Old Head Golf Links

Old Head is one of the most ambitious golf courses ever built. The miracle that is Old Head began when a few brothers bought what was essentially an island at the end of Kinsale, spent years covering it with soil and turf, and built a course on a piece of property that is better suited for goats than golfers. Lore about the purchase of Old Head says the farmer finally agreed to sell because he was tired of losing sheep to the cliffs.

This is unlike anything I’ve ever laid eyes on. It is the most visually-stunning course I’ve ever played, and there is no close second. Old Head is billed as “the Pebble Beach of Europe.” Here’s a hot take: that may be an insult to Old Head. I’m not saying it’s a superior golf course - if I had to play here regularly I would probably quit the game because of the seemingly endless grind for bogey, double, or the dreaded other. But, Pebble Beach cannot compare to Old Head in the “postcard hole” department. After making the turn, I said aloud to no one in particular that any course in the world would be happy have even a single hole that compares to all but two on Old Head’s front nine. That’s when my caddie said wait until you see the back nine.

He most certainly wasn’t into hyperbole.

The GPS-guided game we play in the States in benign breezes over unblemished, relatively flat fairways allows us to take on a course with one golf shot in our bag: high and deep, knocking the ball well over bunkers and water.

Golf at Old Head, with it’s 35-mph sea gales, is not about knocking one’s ball over and above a golf course, but rather playing your ball through it.

For anyone with a golf imagination, playing Old Head is an all-out indulgence, and it makes one understand that golf isn’t about striking the perfect 8 iron or hitting “x” number of greens in regulation. A good day here reminds you that golf is about one thing…and one thing only…stuffing your ball into the hole as quickly as you can.

Not much to add to the prior reviews beyond I've been fortunate to play almost all of the legendary tracks across North America, most of the European superstars, the tourist traps of the Caribbean, along with a few in Japan, and I unequivocally rate Old Head as the best golf experience of my life. I belong to a private club at home, play golf consistently on weekly basis, and play off a 6 handicap. In my opinion, if you are a fan of this most perfect game, a round of golf at Old Head almost warrants a dedicated trip to Ireland.

I didn't play golf. I walked on a glorious plot of land jutting into the sea, wielding a few sticks and advancing a small white ball forward. I'd call it a lot of things, but golf is not one of them.

it was my first time playing a links course, and my God it was torturous. The views and experience of Old Head made my 98 feel like a 75. I was smiling for all 18 holes.

if you have the chance to play here...do it. You won't play golf in the way you're use to, but you'll enjoy every second of it.

wow
the drive leading to the gated entrance is breath taking.
Once I got to the first hole with a view of the cliffs and Atlantic Ocean I couldn't wipe the smile off my face!
even though my round started off terribly the surrounding beauty made seem so insignificant.
I pulled my game together enough not to hate myself after the round. I was using the rental clubs provided, very nice set of titleist AP2's including a Cameron putter. no too shabby for a rental set!
but I immediately missed my bag :(
I had beautiful weather aside from a hole and a half of a quick moving rain storm. the course was in fantastic shape. staff was very friendly.
I have played several of Bandon Dunes offerings and this is just a little more amazing in my opinion, Haven't had the chance to play pebble yet and I'm guessing that for the money Old Head is still the champ!

By far the best golf course I have ever played. The views on the golf course are outstanding. The weather was very mixed but still very enjoyable. Course was in great condition. Staff very kind and the food was great

There aren't enough superlatives available to describe this course. It doesn't matter where you stand, you run the risk of sustaining a whiplash injury as you try to take in all the views that this location provides.

My first visit here was back in 1998, and I remember going through 2 rolls of film by the time I completed the front 9, (digital photography wasn't mainstream yet).

It's a difficult task to focus on golf when the scenery around you is a constant distraction. There's a great variety of challenges for all skill levels but the best advice to take if you play here is to just enjoy your day out. There are few courses in the world that will provide a lifetime of memories. Old Head Golf Links is unmatched in that department.

