
Kilkee Course
Kilkee Golf Club
About this course
Kilkee Golf Club occupies a dramatic clifftop location on the west coast of County Clare, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the rugged Irish coastline near the town of Kilkee. Designed by Eddie Hackett and opened in 1896 with later revisions by the prolific Irish architect, the course runs along elevated ground that offers expansive views across the water and the surrounding Clare landscape. The routing takes advantage of natural undulations and the prevailing coastal winds, which shape play throughout the year and require thoughtful club selection and course management. The layout features several holes that play directly along the cliff edges, where the terrain drops away to the ocean below. Hackett's design philosophy of working with existing landforms rather than imposing artificial features is evident here, as the course follows the natural contours of the headland. The wind is a constant factor, often strong and shifting, which adds complexity to what might otherwise be straightforward holes. The coastal turf provides firm playing surfaces typical of links-style courses in the region. Kilkee serves as a welcoming club for visitors exploring the Clare coastline, offering a genuine Irish golf experience in a setting that emphasizes natural beauty and traditional course design. The club maintains its character as a community facility while attracting golfers interested in the distinctive challenges of clifftop golf along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.
Quick facts
- Location
- Clare, IE
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1896
- Designer
- Eddie Hackett
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 70
- Length
- 5,515 yards
- Difficulty
- 69.4/115
Getting there
Kilkee Golf Club sits on the wild Atlantic edge of County Clare, most readily reached via Shannon Airport (SNN), roughly ninety minutes south by car through the rolling farmland and coastal villages of Ireland's southwest. The drive itself becomes the journey's true pleasure - departing the airport, the landscape gradually sheds its suburban fringe, giving way to stone-walled fields and glimpses of the Cliffs of Moher before the road descends toward the sea cliffs that frame Kilkee's dramatic clifftop setting. Those arriving by private aviation will find Galway Airport (GWY) or the smaller strips at Castletroy a viable alternative, though Shannon remains the most direct gateway. The final approach winds through the quiet seaside village of Kilkee itself, where the Atlantic horizon suddenly opens before you and the club's windswept links emerge against the grey-green waters - a landscape as unforgiving and authentic as Irish golf itself.

FAQ
Common questions about Kilkee
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Kilkee was designed by Eddie Hackett.
Yes. Kilkee is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Kilkee is 70.
Kilkee plays 5,515 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Kilkee is 115.
Kilkee is a 18-hole course.


