A Bucket-List Golf Trip Along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Coast
Part of: Golf Experiences Around the World • Ireland • Adventure Travel
Playing some of the best golf courses in southwest Ireland with a group of friends turned out to be one of the most memorable golf trips we’ve ever taken.
The rugged coastline of western Ireland is home to some of the most famous links golf courses in the world, where winds from the Atlantic shape the landscape and challenge golfers with rolling fairways, deep bunkers, and massive greens.
Here’s how we ended up playing these legendary courses.
🏌️ The Idea for an Irish Golf Adventure
While living in Oklahoma, we were members of Belmar Golf Club, a beautiful links-style course located between Oklahoma City, Moore, and Norman.
The club is owned by Toby Keith and his wife Trish Covel and is known for its immaculate conditions and lively membership community.
One day, a fellow member named Bob — a PGA professional and rules official — organized a group trip for 12 couples to travel to Ireland and play six of the best courses in southwest Ireland.
We signed up immediately.
Before leaving, everyone in the group heard the same warning:
Expect rain almost every day.
So nearly everyone packed rain gloves, waterproof pants, bucket hats, and extra towels.
Ironically, we ended up having almost perfect weather.
✈️ Getting to Ireland — The Adventure Begins
Our trip began with a flight from Oklahoma City through Chicago to Shannon, the gateway to Ireland’s southwest coast.
Unfortunately our first flight was delayed due to weight and balance issues — apparently 24 sets of golf clubs made things complicated for the regional jet.
The delay caused us to miss our direct flight to Ireland.
United Airlines scrambled to rebook the entire group, sending some travelers through Charlotte and others through Philadelphia, eventually routing everyone through London before finally arriving in Shannon nearly a day and a half later.
Even worse, most of our golf clubs and luggage were temporarily lost.
But eventually we made it to Ireland — tired but excited.
🌄 Killarney — The Gateway to Southwest Ireland Golf
Our first stop was Killarney, one of Ireland’s most famous towns and the perfect base for exploring the region.
Killarney sits beside the beautiful Killarney National Park, surrounded by lakes, mountains, and historic estates.
We played our first round at the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, one of Ireland’s most prestigious golf clubs.
Founded in 1893, the club features two parkland courses overlooking Lough Leane, the largest of Killarney’s famous lakes.
The club has hosted:
- the Irish Open four times
- the Ladies Irish Open twice
Lough Leane Killarney
The course was beautifully maintained and provided a fantastic introduction to Irish golf.
Bob and I were lucky, we were among the few that had our golf clubs and luggage with us, most of the other golfers were still waiting for both clubs and clothes, and had to use rental clubs.
That evening we enjoyed dinner together in town and finally got some much-needed rest after the long journey.
🌊 Waterville Golf Links
Our first true links golf experience came at Waterville Golf Links.
Located along the Ring of Kerry, Waterville is consistently ranked among the top courses in Ireland and sits directly along the Atlantic coastline.
The course has been played by many famous golfers, including Tiger Woods, who has practiced there before Open Championships.
Waterville is famous for:
- massive rolling fairways
- huge undulating greens
- deep pot bunkers
- breathtaking ocean views
It was here that we learned a valuable lesson about Irish links golf:
Often the smartest shot from 20 yards off the green is a putter, not a wedge.
🌅 Tralee Golf Club
The next day we played Tralee Golf Club, one of the most scenic courses in the country.
The course was designed by Arnold Palmer, who famously said:
“I have never come across a piece of land so ideally suited for the building of a golf course.”
Tralee features:
- dramatic Atlantic cliffs
- blind tee shots
- enormous dunes
- spectacular coastal scenery
It’s one of those courses where you stop several times during the round simply to admire the view.
🌊 Old Head Golf Links — The Most Spectacular Setting
Next came one of the most visually stunning courses we have ever played: Old Head Golf Links.
Old Head sits on a narrow two-mile-long peninsula that extends into the Atlantic Ocean near Kinsale.
Nearly every hole offers views of cliffs dropping hundreds of feet into the ocean.
The location is also historically significant. Just offshore lies the site where the RMS Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1915 during World War I.
From a pure visual standpoint, Old Head may be the most spectacular course we have ever played — even compared with famous courses like:
- Pebble Beach Golf Links
- Harbour Town Golf Links
- Manele Golf Course
🌄 Dingle Peninsula Golf Links
Our next stop took us to the beautiful Dingle Peninsula, one of Ireland’s most scenic coastal regions.
We played Dingle Golf Links, also known as Ceann Sibéal Golf Club.
While not as famous as some of the other courses on the trip, it still ranked among the top 50 courses in Ireland.
The course offered:
- dramatic ocean views
- challenging links terrain
- a relaxed atmosphere
Some members of our group skipped golf that day to explore the charming town of Dingle, known for its colorful harbor, seafood restaurants, and traditional Irish music pubs.
🏆 Ballybunion — A Legendary Course
Our final round was at the historic Ballybunion Golf Club.
The Old Course at Ballybunion is widely considered one of the greatest links courses in the world.
Legendary golf writer Peter Dobereiner once wrote:
“If sheer pleasure is the yardstick, then Ballybunion’s Old Course gets my vote as the No. 1 course in the world.”
The opening hole alone is unforgettable — with a historic cemetery waiting to punish anyone who slices their drive.
From there the course winds through towering dunes and along the coastline in one of golf’s most magical settings.
🌿 The Magic of Southwest Ireland
Beyond the golf, the landscape of southwest Ireland was unforgettable.
We experienced:
- rolling green hills
- sheep farms dotting the countryside
- dramatic Atlantic cliffs
- charming villages and coastal towns
The bus rides between courses allowed us to see the region’s natural beauty and rural culture.
🍽️ Irish Food and Hospitality
The food throughout the trip was excellent — far better than we expected.
Fresh seafood was abundant, including:
- Dover sole
- Atlantic salmon
- seafood chowder
- local shellfish
We also enjoyed traditional Irish pubs featuring live music and warm hospitality.
If we were to plan the trip again, we would definitely add extra time to explore more towns and restaurants in the region.
🇮🇪 Final Thoughts
Remarkably, despite Ireland’s reputation for rain, we experienced perfect weather throughout the trip.
The return flights were smooth, and United Airlines even refunded much of our airfare after the travel delays on the way over.
Whether you are a golfer or simply a traveler who loves dramatic landscapes and charming culture, Ireland is an unforgettable destination.
But for golfers, playing these legendary links courses along the Wild Atlantic coast is truly a bucket-list experience.
Shops and Restuarants in the Town of Killarney