Waterville

To the trained eye, telling apart a century-old course from newer ones is not normally a difficult task. But at the furthest end of the famous Ring of Kerry, this spectacular course isn't all it seems. 

The coastal drive attracts tourists the world over, who are transported by the coach load around precarious bends and narrow lanes to watch the Atlantic Ocean crashing into the Irish shores but, to golf fans, Waterville remains the highlight. 
 
Few courses built in recent times can boast either the natural advantages or the lofty ambitions of Waterville, on Ireland’s West Coast. Already a links of worldwide renown, Waterville has recently undergone a multi-phase redevelopment under the instruction of American designer Tom Fazio. The result is a links that combines tradition with bold invention, and on barely a single hole does the pace slacken.
 
Nor should it, because no stone has been left unturned – quite literally – in creating a course that is stunning more or less from start to finish. In an age when so many courses boast championship pedigree it is worth emphasising that Waterville is very much the real thing. 
 

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Much like Kingsbarns, Waterville began life as a modest nine-holer over 100 years ago and fell into disuse before being resurrected.

 

It was in the early 1970s that John Mulcahy, an Irish-born American, bought the land and, with the help of Eddie Hackett, set about transforming it into something resembling that which stands today.

 

He sold the property to a group of Irish-Americans in the 1980s, and they brought in Fazio to carry out upgrades. His principal brief was to work on the flatter terrain the front nine occupies and create an outward half as memorable as the inward one. The American described the site as “truly spectacular” and “one of the best I have seen for golf”.

 
American designer Tom Fazio's work means this is a links that combines tradition with bold invention, and on barely a single hole does the pace slacken.

 

It was here that Mark O’Meara warmed up before winning the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale in 1998. Payne Stewart was such an enthusiastic and regular guest that he was invited to become the club’s millennium captain before his tragic death in a plane crash in 1999. A statue of him stands in front of the clubhouse.
 

Waterville is a links that combines the best of both worlds. The stunning natural setting houses a collection of holes that simply follow the lines dictated by the land. And where Mother Nature has not been so considerate of golfers, modern techniques have been introduced so that what were once the weaker holes are now entirely worthy in their own right. With water on three sides of the course, MacGillycuddy’s Reeks on the other and holes that plough relentlessly through the dunes, this is golf on a grand scale. From the back tees Waterville now stretches to a mighty 7,300 yards.

 

The opening hole is called ‘Last Easy’, and while there may be an element of tongue-in-cheek about such a description, the point is made that good scores have to be earned every inch of the way here. That much is apparent as early as the 2nd , a formidable par 4 that mercifully runs downhill towards the green, behind which are the first views of Ballinskelligs Bay.
 
The 3rd hole is the only one on the course lacking a links feel to it – there is even a palm tree beside the water that runs down the right of the fairway – but the first of the short holes, the gorgeous 4th, is a more accurate sign of what is to come.
 
What goes down must come back up, and the price for playing down to the shore on the 2nd and 6th is repaid at the 7th, a hole Fazio created from scratch. By moving earth and designing a dogleg lined by a stream, he did his utmost to divert attention from what is a significant rise in elevation on a hole that tends to play much longer than the yardage suggests.

 

Many believe the 11th, ‘Tranquillity’, to be the best par five in Ireland and it is easy to see why. Played in magnificent isolation down a channel through the dunes, it is a classic seaside hole. Then comes the ‘Mass Hole’, so-called because it was here in the dell between green and tee that the locals used to congregate in the dark days to avoid prosecution. This point-to-point par 3 12th is at its hardest when the wind is swirling.

As all great courses do, Waterville builds to a crescendo. It begins with the remodelled par-four 16th, where former club professional Liam Higgins once recorded an outrageous hole-in-one, and continues through to the unusual 18th, a mighty par 5 which was strengthened by Fazio to provide a more dramatic finish.
 

Where is Waterville Golf Links located?
Waterville Golf Links is situated in the village of Waterville, a charming coastal settlement situated on the Iveragh Peninsula. The course is based in County Kerry and overlooks Ballinskelligs Bay to the southwest of the country. The city of Killarney is 35 miles to the northeast, while Cork is around 90 miles to the east of Waterville.

Killarney is also home to the nearest train station, with services running between Tralee in the west and Mallow in the east. For international travellers, Kerry Airport and Cork Airport are both within 100 miles of Waterville Golf Links.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?
Waterville is one of several venues on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland list to be located in the southwestern corner of the Republic. Dooks and Killarney - home to the Killeen Course and Mahony's Point Course - are both within 35 miles of Waterville.

What golf facilities does Waterville Golf Links offer?  
Along with the glorious 18-hole golf course, Waterville Golf Links is also home to a full-length driving range, which sits alongside the opening hole and has both grass and matted tees to play from. The club also has a short game area, along with a putting green, for those finishing touches before you take to the course.
 

What are the green fees at Waterville Golf Links?
The price of a green fee at Waterville Golf Links changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

 

For more information on current green fees at Waterville, visit their website here. 

Visit Waterville's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.