DESTINATION GOLF 2026
Old Head
Fota Island
Fota Island boasts 27 holes, exceptional practice facilities, a fine hotel and an equally fine clubhouse. It has hosted the Irish Open on three occasions and the beautiful maturity of its island setting suggests that it has been here for decades. The resort covers 580 acres with Fota Wildlife Park the island’ s only other resident. This is a lovely lazy round of golf. Despite all the trees and lakes, the fairways are big and generous. Fota Island is laid out to be pleasurable and there is so much pleasure to be had … off the tee, on approaches and on the smooth putting surfaces.
Adare Manor
Known as‘ The Golf Course at Adare Manor’ the new Adare opened to great fanfare in 2018. Tom Fazio’ s redesign was eagerly anticipated and while the routing has not changed every green, tee and bunker has been replaced, and fairways re-shaped. Thousands of trees have been cleared to make it more playable and rough is minimal. Apart from the water features and River Maigue you shouldn’ t lose a ball here. But you could lose your head around raised greens which boast vast aprons and steep slopes. Your greatest challenge on this immaculately maintained course( with sub-air technology) is holding that putting surface. The Ryder Cup arrives in 2027.
Old Head
The resort covers 580 acres with Fota Wildlife Park the island’ s only other resident. This is a lovely lazy round of golf.
Bold and dramatic, Old Head is undoubtedly one of the world’ s greatest golfing experiences. The peninsula south of Kinsale blossoms like a pearl earring, dropping into the Atlantic Ocean. It promises tees and greens perched on 300 foot cliffs, with half of the holes sitting above the raging sea. The bravery required on some shots – the 4th, 12th and 18th, for example, as well as the par-3s – will leave you dizzy. Fairways are sublimely presented, so smooth and immaculate that it feels almost wrong to play shots off them … but this is a bucket list destination so that won’ t hold you back. And the course is surprisingly generous, assuming you can tear your eyes away from the drama around you.
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