Characteristics

The Old Head Golf Links near Kinsale, is rated in the world top 100 courses and steeped in Irish history and built on 216 acre headland jutting out into the Atlantic ocean opened as a golf course in the summer of 1977. So sensitive and challenging was the site it took no less than four renowned course architects to get it right. The team of Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, J. B. Carr and the late Eddie Hackett sure did get it right. They tried 41 different routings before they were satisfied that they had done justice to this magnificent setting, which is arguably the most dramatic golf course in the world. The Course is on 180 acres with nine of the holes are played along the 300-feet rugged cliff-face giving a testing par-72, SSS 74 7,215 yards off the back tees.

Overhead cormorants, peregrine falcons, guillemots among other birds swoop along the cliff face. Golfers from all over the world flock to the Old Head to play a round of golf they will never forget at this awe inspiring setting. The most distinguished golfing visitors were, the sextet of Tiger Woods, Mark O’Meara, Lee Janzen, David Duval, Stuart Appleby and the late Payne Stewart prior to the 1999 Open at Carnoustie. The Old Head is a must the only words I could find for it was "awesome".

Architecturally and environmentally the clubhouse is a credit to the two brothers that undertook this wonderful development. Voted the No. 24 ranked golf course in Ireland, by “Golf Digest Ireland” in 2008. The Old Head was voted No. 20 Links/Shoreline Course in Ireland by "Backspin" Irelands leading Golf magazine in 2008, the panel comprised of a selection of 52 Professional and amateur golfers throughout Ireland.