Munster
Golf in County Kerry
Overview
A golfer's guide to Kerry
County Kerry is the spiritual home of Irish links golf. The Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula deliver two of the most photographed coastlines in the country, and threaded along them are courses that genuinely deserve every superlative. Ballybunion's Old Course is the headline act — Tom Watson called it "a course on which golf architects should live and play before they build courses" — but Tralee, Waterville, Dooks and Ceann Sibéal all reward the long drive from Cork or Shannon airport.
Expect dunesland, towering cliffs, blind tee shots and the kind of wind that turns a 6-iron into a 4-iron without warning. Trips here are usually paired with a basecamp in Killarney or Tralee, with whiskey by the fire and seafood that's come in that morning.
When to play
Best time to visit Kerry
May, June and September are the sweet spot — long evenings, settled weather and lighter tourist traffic on the Ring of Kerry. July and August are peak season; book tee times months ahead. April and October bring real value and shorter visitor queues, but pack waterproofs and accept the occasional weather day. Winter golf is playable on the links courses but daylight is the limiting factor.
FAQs