This course was so fun to play. In addition, almost as soon as you leave the first hole the dramatic settings and beautiful course layout are jaw dropping. Caddie was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Great range and practice areas also. Can't recommend this place more highly. Didn't hurt that I played very well here. Expensive, but I'm willing to play this again, someday.

Any golfer, anywhere in the world who has a bucket list, rewrite it and place Old Head Golf Club squarely at the top of the list. It's not the best course I have ever played but it is far and away the best golf experience I have ever had.

The excitement starts to build as you turn off the road out if Kinsale on to a narrow winding lane barely capable of accommodating one car let a alone two. As you approach the promontory the course sits on you get a first glimpse of the old fort and then the lighthouse. Entering via the fort gate, you are welcomed and your clubs taken from you as you go and check in.

The clubhouse and surrounds are beautiful with stone work everywhere. You immediately walk through the clubhouse to the outdoor deck overlooking the 17th and 18th for the first jaw dropping view. It's hard to drag yourself away to the practice fairway where your clubs await along with complimentary balls.

Twelve of the eighteen holes play with the ocean along one side. On numerous occasions you are asked to hit shots across water carries and ravines and how much you choose to bite off is up to you.

The first doesn't give much sense of what is to come but the second spells it out in spades with a big sweeping dog leg right to left. A tough hole for the common man but your author managed to hole his second from 155 yards out from the fairway for an eagle two which kind of helped the scorecard.

The third and thirteenth are similar par 3's playing with the cliff on the right and ocean left and greens cut into the side of the cliff. "Razors Edge" the fourth hole is awe inspiring with a long tee shot needed shaping right to left and cliffs all the way from tee to green. The green is extremely narrow and with a 200 foot drop three metres left of the green, it's reasonably challenging!

And so it continues. The twelfth is another one of those "Kodak" moments with a drive across a huge ravine plummeting down to the sea. There is actually plenty of fairway to hit to, you just can't see it off the tee and have to trust the stone marker and your swing.

The finishing three holes are just magic, particularly the long sweeping par 5 seventeenth but the real photo shot is eighteen where you tee off under the lighthouse. Like just about everyone else I guess, we went back to the tiger tee under the lighthouse to have a crack at the fairway 240 metres away and came away smiling with a couple of solid efforts. The actual tee wouldn't be any bigger than a smallish bedroom.

A few Guinness on the deck reminiscing and we had to reluctantly bid farewell to Old Head vowing to return to this place but not before marvelling at the cable television showing the latest golf tournament above the men's urinal. Nice touch that one.

Old Head may be the most spectacular course in the world.... certainly the most amazing and challenging I have ever seen or played. Views are unbelievable on EVERY hole. Th entire course is 250-300 ft. above the ocean. Staff and caddies were awesome. Ireland is windy but this was off the charts for wind!! You better practice your your low ball shots, even drives will blow like tissues on windiest days after the ball looses momentum. We threw tees straight down off the cliff in this pic and they blew over our heads like magic. The greens and fairways were as nice as Pine Valley. Words and pics cannot fully describe Old Head!!!

My most recent round at Old Head in perfect sunshine vaults the cliff-top course firmly into the top 10 golf experiences I've ever had. There are some average inland holes - and I'm still not a fan of the par-5 10th - but the holes along the cliffs are so spectacular and so breathtaking. The changes made since my last round at Old Head in 2010 have improved the routing tremendously. The new par-3 13th hole that opened this year clutches the cliffs, replacing an inland hole. The fairway of the 17th hole has been reshaped to bring the last remaining section of the cliffs not used in the original routing more into play on a tough par 5 that finishes at the base of the lighthouse. Stone monuments erected throughout the layout tell stories of shipwrecks, sunken cannons and the lighthouse, adding another nice touch. The only negative of the day was a constant buzz of helicopters bringing more golfers to play and stay at the club's luxurious suites. Maybe I was just jealous.