Killarney Golf & Fishing Club (Mahony's Point)
Killarney, Co. Kerry · Designed by Sir Guy Campbell / Henry Longhurst
Henry Longhurst co-designed Mahony's Point in 1939 alongside architect Sir Guy Campbell. Longhurst was the great golf writer of his generation — the man who brought the game to television — and this was one of the few courses he helped create. He called the 18th hole "a lovely place to die" and "the best short hole in the world." Both claims are extravagant. Neither is entirely wrong.
The par-3 18th requires a carry of nearly 200 yards over a corner of Lough Leane to a green framed by tall Scots pines, with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks — Ireland's highest mountain range — behind. It is one of the most photographed finishing holes in Irish golf, and in evening light with the lake still and the mountains catching the last sun, it becomes something else again. The course plays three lakeside finishing holes in sequence, building toward that moment.
Mahony's Point is the more forgiving of the two Killarney championship courses — shorter, slightly less demanding, and better suited to mid-to-high handicappers than Killeen. It was created from the same original 1939 layout. The 700 native red deer that roam the estate move between both courses freely.
Holes worth knowing
- 118th — "Heaven's Reflex" (par-3, ~196 yards): A carry over a corner of Lough Leane to a green framed by Scots pines, with the MacGillycuddy's Reeks behind. Longhurst called it "the best short hole in the world." Play it in the evening — the light on the mountains and the lough going still makes it genuinely difficult to remember your score.
Highlights
- Par 3 18th over Lough Leane
- Killarney National Park
- Three-course complex
Good to know
- →Play this course in the late afternoon if you can arrange it. The 18th in evening light — Reeks catching the last sun, lake going still — is one of those experiences that makes Irish golf different from golf anywhere else.
- →This is the more forgiving course for higher handicappers. If your group has mixed abilities, start here before Killeen.
- →Same club, same booking system, same deer as Killeen. Two days at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club — one on each course — is the right approach.
- →The par-3 18th is one of the most photographed holes in Irish golf. Bring a phone, but also just stand there for a moment without it.
- →Muckross House and its gardens are 10 minutes from the course — a Victorian manor donated to the Irish nation in 1932. The walled garden in summer is worth an hour.
Visitor Information
Getting There
Common questions
What is the famous 18th hole at Mahony's Point?
The 18th at Mahony's Point is a par three played over an inlet of Lough Leane to a green that appears to float in the lake. It is one of the most photographed finishing holes in Irish golf — the backdrop of the MacGillycuddy's Reeks and the mirror of the lake make it genuinely memorable regardless of what number you make. In good conditions the shot is straightforward; in wind off the lake it becomes something else entirely.
How does Mahony's Point compare to the Killeen Course?
Mahony's Point is slightly shorter and, in most opinions, the second-best of the three Killarney courses. The Killeen is the championship layout and the one most visitors prioritise. Mahony's Point has the more famous finishing hole and a slightly more relaxed character throughout. Both are exceptional parkland inside Killarney National Park.
How do I book Mahony's Point?
Both Killarney courses — Killeen and Mahony's Point — book through GolfNow with reliable online availability.
Where should I stay in Killarney for golf?
The Killarney Park Hotel is the finest option in the town — small, excellent, and a short walk from the course. The Lake Hotel is on Lough Leane itself and has the best views of any Killarney hotel. For a pint in the evening, The Laurels on Main Street has been run by the O'Leary family for four generations and over a century — proper traditional pub, tiled floors, live music most nights. Jimmy Brien's on High Street pours one of the better pints in Killarney. Kenmare — forty-five minutes south — is smaller and less touristy, with better restaurants, and is a good alternative base for Kerry golf.
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