There has never been a more inspiring marriage than the one that united the game of golf with the terrain of South West Ireland. Nowhere is this inspiration more evident than in a small County Kerry town nestled at the junction of the River Shannon and the Atlantic Ocean, where next to golf, seaweed baths are the biggest draw. Those seaweed baths, however, are a poor second in need.

Watching over this town from above, where it has stood as a sentinel since the 13th century and played a major role in the Norman conquest of Ireland, are the ruins of a castle. The image on that castle wall has gained new fame as a symbol of the city’s main attraction, its Golflinks.

The town, of course, is Ballybunion, and for a long time its golf courses were one of golf’s overlooked treasures. They might still be a secret, were it not for a visit from American golf champion Tom Watson, who in the early 1980s declared that the Ballybunion Golf Club course was one that many golf architects could learn a great deal about. art of golf course design. .

Ballybunion Golf Club has now become a favorite driving range for elite golfers who gather from around the world each July to compete in the British Open. The names of Nicklaus, Faldo and Woods are just three that have joined Tom Watson on the club’s register, which dates back to 1893.

However, the original Ballybunion Golf Club met an untimely demise and was almost a complete financial failure until its board of directors was changed in 1901. The Ballybunion links continued to develop as did The Golf Club’s reputation, and by 1927, it was a full 18-hole course. Six years later, it came to prominence as the site of the Irish Women’s Golf Championship, and in a further five years Ballybunion Golf Club hosted the Irish Men’s Amateur Championship.

Ballybunion Golf Club, however, did not achieve the recognition it deserved until 1957, when the Irish Professional Championship was played there. In the more than five decades since, Ballybunion has hosted hundreds of other major competitions and has consistently received high marks from players of all levels. The Old Course at Ballybunion tests every golfer’s skill pages against the Atlantic-driven winds, while also rewarding them with spectacular ocean views.

The 7th and 11th holes at Ballybunion, with over 400 yards each, offer everything that’s great about the game of golf. The course between them winds along the sea and between the dunes, allowing players to soak up the sensation of the salty air, see the seagrass bend in the breeze and feel the sand give way under their feet. The 9th hole at Ballybunion Old Course features a green that resulted from bisecting a sand dune, while the 17th hole requires the golfer to send their shot straight out to sea.

The amenities at Ballybunion Golf Club do justice to its extraordinary courses. The newly completed modern clubhouse features an upscale dining room, two bars, and several cozy relaxation rooms. Their Pro Golf Shop can cater to every conceivable golfing need, and for golfers waiting for tee time to arrive, Ballybunion Golf Club offers putting and chipping practice greens, a driving range and even a practice sand bunker. .

A golf vacation that includes a visit to County Kerry’s Ballybunion Golf Club will reward you with a naturally challenging course in a historic setting that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.