Ballybunion (Old Course)
Ballybunion (Old Course)
Tom Watson called Ballybunion the greatest links course he had ever seen, and after one round most golfers understand exactly why. Perched atop soaring Atlantic dunes on the coast of North Kerry, the Old Course carves through terrain so dramatic it looks sculpted by the gods rather than a golf architect.
The back nine in particular — running along the ocean's edge past a clifftop graveyard that has watched over the course since the 1800s — is among the most exhilarating and terrifying stretches of golf anywhere in the world. Every hole demands thought, nerve, and a respect for the wind that dominates every shot.
Course Highlights
Watson famously said Ballybunion is a test of golf that would refine the technique of the world's best players.
The course sits atop some of the highest sand dunes in links golf, with multiple holes playing directly along clifftop drops to the sea.
A centuries-old cemetery between the 7th and 8th provides one of golf's most unique and surreal backdrops.
Located on a wild stretch of north Kerry, Ballybunion sits on the Wild Atlantic Way with views across the Shannon Estuary.
Gallery
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