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Waterville Golf Links

SOUTH WEST IRELAND, IRELAND

Waterville Golf Links

Ballinskelligs Bay and tall dunes frame Hackett's remote Kerry links.

  • SOUTH WEST IRELAND Location
  • LINKS Course type
  • 18 HOLES Holes
  • PAR 72 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

  • Course established: 1973
  • Course designer/s: Eddie Hackett; Claude Harmon; Tom Fazio (renovation)
  • National ranking: #5 in the Republic of Ireland
  • Known for: Hackett's remote links beside Ballinskelligs Bay
  • Defining feature: Promontory between Atlantic and Inny Estuary

Hackett's Promontory, Fazio's Refinement

The golf course at Waterville Golf Links opened in 1973 after Irish-American Jack Mulcahy revived golf on ground where structured play had begun in 1889. Mulcahy asked Eddie Hackett and 1948 Masters champion Claude Harmon to create the new 18-hole course. Tom Fazio later completed a four-year renovation focused on bringing the eastern and western sections closer together in character while preserving traditional links surfaces.

The course occupies a promontory between the Atlantic and Inny Estuary. The opening nine crosses gentler ground, while the second nine moves through taller dunes. Firm turf and holes turning in different directions keep wind and ground movement central to the round, without relying on blind shots.

The 11th is a short par five with a rippling fairway held between high dunes. The 16th follows the natural curve of the Atlantic coastline and now bears the name "Liam's Ace", marking local professional Liam Higgins's hole-in-one there. From the elevated 17th tee at "Mulcahy's Peak", the scale of Ballinskelligs Bay becomes fully visible.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

Waterville deserves a central place in an Iveragh Peninsula stay, rather than a hurried visit between longer drives. Waterville House brings accommodation and the estate's fishing heritage beside the links, while the village offers a relaxed base on the Ring of Kerry.

Kinfern can pair the course with Hogs Head nearby, then continue towards Dooks or Killarney at a sensible pace. A two-night stay keeps the route comfortable and gives guests time to enjoy this remote corner of County Kerry beyond the round itself.

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