Golf Courses in Kerry

Waesfjord

Hi,

I'm planning a trip down to Sneem, Kerry for a week at the end of September and want to book a few rounds of golf.

Would anyone recommend which are the better courses down there that aree worth a visit and where might offer the best deals for a couple of Irish people (not mad prices paid by tourists), preferably with say <=45minutes travel time, the shorted the better.

Cheers:D

delthedriver

Dooks Golf Club, Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry, fabulous links course, breathtaking scenery, contact the office in Dooks . I am sure they will look after you . See their website Dooks.com for details. You will be made feel very welcome

Waesfjord

thanks for the info:cool:

delthedriver

brian1976 wrote: »

thanks for the info:cool:

You are most welcome Brian.
May I suggest not playing Ring of Kerry Golf Club unless you are a very low handicap golfer or a mountain goat!
Kenmare golf club is nice also, parkland course.
Waterville can be expensive.
Jewel in the crown is Dooks!
If I can be of further assistance please feel free to contact me

Waesfjord

cheers.

I've seen the peninsula pass advertised, link below which gives ytou three rounds (Ring of Kerry, Skellig Bay and Dooks) for €99. Would you be familiar with Skellig Bay and if pricing is competitive I guess?

http://www.peninsulapass.com/

I also see Kenmare golf Club have a sel at the minute for 32 for two people which seems very good value.

http://golf.justtreats.com/deal/cork/kenmaregolfclubaug?utm_campaign=MyDealPage_212257&aflId=1174&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydealpage.ie%2F&utm_source=MyDealPage&src=vendexo&utm_medium=AffiliateAPI&vxaf-ctr=472483&vxaf-ref=Q7SSVR

MP62

brian1976 wrote: »

cheers.

I've seen the peninsula pass advertised, link below which gives ytou three rounds (Ring of Kerry, Skellig Bay and Dooks) for €99. Would you be familiar with Skellig Bay and if pricing is competitive I guess?

http://www.peninsulapass.com/

I also see Kenmare golf Club have a sel at the minute for 32 for two people which seems very good value.

http://golf.justtreats.com/deal/cork/kenmaregolfclubaug?utm_campaign=MyDealPage_212257&aflId=1174&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydealpage.ie%2F&utm_source=MyDealPage&src=vendexo&utm_medium=AffiliateAPI&vxaf-ctr=472483&vxaf-ref=Q7SSVR

Both of those deals represent good value and at those prices you can't go wrong, Skellig bay is a fine track, also re. Ring of Kerry GC, I'd always take someone elses opinion(my own included) with a pinch of salt and make up my own mind after playing it myself, the Ring is a good track with some great holes and fantastic views, it is abit worse for wear with all the recent rain, but if you get a fine day it's well worth it.

delthedriver

brian1976 wrote: »

cheers.

I've seen the peninsula pass advertised, link below which gives ytou three rounds (Ring of Kerry, Skellig Bay and Dooks) for €99. Would you be familiar with Skellig Bay and if pricing is competitive I guess?

http://www.peninsulapass.com/

I also see Kenmare golf Club have a sel at the minute for 32 for two people which seems very good value.

http://golf.justtreats.com/deal/cork/kenmaregolfclubaug?utm_campaign=MyDealPage_212257&aflId=1174&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydealpage.ie%2F&utm_source=MyDealPage&src=vendexo&utm_medium=AffiliateAPI&vxaf-ctr=472483&vxaf-ref=Q7SSVR

Hi Brian,

To be fair €99 is very good value to play all three courses. Skeilig Bay is probably the newest of the courses, it is a nice course ,interesting. If you get some nice weather ,which is normal for September, I think you will have a great time. I agree with other op, there are fantastic views and scenery in Ring of Kerry GC. Dooks is one of the oldest golf courses in the country, which IMO is worth the€99 alone. I believe you got a fantastic deal there. enjoy! Would be delighted to get your feedbackon all 3 courses after your golfing break
Ps. Dooks is popular with celebs. You never know who you may meet there!

Luckycharm

Played Castlegregory last week a fantastic 9 holes links probally the best 9 holes course I have played proper links - miss fairway ball gone or nearly unplayable.

Johnny_Fontane

Kenmare is good, ring of kerry is well worth a look, so proper crazy holes on that course with massive drops in elevation and blind tee shots. Dooks as people said is excellent.

But right beside you is parknasilla. Its the only 12 hole course I know, which generally is a bad thing, but in this case its really not.

Its a very tidy parkland that is worth a visit. I'd say you'd get out there for €10-15.

