Ireland Golf Adventure, Part 2: Ballybunion & Old Head — Saving the Best for Last

After battling the Irish winds, dodging sideways rain, and making peace with the fact that my golf score was basically “abstract art,” we saved the best for last: Ballybunion and Old Head. And let me tell you — these two courses didn’t just deliver; they stole the show.

Ballybunion — Pure Irish Magic

Ballybunion is the kind of course that makes you forget about everything else. Nestled along the wild Atlantic coast, it feels like stepping into a postcard — towering dunes, endless ocean views, and a layout that dares you to think you can outsmart it. (Spoiler: you can’t.)

The fairways twisted and turned like roller coasters, the greens rolled faster than a pint sliding across a pub table, and the bunkers? Let’s just say they were more like small craters. My caddie had a wicked sense of humor, too — every time I asked if a shot was “safe,” he’d grin and say, “Well… safe-ish.”

Despite the challenges, Ballybunion felt joyful. The kind of round where you’re grinning like a fool even when the wind eats your ball alive. It was golf as it’s meant to be: fun, humbling, and spectacularly beautiful.

Old Head — The Grand Finale

And then came Old Head Golf Links. Imagine teeing off on a clifftop that plunges hundreds of feet into crashing waves, with 360° views of the Atlantic stretching forever. That’s Old Head. It doesn’t just sit on the edge of the world — it is the edge of the world.

Every hole looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine. The cliffs, the lighthouse, the endless sea… it was the kind of setting where you stop mid-round just to breathe it all in. And the golf? Brutal and brilliant. Fairways as narrow as

tightropes, greens guarded like Fort Knox, and winds that seemed personally offended by every shot I hit.

But here’s the thing: I didn’t care. None of us did. This wasn’t about the scorecard anymore. It was about the thrill of playing somewhere so dramatic, so unforgettable, that you’d swear you were in a movie.

Wrapping It Up

And just like that, the trip was over. Six world-class courses, new friends from all over, caddies who kept us laughing, and weather that made sure we earned every single pint of Guinness.

Ireland gave us golf that was wild, unpredictable, and absolutely magical. If you ever get the chance to play there — take it. Don’t worry about your swing, don’t worry about your score… just pack extra rain gear, bring a sense of humor, and prepare for the golfing adventure of a lifetime.