Old Head Golf Links

Old Head Golf Links — a clifftop course built on a peninsula almost detached from Ireland

Old Head juts out over three kilometers into the Atlantic south of Kinsale. The cliffs reach approximately ninety meters in height and almost entirely surround the property. The wind, sea spray, lighthouse, and marine horizon give the course a scale that transcends that of a traditional links.

The Old Head promontory has been inhabited and cultivated for centuries, dominated by two generations of lighthouses. In 1989, John and Patrick O’Connor acquired approximately 220 acres with the ambition of creating an international golf course there. Construction began in 1993, and the course opened in 1997. Ron Kirby played a central role in the routing, with contributions from Paddy Merrigan, Joe Carr, Eddie Hackett, and Haulie O’Shea.

The design seeks to exploit the peninsula without reducing the course to a succession of views. Several holes run directly along the cliffs, while others cross the inland plateau to balance the routing. The greens are often exposed, and diagonal angles force the player to decide how close to the cliff they are willing to play.

The sequence around holes 12 and 13 constitutes the dramatic climax of the course: tees and greens occupy narrow ledges high above the ocean. Elsewhere, the inland fairways offer more width but remain subject to complex winds.

Old Head operates as a high-end destination with accommodation reserved for golf members and visitors, dining, caddies, and a highly structured service. The experience begins on the road that traverses the course towards the clubhouse.

Land acquired in 1989; construction began in 1993; opened in 1997; course developed around the work of Ron Kirby and a team of Irish architects and advisors.