In its current form, this fantastic course was created by the Irish-American businessman John A. Mulcahy in conjunction with Eddie Hackett during the late 1960s. They immediately understood the potential for creating a golfing gem. The resulting course offers challenging play where no two holes are alike, and you will need to brush up on your links golf short game to shine.
Waterville golf course is widely acknowledged as one of the toughest and most scenic classic links courses in the world. You play against the natural elements as much as the course layout itself, all of which serves to deliver a stern challenge for golfers of all abilities. This is one reason Waterville so well known for multi-generation golf: since the 1980s they’ve hosted the Annual World Invitation championships for Fathers and Sons, and introduced a Fathers and Daughters competition which has been played every year since 2007.
About Waterville golf club – Brief history
- Originated in 1889 as a 9-hole course
- Closed during the 1950s
- Remained abandoned until John A Mulcahy, a local who'd emigrated in 1924, returned in the 1960s
- Multi-millionaire Mulcahy collaborated with US Masters winner Claude Harmon and Dublin golf architect Eddie Hackett to redesign the course
- In 1973 the current 18-hole course was opened
- Sold to a group of golf-loving Irish Americans in 1987
- In the mid-200s international golf architect Tom Fazio was commissioned to update Eddie Hackett's original masterpiece, including a lot of work on coastal management to protect the links from the encroaching waters
- Known as Payne Stewart's favourite golf club
- Voted no 3 in Golf World's Ireland Top 100 courses for 2015
- Local golfer Liam Higgins, who once famously holed the 16th in one, had his ashes scattered here
Waterville golf club scorecard
Click here to view the scorecard
Featured hole – Hole 17
For many players Waterville's exceptional 17th hole, Mulcahy's Peak, qualifies as the course's signature hole, with a green and tee sitting high up above the dunes. The views are impeccable, but on the downside, you're left fully exposed to the danger of powerful sea gales. Mulcahy’s Peak plays 194 yards from the back tees and has little room for error, despite the green itself being large and forgiving. While the water to your right should not be in play, it almost always is!
Known for its blissful isolation
Waterville Golf Course enjoys a truly stunning location, and an unusual level of isolation which means it's particularly popular for golfing vacations. Awe-inspiring Atlantic views and the distant Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Ireland's highest mountain range, really set the scene. Add in six particularly strong holes and you can see why dedicated golfers from all over the world make the effort to get here.
Waterville golfing vacations
Would you like to experience a Waterville golf break for yourself? At The Experience Ireland we have all the knowledge and expertise required to deliver superb golf vacations to golf lovers like you. All our packages can be tailored to your specification to create the golf holiday of a lifetime. Contact us to make a booking or find out more.
Featured Waterville Golf Package:
South West 4 Nights 4&5* Programme: The South West coast of Ireland has a long-established reputation as one of the best golfing areas in the world and our Irish golf breaks are designed to show you the very best the region has to offer. Our Waterville golf deal includes 4 amazing rounds of golf on world-famous courses, including Waterville itself, Tralee, Ballybunion Old and Old Head. The 4* Randles Court Hotel and 5* Killarney Park Hotel will be your hosts for the length of your stay, each providing lavish accommodation and a full daily Irish Breakfast to enjoy, as well as an evening meal in your hotel one evening. Return airport transfers as well as transfers to and from the golf courses each day are all included as standard