Ireland's southern region is packed with iconic links, from Ballybunion and Lahinch to Waterville, and Ryder Cup host Adare Manor. Dramatic Atlantic scenery, historic courses and a strong concentration of world-class golf make it one of the country's most popular touring areas.
Below you will find our recommended Top 10 courses to play in Southern Region of Ireland. Click on each club for further details.
Ballybunion Golf Club was founded in 1893 after a course had been laid out on the links the previous year by James McKenna. The club struggled during its early years causing it to fold in 1899, but was eventually re-established, with the course restored to eighteen holes in 1927. Tom Simpson late...
Lahinch Golf Club was founded in 1892 after Alexander Shaw and members of the Black Watch Regiment. Old Tom Morris redesigned the course in 1894 before Alister MacKenzie carried out a major redevelopment in 1927. Martin Hawtree later restored and modernised the course during the late 20th century...
Golf at Waterville Links was recorded back in 1889, although the course later declined before being revived in the early 1970s. Eddie Hackett, John A. Mulcahy and former Masters Champion Claude Harmon were responsible for creating the modern layout, which opened in 1973. Later renovations were ma...
Credit: Photography by Kevin Diss
The idea of creating a golf course at Doonbeg was revived during the 1990s, with construction beginning in 1999 after land was secured along Doughmore Bay, Greg Norman designed the original course which officially opened in 2002. The resort was purchased by the Trump Organization in 2014 before M...
Tralee Golf Club was founded in 1896 and originally played on a nine-hole course before moving between several locations during its early history. The club purchased land at Barrow in 1980 and commissioned Arnold Palmer to design a completely new course, which officially opened for play in 1984. ...
Credit: Photography by Kevin Diss
The original golf course at Adare Manor was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior and opened in 1995. Following the purchase and redevelopment of the estate by J.P. McManus , renowned American architect Tom Fazio completely rebuilt the course during 2016 and 2017, with every hole redesigned to cr...
Credit: Photography by Kevin Diss
The Old Head of Kinsale was acquired by brothers John and Patrick O’Connor in 1989 with the aim of creating a world-class golf course on the dramatic headland. Construction began in 1993, with a design team including Ron Kirby, Eddie Hackett, Joe Carr, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins. The c...
Dooks Golf Club was founded in 1889 when members of the Royal Horse Artillery laid out a nine-hole course beside Dingle Bay, making it one of the ten oldest golf clubs in Ireland. The course briefly reached eighteen holes in 1900 before returning to nine due to maintenance costs, with the modern ...
Cork Golf Club was founded in 1888 and moved between several early locations before settling at Little Island in 1897. David Brown extended it to nine holes in 1901 and then to eighteen by 1911. Alister MacKenzie carried out the most important redesign in 1925, creating three new holes, new green...
The modern Killeen Course was then designed by Eddie Hackett and Billy O’Sullivan, officially opening in 1972. David Jones made further alterations ahead of the 1991 Irish Open before Donald Steel carried out a major reconstruction completed in 2006, introducing new greens, tees and bunkers...
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