Old Head Course




Old Head Golf Links, a relative newcomer carved into a storied peninsula, immediately asserts itself as one of golf's most dramatic stages. Its creation, not born from centuries of links tradition, but from audacious vision, sets it apart. While not an ancient links, the course’s setting high above the crashing waves of the Celtic Sea, atop jagged cliffs just outside Downmacpatrick, makes it unforgettable. Designed in the late 20th century and opened in 1997, Old Head bears the mark of several hands, including Ron Kirby, the late Eddie Hackett, Paddy Merrigan, and Haulie O'Shea. The resulting course plays long, wide, and at times, daringly close to the cliff edges – a strategic test that often rewards the bold fade. This audacious course is set against the backdrop of a picturesque lighthouse whose beam warns ships off the treacherous coastline. While lacking a championship pedigree, Old Head has become synonymous with a certain type of modern golf experience. It attracts an international clientele, many arriving by helicopter to the course’s private landing pad. This clientele also have direct access from the fairway to various amenities on course, including spa experiences and the course's luxury suites and the locally noted Lusitania Bar and restaurant.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Public: #46
Best in Ireland
Public: #6
Best in CORK
Public: #1
The journey to Old Head Golf Links begins at Cork Airport (ORK), a compact gateway situated roughly thirty kilometres north of the club, or alternatively through Dublin Airport (DUB) for those with connecting flights, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour drive southwest through the rolling farmland and coastal villages of County Cork. The final leg of the approach winds through the small seaside hamlet of Garretstown, where the landscape abruptly opens to reveal the dramatic Inchydoney Peninsula - a narrow finger of land jutting into the Atlantic, ringed by sheer cliffs and restless sea. As you cross the threshold onto the Old Head estate, the modern world recedes entirely; the club's gatehouse stands as a quiet sentinel, and the drive culminates at the clubhouse perched at the peninsula's tip, where the links course unfolds across windswept headlands with nothing but ocean and sky beyond the fairways.

FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Old Head has a Course Vaults score of 9.0 out of 10 based on 110 logged golfers.
Old Head was designed by Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Eddie Hackett, Dr. Joe Carr, and Haulie O'Shea.
Yes. Old Head is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Old Head is 72.
Old Head plays 7,150 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Old Head is 142.
Old Head Course



Old Head Golf Links, a relative newcomer carved into a storied peninsula, immediately asserts itself as one of golf's most dramatic stages. Its creation, not born from centuries of links tradition, but from audacious vision, sets it apart. While not an ancient links, the course’s setting high above the crashing waves of the Celtic Sea, atop jagged cliffs just outside Downmacpatrick, makes it unforgettable. Designed in the late 20th century and opened in 1997, Old Head bears the mark of several hands, including Ron Kirby, the late Eddie Hackett, Paddy Merrigan, and Haulie O'Shea. The resulting course plays long, wide, and at times, daringly close to the cliff edges – a strategic test that often rewards the bold fade. This audacious course is set against the backdrop of a picturesque lighthouse whose beam warns ships off the treacherous coastline. While lacking a championship pedigree, Old Head has become synonymous with a certain type of modern golf experience. It attracts an international clientele, many arriving by helicopter to the course’s private landing pad. This clientele also have direct access from the fairway to various amenities on course, including spa experiences and the course's luxury suites and the locally noted Lusitania Bar and restaurant.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Public: #46
Best in Ireland
Public: #6
Best in CORK
Public: #1
Golfers say Old Head delivers an unforgettable experience driven almost entirely by its dramatic clifftop setting and stunning ocean views rather than exceptional architecture. Most praise the routing along the 300-foot cliffs overlooking the Atlantic as spectacular and truly unmissable, with several holes—particularly the 12th—offering breathtaking backdrops that include a picturesque lighthouse. Reviewers acknowledge the interior holes feel unremarkable by comparison, and some note the design itself isn't groundbreaking, but the sheer scenery and memorable walk more than compensate. Nearly all agree the green fee is exorbitant, though they concede the unique location justifies the premium for those willing to pay it.
9.0
110 players
By far the craziest site in the world. Jaw dropping holes along the cliffs, rest of the course is average. One of those places you need to play at least once in your life
place is undeniably cool but not sure i’d go back
Probably not the greatest golf course but it was the greatest walk of my life.
Public courses closest to Old Head.
The journey to Old Head Golf Links begins at Cork Airport (ORK), a compact gateway situated roughly thirty kilometres north of the club, or alternatively through Dublin Airport (DUB) for those with connecting flights, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour drive southwest through the rolling farmland and coastal villages of County Cork. The final leg of the approach winds through the small seaside hamlet of Garretstown, where the landscape abruptly opens to reveal the dramatic Inchydoney Peninsula - a narrow finger of land jutting into the Atlantic, ringed by sheer cliffs and restless sea. As you cross the threshold onto the Old Head estate, the modern world recedes entirely; the club's gatehouse stands as a quiet sentinel, and the drive culminates at the clubhouse perched at the peninsula's tip, where the links course unfolds across windswept headlands with nothing but ocean and sky beyond the fairways.

FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Old Head has a Course Vaults score of 9.0 out of 10 based on 110 logged golfers.
Old Head was designed by Ron Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Eddie Hackett, Dr. Joe Carr, and Haulie O'Shea.
Yes. Old Head is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Old Head is 72.
Old Head plays 7,150 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Old Head is 142.