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Waterville Golf Links

Waterville, Co. Kerry · Designed by Eddie Hackett · Est. 1889

Waterville occupies a narrow strip of land on the Iveragh Peninsula with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Ballinskelligs Bay on the other. Mountains rise behind the village. On most holes you can see both bodies of water at the same time. It is the kind of setting that makes it hard to concentrate on the golf, which is itself among the best in Ireland.

The course's roots go back to the 1880s when workers arrived to install the first transatlantic telegraph cable and needed somewhere to play. The links fell dormant when the cable station closed, and was rescued in 1968 by Jack Mulcahy, an Irish-born New York financier who wanted to build the most testing links in the world. He brought in Eddie Hackett, Ireland's foremost links architect, and the course opened in 1973. When Mulcahy died in 1994 at 88, his ashes were buried at the 17th tee — "Mulcahy's Peak" — the highest dune on the course. The hole is named for him.

Two very different famous visitors came to Waterville and never quite got over it. Charlie Chaplin spent ten summers here with his family from 1959, staying at the Butler Arms, fishing the local loughs, and going almost entirely unrecognised in pre-television rural Kerry. Payne Stewart accepted the club's honorary captaincy for the year 2000 — he was killed in a plane crash in October 1999 and never served. His bronze statue stands outside the clubhouse.

Holes worth knowing

111th — "Tranquility" (par-5, 496 yards): Runs through a deep dune valley in near-total isolation, the surrounding sand hills blocking out everything else on the course. Gary Player called it "the most beautiful and satisfying par five of them all." Hard to argue with him.
217th — "Mulcahy's Peak" (par-3, 194 yards): Played from the highest dune on the course toward a green with Ballinskelligs Bay stretching out behind it. Fully exposed to the Atlantic. Jack Mulcahy's ashes are buried at the tee — the man who built this course is watching every shot.

Highlights

Payne Stewart memorial connection
Tranquillity — famous par 5
Ring of Kerry setting

Good to know

→Payne Stewart's bronze statue is just outside the clubhouse — worth a moment before you head to the first tee. He loved this place, and it shows in how the club talks about him.
→The Butler Arms Hotel in the village has been run by the Huggard family since 1915. Charlie's Restaurant inside is among the best tables on the Ring of Kerry — local seafood, exceptional service. Book ahead.
→The 12th hole is called "The Mass Hole" — during the 18th century, Catholics held secret masses in the hollow between the tee and green, hidden from authorities. It is one of the most historically resonant par-3s you will ever play.
→Skellig Michael boat trips leave from Portmagee, 30 minutes away — the UNESCO-listed island monastery is otherworldly. Book weeks ahead in summer, trips depend on sea conditions.
→The Ring of Kerry is best driven anticlockwise to avoid coach buses. If you can spend two nights in the area rather than one, the pace of the whole trip changes.

Visitor Information

Getting There

1h 30min drive

2h 30min drive

Common questions

Is Waterville Golf Links worth the journey to remote Kerry?

Yes, without qualification. Waterville sits on a narrow strip of land between the Atlantic and Ballinskelligs Bay on the Ring of Kerry — a location that produces extraordinary light and weather. Payne Stewart accepted the honorary captaincy in 1999 — he died in a plane crash that October, and the club has honoured his memory ever since. It is less crowded than Ballybunion or Lahinch, and that relative quiet is itself a reason to go.

What is the famous Tranquillity hole at Waterville?

Tranquillity is a long par five that runs alongside the Atlantic — considered one of the most beautiful holes on the course. It plays downwind in one direction and into the prevailing wind in the other. The view back towards the dunes and the sea from this hole is the image most golfers take away from Waterville.

How do I book Waterville and how far in advance?

Book directly through the Waterville Golf Links website. One to two months ahead is often sufficient outside peak summer. June and July are busiest. The club does not use GolfNow.

What should I do beyond golf in Waterville?

The Skellig Ring road west of the village is spectacular. The Skelligs boat trips leave from Portmagee, about twenty minutes south, and should be booked separately well in advance. The Butler Arms hotel in the village has been feeding golfers for generations.