I was down in Sneem myself recently and ring of kerry is 20 minutes, kenmare 25 and parknasilla 5 minutes. Dooks is a good 50 minutes across some nice mountain territory!

link_2007

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Kenmare is good, ring of kerry is well worth a look, so proper crazy holes on that course with massive drops in elevation and blind tee shots. Dooks as people said is excellent.

But right beside you is parknasilla. Its the only 12 hole course I know, which generally is a bad thing, but in this case its really not.

Its a very tidy parkland that is worth a visit. I'd say you'd get out there for €10-15.

I was down in Sneem myself recently and ring of kerry is 20 minutes, kenmare 25 and parknasilla 5 minutes. Dooks is a good 50 minutes across some nice mountain territory!

I was staying in Parknasilla a couple of months ago for a wedding and played the course twice. I was very pleasantly surprised by the condition of it thoroughly enjoyed both rounds. There are some lovely holes there.

I think it's €15 for 12 holes for non hotel residents.

pedroeibar1

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Kenmare is good, ring of kerry is well worth a look, so proper crazy holes on that course with massive drops in elevation and blind tee shots. Dooks as people said is excellent.

But right beside you is parknasilla. Its the only 12 hole course I know, which generally is a bad thing, but in this case its really not.

Its a very tidy parkland that is worth a visit. I'd say you'd get out there for €10-15.

I was down in Sneem myself recently and ring of kerry is 20 minutes, kenmare 25 and parknasilla 5 minutes. Dooks is a good 50 minutes across some nice mountain territory!

Good post. If staying around Sneem, Dooks is a long drive from there and on bad roads. Parknasilla is probably the most scenic, my first choice, then Kenmare, then Ring of Kerry.

EauRouge79

Skellig Bay is a nice course, just played it on Saturday. A bit soft in places which surprised me given its location.
If you have a windy day then its not as enjoyable as you have very little protection. Facilities at the club are basic but still a very well designed course.

MP62

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Good post. If staying around Sneem, Dooks is a long drive from there and on bad roads. Parknasilla is probably the most scenic, my first choice, then Kenmare, then Ring of Kerry.

Dooks is only 57mins from Parknasilla according to google maps, so you could do it in 50mins no problem, also it's one of the most scenic drives in Kerry over the less well known Ballaghbeama gap.
Just in case you don't already know, a 50 min drive on scenic roads feels like nothing.

EauRouge79 wrote: »

Skellig Bay is a nice course, just played it on Saturday. A bit soft in places which surprised me given its location.
If you have a windy day then its not as enjoyable as you have very little protection. Facilities at the club are basic but still a very well designed course.

+1 Skellig bay is a good tough track (if played from the blues) but surely there's no surprise that it was soft in places seen as it's located on mainly peaty soil i.e it's not a links.
Also it's a rare day you will not get no wind there, which IMO only adds to the experience, i.e. it makes it tougher still and you rarely get to play it the same way twice.

Anatom

Waterville, Waterville, Waterville! I can't speak highly enough of it. It has better views than Dooks and is ten times' better. I know its expensive, but in my view it is well worth the cost.

Dooks is beautiful, great scenery etc. and is a very good course too. I would certainly have the two of them on my list of three to play.

Don't bother with Skellig Bay. Its bog-like. I tried to play it back in March and again a couple of weeks back but it after walking onto a couple of the holes, decided against it.

Kenmare's not bad and Parknasilla is entertaining too, and looks to represent pretty good value, especially if you're staying nearby.

Finally, I don't agree that a 50-min from Sneem to Glenbeigh is an easy drive. Yes, its scenic, if the weather's fine and clear, but its a windy road and frustrating if you get stuck behind a bus or slow car!!

MP62

Anatom wrote: »

Waterville, Waterville, Waterville! I can't speak highly enough of it. It has better views than Dooks and is ten times' better. I know its expensive, but in my view it is well worth the cost.

Dooks is beautiful, great scenery etc. and is a very good course too. I would certainly have the two of them on my list of three to play.

Don't bother with Skellig Bay. Its bog-like. I tried to play it back in March and again a couple of weeks back but it after walking onto a couple of the holes, decided against it.

Kenmare's not bad and Parknasilla is entertaining too, and looks to represent pretty good value, especially if you're staying nearby.

Finally, I don't agree that a 50-min from Sneem to Glenbeigh is an easy drive. Yes, its scenic, if the weather's fine and clear, but its a windy road and frustrating if you get stuck behind a bus or slow car!!

