72 | Length: 6,737 yards
Your last golf course in Kerry, Ireland, flies under the radar even more than Dooks.
It’s a textbook hidden gem.
However, the rankings gurus agree:
Dingle Golf Links (sometimes called Ceann Sibéal) is a cream-of-the-crop course and an essential destination on your Southwest Ireland golf tour.
Yet again, this time on the dramatic Dingle Peninsula, you encounter the handiwork of the irreplaceable Eddie Hackett.
You won’t be disappointed.
This is a rough-and-ready classic links packed with bunkers, humps and hollows.
Notably, Dingle is the most westerly golf course in Europe. So bank on some hair-raising winds coming your way, but few of the humungous sandhills usually found in this neck of the woods.
Although Dingle Golf Links has its own imposing hazards.
Specifically, the massive meandering burn in play for all but five holes has wrecked countless approach shots.
Also, the signature hole is a real doozy.
The par-3 10th, An Tiaracht, involves an uphill battle to a blind green protected by pot bunkers and a hefty dune.
It’s not just the views at Dingle that will leave you breathless!
After finishing at Ceann Sibéal, make the most of your time on the Dingle Peninsula, where the extraordinary is ordinary.
For instance, you can drive around spectacular Slea Head to soak up the captivating Blasket Islands, admire the collection of 4,000-year-old monastic beehive huts, and wander the windswept Coumeenoole Beach.
Killarney, the vibrant town nestled within Ireland’s first national park, is the perfect base for visiting the greatest golf courses in County Kerry.
It’s a melting pot of bustling pubs, gourmet hotspots, natural marvels, and fascinating people from all over the world. Expect some unforgettable nights out in Killarney.
With Irish Golf Tours, you can choose from a range of top-rated hotels suited to every budget, including:
Self-drive Southwest Ireland golf tours offer adventure, flexibility and control. But most Irish Golf Tours guests opt for a dedicated driver from our trusted partner, O’Callaghan Coaches.
And for good reason. There are plenty of winding roads between courses like Waterville and Ballybunion – you don’t want to miss a tee time or your flight home.
A chauffeur-driven coach guarantees comfort, convenience, punctuality, and peace of mind.
All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the sparkling scenery.
You now have the inside scoop on the top golf courses in Kerry, Ireland. And the countless bucket-list experiences awaiting you off the links.
Whether you want to know more or are ready to start planning your trip, Irish Golf Tours is here to help.
Book a call with our Travel Planner for a time that suits you.
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