Golf in Southwest Ireland

[Frank Pasquale]

Planning a trip for late July.  Any tips would be appreciated.  Besides Ballybunion, what are the "must play" courses?  what are the overrated courses?

Which bed & breakfasts, pubs and restaurants are worth visiting?

[Tim Weiman]

Frank,

Unless you already have tee times, it is awfully late to start arranging a visit to Ballybunion in late July.  Good Luck!

Be sure to stop in for a round at Dooks and don't even consider a place called Ring of Kerry Golf Club.

As for a restaurant tip, on the way from Dooks to Waterville there is a town called Caherciveen.  Check out a place called The Point.  Its a friendly crowd and very good food.

[mike_malone]

you will get much obvious comment about tralee,waterville,lahinch,etc.but i would recommend a "sleeper".Castlegregory is only 9 holes,but it is possible for first day off plane if you are on the way to killarney or even ballybunion.it is very challenging.the views are awesome as it sits on the dingle peninsula.you could then go thru the conor pass on your way to dingle town ,which i like better than touristy killarney.the course may have been expanded to 18 by now.it is the february picture in the "emerald gems" calendar.btw this calendar is a "must".go to www.irishgolfphotos.com

[Tim Weiman]

Frank,

Mayday Malone is correct that Castlegregory is worth checking out but mostly to get a look at what it might become if it is expanded to 18 and possibly 36 holes.  I haven't been there since last fall, but at that point the planning/permitting process was underway.

The existing 9 holes aren't bad, but they are surrounded by some land that is even better.

[mps]

Must plays: Ballybunion Old, Lahinch, Ballybunion Cashen
Fun:  Dooks
Overrated: Everything else south of Ballybunion!

Given the late date, you'll need to show some flexibility to get on Ballybunion Old (be sure & play the Cashen while you're there).  You're probably better off playing the lesser known courses further north - Carne, Enniscrone, County Sligo - easier to get on & better courses to boot.

[TEPaul]

Pickup a copy now of James W. Finegan's "Emerald Fairways and Foam-flecked Seas". It'll give you tips and descriptions on all the courses.

[Jerry Zgoda]

Just got back from 11 days in Ireland and have a tip for anyone wanting to play Ballybunion Old on short notice (anything within 11 months from your date of play, or so it seemed when I initially contacted the club in January looking for a May tee time and they basically laughed at me)...There's a rather new program the local innkeepers have started with the Ballybunion Marketing Group that allows local guesthouses and B&Bs Old course tee times if you stay (and pay in advance) in town for one or two nights. You can search www.easygolfballybunion.com by date or by the inn or guesthouse. Just curious, I looked for late July and there were a bunch of tee times available. We had a great time hanging out in town for two days, and played the Old once, the Cashen twice and walked the beach a couple of times. Plus, we all got photos of ourselves with that very handsome statute of a golf legend there in town...

[Jerry Zgoda]

Just got back from 11 days in Ireland and have a tip for anyone wanting to play Ballybunion Old on short notice (anything within 11 months from your date of play, or so it seemed when I initially contacted the club in January looking for a May tee time and they basically laughed at me)...There's a rather new program the local innkeepers have started with the Ballybunion Marketing Group that allows local guesthouses and B&Bs Old course tee times if you stay (and pay in advance) in town for one or two nights. You can search www.easygolfballybunion.com by date or by the inn or guesthouse. Just curious, I looked for late July and there were a bunch of tee times available. We had a great time hanging out in town for two days, and played the Old once, the Cashen twice and walked the beach a couple of times. Plus, we all got photos of ourselves with that very handsome statute of a golf legend there in town...

[D_Barton]

Having worked on the Doonbeg project for a number of years, I can give my unqualified recommendation to the An Tintea’n Guesthouse, in the village of Doonbeg. It is unquestionably the best B&B in the town ( it is the only B&B in the town). It has 7 rooms and is clean, comfortable and well situated to the town’s 7 pubs. Connie and Francie Killeen provide warm hospitality and great local information. Doonbeg is a wonderful village with a great central location in County Clare- 30 minutes south of Lahinch and 90 minutes north of Ballybunion. The # is 353-6590-55036. They have a website at www.antintean.com. The course opens on July 1st.

[John_D._Bernhardt]

As T E Paul said, Finegan's book is a must read. He as much as anyone I have ever read gives an opinion that you will have trouble disagreeing with after going there. Waterville is badly overated.