Ballybunion Golf Club

Ballybunion Old Course — a journey through monumental dunes where every hole has its own identity

The Old Course is situated on the coast of County Kerry, overlooking the Shannon Estuary. Immense dunes serve to isolate the holes from one another.

The initial layout was established in the early 1890s, and the club was formally organised in 1893. The course was progressively developed, with Tom Simpson contributing to defining its character in the 1930s.

The course features a dynamic alternation of sunken fairways, elevated greens, coastal lines, and abrupt changes in direction. The architecture can at times appear wild, yet it consistently demands a precise decision.

The sequence of the middle and back nine is particularly compelling, with holes played both between the dunes and directly above the Atlantic.

The club welcomes an international audience while retaining a strong County Kerry identity.

Club founded in 1893; major evolution in the early 20th century; contribution by Tom Simpson; Irish Open 2000.