I would have thought Waterville went without saying, plus the OP said he doesn't want to pay mad money, and it's unlikely you'll get Waterville for less then €120.
Regarding Skellig Bay, I'd be surprised if it wasn't saturated after the non stop rain for the last 3 months, but since the rain stopped last Friday, we have had 5 full days of sunshine and the drying has been extraordinary, so I'd be surprised if by now the course hasn't dried out like everywhere else.
Finally if the drive over Ballagbeama scares you that much, I'm surprised you'd ever leave the M50, afaik there are no buses on the Ballaghbeama pass and there are tons of places where cars can pull into to leave you pass, so yes if you are an extremely impatient and/or nervous driver then it's not a drive for you.

pedroeibar1

MP62 wrote: »

Finally if the drive over Ballagbeama scares you that much, I'm surprised you'd ever leave the M50, afaik there are no buses on the Ballaghbeama pass and there are tons of places where cars can pull into to leave you pass, so yes if you are an extremely impatient and/or nervous driver then it's not a drive for you.

No need for comments like that. The OP want to play golf, on courses near Sneem, not go on a motoring holiday. I drive through Ballaghbeama regularly. It is a beautiful scenic drive, it could not be travelled by a bus, and in the last year or so the road has been upgraded in several places. However, the signage is almost nonexistent and a wrong turn would bring you to Blackstones Bridge / Cahirsiveen very easily, which, while interesting, is not where you want to be.

philip casey

Just played Ring of Kerry golf course today yes it's wet in places just like most other courses after the excessive rain. I have to say it has the finest greens i have played all year & would highly recommend you try it out.

Anatom

MP62 wrote: »

I would have thought Waterville went without saying, plus the OP said he doesn't want to pay mad money, and it's unlikely you'll get Waterville for less then €120.
Regarding Skellig Bay, I'd be surprised if it wasn't saturated after the non stop rain for the last 3 months, but since the rain stopped last Friday, we have had 5 full days of sunshine and the drying has been extraordinary, so I'd be surprised if by now the course hasn't dried out like everywhere else.
Finally if the drive over Ballagbeama scares you that much, I'm surprised you'd ever leave the M50, afaik there are no buses on the Ballaghbeama pass and there are tons of places where cars can pull into to leave you pass, so yes if you are an extremely impatient and/or nervous driver then it's not a drive for you.

Fair point re. Waterville expense, which I did acknowledge by the way. I got it for €75 during March and I can't remember what it was last month but nothing like €120. If you're down that part of the world and its not somewhere you normally go, I just think its a very worthwhile experience to play on what in my opinion is one of the best courses in the country. I hope you're right about Skellig Bay too. I may be coming across as unfair to it, but I have never liked it myself.

BTW, I'm not scared by the drive at all - I do quite a bit of it in that part of Kerry as it happens - but my (possibly misplaced) point was that driving for almost an hour across country isn't something that I'd enjoy doing when trying to get somewhere and I disagreed with the "its only 50mins" or whatever the line was. That's alright if I'm going sightseeing with the family, but not when rushing to play a round of golf.

Anyway, I hope the OP enjoys the golf, wherever you end up playing!!

jtown

Anybody play Kenmare recently. Is is very wet?
Due to play in the Brothers the weekend so just checking the conditions

murphdogg11

Ring of Kerry GC - played it once & never again.

Kenmare GC - enjoyed it & well worth playing.

Skellig Bay GC - very good golf course & well worth playing.

jtown

murphdogg11 wrote: »

Ring of Kerry GC - played it once & never again.

Kenmare GC - enjoyed it & well worth playing.

Skellig Bay GC - very good golf course & well worth playing.

went did you play Kenmare? Was it very wet

jod1983

jtown wrote: »

went did you play Kenmare? Was it very wet

Played Kenmare last weekend and its in fairly good nick, its after drying out a lot after the summer downpours but still one or two soft spots. The greens are in brillant condition.

jtown

jod1983 wrote: »

Played Kenmare last weekend and its in fairly good nick, its after drying out a lot after the summer downpours but still one or two soft spots. The greens are in brillant condition.

Very good.. hope it stays dry the weekend. Was there dropping in rough and placing in fairway?

jod1983

jtown wrote: »

Very good.. hope it stays dry the weekend. Was there dropping in rough and placing in fairway?

Placing on the fairways and drop in the rough, drop plugged ball in the rough as well.
For the sisters comp earlier this year they had placing everywhere and the course was in similar condition. Thats what i think ye might get.

Good luck with it,