Ballybunion is on Ireland's SW County Kerry Coast
We enjoyed a golf trip to Ireland’s County Kerry on the southwest coast, and had the pleasure of playing Ballybunion where they have two 18 hole courses, the Old and Cashen, where golf has been played since 1893. The Old Course is classic linksland, rolling and tumbling sandhills at the intersection of where River Shannon enters the Atlantic Ocean. It’s said that the original architects were M. Smyth and P. Murphy, along with later additions and revisions by A. Snowball, Lionel Hewson, Old Tom Morris, James Braid, Tom Simpson, Eddie Hackett, and finally Tom Watson. It’s regarded as possibly the finest links course in the world. From the regular tees measures 6,200 yards, but with the wind, blind shots, and narrow fairways… it wasn’t my best round on the trip, although it was the most enjoyable. It’s routed through the sand hills on the shoreline, some holes actually feel like the fairways are tunneled through the dunes. There’s a half dozen bland holes in the beginning here where you wonder why this is ranked as one of the world’s best, but starting with #7, you will find are some stellar holes and challenge, and will understand.
Tom Watson declared the Old course, the best links course in the world
The second course there, the Cashen Course is worth the time to play, but not on the same standards. It’s the baby and opened in 1984, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and is probably on more stellar ground than the Old. Jones was never known for designing links courses and it shows here. There are a number of quirky and odd holes not based in the spirit of links design. The walks between greens and tees is a bit long, and the directional signage was not only a distraction, but confusing. The course has some greens which are poorly and unfairly contoured, fairways and landing areas which are just too narrow, impossible forced carries, along with elevation changes which made it tough to walk, and enjoy a 36 hole day. There are a couple of special holes here like the par three 3rd hole, the perched green at the 7th, and the 12th, a 210 one shotter. Maybe the course takes some getting used to on the routing, and I think that’s the main problem here. You come here to Ballybunion and are rewarded with a classic, intuitive course with the Old, but then on the Cashen, its a bit more to figure out, and seeming a bit contrived.
Ballybunion also has the Cashen Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, SR
Overall we thought the Old was thoroughly delightful, especially the 7th and 11th holes at more than 400 yards each, offer everything that is good about the game of golf. Fantastic experience, very windy, and a bit of rain. The Cashen Course had a couple of brilliant holes, but it didn’t have the panache of the Old or the pedigree, but if you have the time, it’s worthy as a second course. For all its hype, our group favored Tralee and Lahinch before Ballybunion, mostly because of its sleeper front nine.
Guest post by Michael O’Malley, if you’d like have a golf course review profiled, please post it below. Cheers!
