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Golf guide • Ireland • County Cork

Golf in Cork: the cliffs of Old Head and the parkland courses of the harbour

Cork, the Republic of Ireland's second city, is the base for three very different courses: Old Head Golf Links, set on a headland above the Atlantic near Kinsale; the Deerpark Course at Fota Island, host of three Irish Opens; and Cork Golf Club at Little Island, reworked by Alister MacKenzie. Golfers come for the cliffs, the harbour parklands, the coastal cooking and Midleton whiskey. The best season runs from May to September.

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Built across the two channels of the Lee, just before the river opens into its great natural harbour, Cork has the character of a merchant city: quays, bridges, narrow streets and a covered market, the English Market, where Corkonians have shopped for generations. It is a convenient base, a quarter of an hour from its airport, for golf without days spent in the car: two of the three courses in this guide sit on the shores of the harbour, less than twenty minutes from the centre.

Contrast is what makes the trip. To the east, Fota Island and Little Island offer parkland golf among oak, beech and old limestone quarries, in a climate softened by the sea. To the south, less than an hour's drive away, Old Head Golf Links has to itself a cliff-bound headland reaching more than three kilometres into the Atlantic, facing the lighthouse. The setting alone justifies the journey, and the day extends easily into Kinsale.

Away from golf, the county lends itself to days without clubs: the Midleton distillery, Cobh and Spike Island in the middle of the harbour, the colourful streets of Kinsale. Three to five nights are enough to play all three courses, add a visit and book a serious dinner. The great links of Kerry, further west, deserve a trip of their own.

The courses

Parkland green lined with tall oaks in autumn colours, a pond and reeds, overcast sky

Old Head Golf Links

  • Architect: Ron Kirby, Joe Carr, Eddie Hackett, Paddy Merrigan, Liam Higgins
  • Opened 1997
  • 18 holes
  • Par 72

Opened in 1997, Old Head occupies a headland of some 90 hectares running more than three kilometres into the Atlantic, south-west of Kinsale. The layout, the work of a team bringing together Ron Kirby, Joe Carr, Eddie Hackett, Paddy Merrigan and Liam Higgins, puts many holes on the edge of cliffs almost 90 metres high, with the 1853 lighthouse as a marker. A par 72 with five par 5s and five par 3s, it changes character with the wind. Access to the headland is limited to golfers and residents: this is a course for the experience, and it rewards choosing the right tees above all.

Signature hole. The 17th, a long par 5, asks for a demanding second shot towards a green set in a hollow on the very edge of the cliff.

Official website

Fota Island Resort, Deerpark Course

  • Architect: Christy O'Connor Jnr, Peter McEvoy; Jeff Howes (1999)
  • Opened 1993
  • 18 holes
  • Par 71

On Fota Island, in Cork Harbour, the Deerpark Course was designed by Christy O'Connor Jnr and Peter McEvoy and opened in 1993, then reworked by Jeff Howes, with every green rebuilt, reopening in 1999 to European Tour standard. It hosted the Irish Open in 2001, won by Colin Montgomerie, in 2002 and in 2014. The course unfolds across an estate of more than 300 hectares, among centuries-old oaks, ponds and meadows. A par 71 of around 7,000 yards from the back tees, it follows the island's natural contours and suits every level.

Signature hole. The 10th, a par 5 that funnels between the trees before turning sharply left towards a green bordered by water, invites you to go for it in two or lay up with care.

Official website

Cork Golf Club

  • Architect: Alister MacKenzie
  • 18 holes
  • Par 72

Founded in 1888, Cork Golf Club occupies a promontory of Little Island on Lough Mahon, in the inner harbour, about fifteen minutes from the centre. Alister MacKenzie, later the architect of Augusta National, redesigned it in 1925, making use of a former limestone quarry and rolling, almost links-like ground. Its greens are large, contoured and fast in summer. The club hosted the Irish Open in 1932 and counts Jimmy Bruen, winner of the British Amateur in 1946, among its notable members. A private members' club that welcomes visitors, and one for lovers of architecture.

Signature hole. From the 6th, a short par 4, to the 11th, several holes are played in the old quarry, between rock faces and views over the water.

Official website

Where to stay

Hayfield Manor

A five-star family-owned house near University College Cork, less than two kilometres from the centre, Hayfield Manor has 88 rooms in almost a hectare of gardens, a spa and an indoor pool. Afternoon tea is served in Orchids to a classical piano, with the house's own pastries, and only by reservation. The right choice for dining in town at night and reaching Fota Island or Little Island in about twenty minutes.

