Loads of quality courses to link up with ...
KERRY’S links courses have earned a sterling reputation both nationally and internationally. Basically, they are a gem to have along our coastline and we should make the most of them given their quality. However, it’s interesting to note how the creation of The Wild Atlantic Way is now helping to enhance and broaden their appeal and profile to a wider audience as visitors look to enjoy the wonderful links courses and scenery they offer.
Links courses are geographical gems incorporating nature, scenery and challenging conditions which golfers can’t get enough of. Venues like the Arnold Palmer designed Tralee Golf Club, Ballybunion, Ceann Sibeal, and Waterville are among some of the most renowned links courses in the world. These are hugely popular courses in Kerry and even if your golf skills are such that you should stick to the day job, it matters little as the most fulfilling part is getting out there to enjoy and savour the coastal experience.
There’s no shortage of testimonials either. The 2014 USA Ryder Cup captain, Tom Watson, once finished a game of golf in Ballybunion’s old course and remarked that “a man might think the game of golf originated here” owing to the course’s natural feel, while famous golf course architect, Tom Farzo, said of Waterville: “The setting is one of the best I’ve seen for golf.”
Golf tours are by far the fastest growing form of tourism in Kerry in recent years. Historically, golf tours were largely confined to visiting overseas tourists, but nowadays there’s somewhat of an overlap between golf ‘tours’ and golf ‘outings’ due the influx of local people playing the game. The one positive aspect of all this is that there is now plenty of choice. It’s just a matter of forming a society, picking a course, making a date, hiring a coach, and the rest falls into place.
Many links courses around the world are out of reach for most people, but that’s not really an issue in a county like Kerry where its links courses are among the best in the world. A third of the world’s links courses are in Ireland and Kerry is a serious player when it comes to the best of them.