Old Head Golf Links
Ireland's most jaw-dropping clifftop links — a pay-and-play headland ringed by 300-foot Atlantic cliffs where any visitor can book the round of a lifetime.
Old Head Golf Links in photos
Can I play Old Head Golf Links?
Yes — Old Head is a privately owned pay-and-play links attached to its own boutique lodge and restaurant, open to visiting golfers who reserve in advance. There is no membership requirement; anyone can book a tee time and pay the green fee. It is one of the most exclusive-feeling rounds in Ireland, but it is genuinely open to the public.
How to book: Reserve tee times online, by email or by phone, well ahead for the peak summer months. Green fees run around €500 per round in high season (late April to mid-October) and about €250 in the short late-October low season. Caddies and fore-caddies are recommended and cost extra.
About Old Head Golf Links
Old Head Golf Links occupies a spectacular diamond of land jutting two miles into the Atlantic off Kinsale, its fairways draped across a headland ringed by sheer cliffs. Opened in 1997 to a design by a team including Ron Kirby, Joe Carr, Eddie Hackett, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins, it routes nine of its holes along the clifftops up to 300 feet above the ocean. It is privately owned and pricey, but operates as a pay-and-play resort course with its own lodge and restaurant, so any visitor can reserve a tee time. Few rounds anywhere deliver such relentless, cinematic drama.
Signature hole
A run of vertigo-inducing clifftop holes — the par-4 12th traces the very edge of the headland with the Atlantic crashing 300 feet below, and nine holes in all play along the cliffs with ocean on every side.
What makes it special
Clifftop theatre
Nine holes hug the edge of a headland standing up to 300 feet above the Atlantic.
Stay-and-play
On-site suites and a clifftop restaurant make an overnight golf escape possible.
Open to all
No membership needed — it is a pay-and-play links anyone can book in advance.
Need to know
Best time to play
May to September for the warmest, longest days, though the exposed headland can serve up wind and sea fog at any time — flexibility helps, as fog occasionally delays play.
Dress code
Standard golf attire with a collared shirt and proper golf shoes; no denim. Neat, smart-casual dress applies in the clubhouse and restaurant.
Good to know
This is a pay-and-play resort links, so no handicap is required. Caddies and fore-caddies greatly help with the blind clifftop lines and are recommended; buggies are available. Allow extra time for the scenery and photographs — it is as much a sightseeing experience as a round.
Upcoming golf tournaments
Prefer to watch the world’s best? Book tickets to an upcoming tournament, then add a hotel and flights.
Getting there
Nearest airports
Cork (ORK) ~45 minutes; Kerry (KIR) and Shannon (SNN) are longer alternatives.
On arrival
From Cork Airport it is about 45 minutes by car south to Kinsale, then a short drive out onto the Old Head peninsula. The final approach runs through the resort's private gatehouse onto the diamond-shaped headland.
Stay near the course
Old Head offers its own on-site lodge suites and a clifftop restaurant for a stay-and-play experience. Many visitors instead base themselves in the colourful harbour town of Kinsale, ten minutes away, which is County Cork's gourmet capital.
★★★★ 4-starTap for live prices Trident Hotel
Kinsale
★★★★ 4-starTap for live prices Kinsale Hotel & Spa
Kinsale
★★★★ 4-starTap for live prices Rocklands House Bed and Breakfast
Kinsale
A taste of the luxury stays near Old Head Golf Links — tap any hotel to see live availability and prices for your dates, or search them all.
Plan your golf trip
Hotels near the course
Live-priced stays a short drive from the 1st tee.
Search hotelsFlights
Get to Kinsale — search fares to the nearest airport.
Find flightsTournament tickets
Rather watch the pros? Book golf tournament tickets.
See golf ticketsThings to do
Tours and experiences around Kinsale.
Explore KinsaleFrequently asked questions
Can the public play Old Head Golf Links?
Yes. Old Head is a privately owned pay-and-play links — no membership is required, and any visitor can reserve a tee time and pay the green fee.
How much does it cost to play Old Head?
Green fees are around €500 per round in high season (late April to mid-October) and about €250 in the short late-October low season, with caddies extra.
Do I need a handicap to play Old Head?
No handicap certificate is required. Caddies or fore-caddies are recommended to help with the blind clifftop lines rather than for any handicap rule.
When is the best time to play Old Head?
May to September offers the best weather, but the exposed headland is prone to wind and sea fog, so build in a little schedule flexibility.
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Golf guideSources & pricing note
Green fees, access rules and tee-time policies change frequently and vary by season. The figures here are indicative for trip planning — always confirm on the official site before booking.
Guide updated 2026-07-27.