Waterville Golf Links

Overview: Waterville is a spectacular, soul-stirring links perched on a remote peninsula at the edge of the Ring of Kerry. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Ballinskelligs Bay, the course is a visual symphony of towering dunes, wide-open fairways, and pure, firm putting surfaces. It is a landscape of immense power and strategic challenge, where the wind and the surf are constant companions. Waterville is unique in the links world for its balance of classic design and modern scale, offering a playing experience that feels both ancient and contemporary, making it a mandatory pilgrimage for any lover of Irish golf.

History: While golf has been played on this site since the 1880s, the modern championship course was the vision of Irish-American John A. Mulcahy, who sought to create one of the most testing layouts in the world. He partnered with the legendary Eddie Hackett and Masters champion Claude Harmon to open the current 18-hole course in 1973. Later, Tom Fazio was commissioned to refine the layout, harmonizing the nines and ensuring that Waterville remained a top-tier global destination. The course has a deep connection to the late Payne Stewart, who was an honorary captain and a great admirer of the links, preparing there for his many Open Championship appearances.

Did You Know? The par-3 12th hole is known as the "Mass Hole." During the 18th century, when Catholicism was outlawed in Ireland, the local valley at this site was used for secret religious services. During construction, laborers refused to build on the floor of the valley, considering it "sacred ground," leading the architects to place the green on the hill overlooking the site. Additionally, the ashes of founder John A. Mulcahy are buried at the teeing ground of the signature 17th hole, "Mulcahy’s Peak," which sits on the highest dune on the course.