Castlemartyr Resort

East of Midleton, about twenty-five minutes from Cork, Castlemartyr Resort occupies a wooded estate of almost 90 hectares around an 18th-century manor house, beside the ruins of an eight-hundred-year-old castle. Opened in 2008, it has 108 rooms and suites, residences, a spa and an inland links by Ron Kirby. To sleep in the manor itself, ask for a State Room, facing the lake or the parterre.

Fota Island Resort

Beside the Deerpark Course, about fifteen minutes from Cork, the resort that has hosted the Irish Open three times has 131 rooms, eight suites and self-contained lodges for families and groups. Ask for a room with a balcony over the estate, and have lunch after your round at the Clubhouse, a restored stone farmhouse overlooking the course. Fota Wildlife Park next door will keep non-golfers busy.

Georgian manor house in pale stone behind a garden of clipped box and a gravel drive, tall trees in autumn

Where to dine

Terre

In the manor house at Castlemartyr, Terre serves a tasting menu awarded two stars by the Michelin Guide. The chef's cooking draws on Asian influences, with highly worked sauces, and several dishes are finished at the table. There are few services a week: book at the same time as your room.

Goldie

On Oliver Plunkett Street, in the centre of Cork, Goldie cooks fish from the county's coast with a "fin to gill" approach: the menu changes daily with the catch. A lively room, a counter and fair prices; the restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide.

Farmgate Café

Upstairs in the English Market, the Farmgate Café has served seasonal cooking for more than twenty-five years, made with produce from the stalls below, down to Cork specialities such as tripe and drisheen. Open in the daytime, Monday to Saturday: the ideal lunch on a rest day, above the bustle of the market.

Beyond golf

Midleton and whiskey

In Midleton, east of Cork, the old distillery, closed in 1975 when production moved to the new plant next door, now houses the Jameson Experience. The guided tour takes in mills, maltings, waterwheel and warehouses before a comparative tasting. The modern distillery produces Jameson, but also Redbreast, Powers and Midleton Very Rare.

Cobh and Spike Island

From the quay at Cobh, a ferry crosses to Spike Island, in the middle of the harbour. The island carries Fort Mitchel, a fortress that served as a prison from 1847 to 2004; in the mid-19th century it was among the largest prisons in the British Empire. Guided tours, museums and trails give wide views over the harbour. Crossings are more frequent in summer.

Kinsale and the Old Head

A fishing port with brightly painted fronts, Kinsale is the gateway to Old Head and one of the county's food stops, with a Michelin-starred restaurant among others. Off the headland, the Lusitania was torpedoed on 7 May 1915, about 18 kilometres from the coast. The present lighthouse dates from 1853, and the headland keeps the remains of a castle built by the de Courcys around 1223.

Blue, yellow and red houses along a quay, fishing boats beached at low tide, green hills

When to go

The season runs from May to September: long days, mild temperatures and courses in their best condition. The south of Ireland stays damp all year, but showers pass quickly. April and October are playable and quieter, with shorter days and more wind. Old Head closes in winter and reopens in late April, while Fota Island and Little Island stay open, on heavier ground.

Getting there

Cork Airport (ORK), about seven kilometres from the centre, is a quarter of an hour by road from the city and about 45 minutes from Old Head; it has links to several European cities. Shannon is about two hours' drive away, Dublin about three, and trains run from Dublin Heuston to Cork Kent. Once there, a car with driver is the simplest way to move between courses.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best golf course near Cork?

Old Head Golf Links, opened in 1997 on a cliff-bound headland near Kinsale, is the most spectacular. For architecture, Cork Golf Club at Little Island, redesigned by Alister MacKenzie in 1925, is the other great classic.

How long does it take to get from Cork to Old Head?

About 45 minutes from Cork Airport, a little longer from the city centre. The road passes through Kinsale, about twenty minutes from the course.

When is Old Head Golf Links open?

The course closes in winter. It is open from late April to late October; check the exact season dates on the club's website before booking.

Where has the Irish Open been played in Cork?

On the Deerpark Course at Fota Island in 2001, 2002 and 2014, and at Cork Golf Club, Little Island, in 1932.

How many nights do you need for a golf trip to Cork?

Three to five nights let you play Old Head, Fota Island and Cork Golf Club, with a day for Midleton, Cobh or Kinsale.

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