Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club, Co. Kerry
Driving through the gates of Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club you could be forgiven for thinking this is just another little 9-hole links golf course. However, drive a little further up the road, in towards the club house, and then the trees appear. What started off as looking like a links course, has suddenly become a parkland course! It seems like all the trees in this part of Co. Kerry are situated on this little crop of land. This golf course has suddenly gotten more challenging before I’ve even gotten out of the car!
Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club was opened in 1996 and is situated in a mature woodland overlooking Ballyheigue Beach. With some beautiful views on a sunny day, it is one of those courses that little is known about due to being overshadowed by some of the more famous courses in the surrounding vicinity.
Being a fan of the lesser-known courses, I made my way through the arches of the 18th century castle to the golf course to play it.
Below is my review of Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club.
Course layout (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)
The layout overall is a good testing layout. There’s a good mix of holes and you never play the same type of hole twice. It’s a course that keeps you on your toes and makes you think as you play. Strategy is key here and playing safe usually pays off.
Par 3’s
The par 3’s are two nice holes. The 6th is a good shot to get on to the green and with the woods as the backdrop is an eye-catching hole. The 8th has a totally different scenery in the background as now you are looking out over the beach below but is just as beautiful in its own way.
Par 4’s
The par 4’s are a great mix of holes. But they all have one thing in common. Strategy is key. To play this course well you need to plan your way around it. And stick to the plan! There are places you need to know where to land, and places you need to know where to avoid! It’s the type of layout that I love to see. And in Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club, it’s done really well!
Par 5’s
The two par 5’s are again good holes. The 2nd hole can be made easier by a great tee-shot where you can leave a mid-iron into the green. Alternatively, play the hole safe and walk away with an easy par. The 7th hole is a good challenge and is difficult to get to in two. It’s a hole you really benefit from just telling yourself it’s a lay-up hole as it takes the risk out of the equation.
Course condition (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆☆)
The condition of the course overall on the day I visited was ok. I can’t say it was amazing, and I can’t say it was bad. It had been a few days since greens and fairways were cut and this was obvious due to some of the growth on both. Even though the greens hadn’t been cut I could see how they were still in a pretty good condition and would roll well when cut.
Fairways again even though not nicely striped were still ok and with a fresh cut I could see them being good.
One thing did catch my eye though, and it was that some of the bunkers had clearly not been looked after. Some had grass growing in them and this is one thing I hate to see. The bunker edges also were messy and could have done with a tidying up. I would like to clarify that this was not all bunkers but only a few.
It would also be nice to see more signage on the course in the way of directional signage to tee boxes and course maps. There were some markers showing the way to the next tee box but by the time you came across them you were already nearly at the tee-box, so you didn’t need them. Little touches around the course would really improve it.
Facilities (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆)
In the clubhouse there is a bar where you can get drinks or a coffee. When I visited there was no food available but there were scones which you could purchase and would do as a snack.
Practice facilities include a putting green and two hitting bays with a net. These are located very close to the first tee so you can keep a close eye on your tee off time.
Price (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)
As a walk-in player you will pay €25 for nine holes and €35 for 18. I feel this is quite a good rate for the course as it’s an interesting course to play.
For the rates to play the course please click here.
Setting & Course location (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)
The course is situated overlooking the stunning Ballyheigue Beach in Co. Kerry. Not too far away is Banna Beach. Close to the town of Tralee, and not far from the famous Ballybunion Golf Club, it’s in a great location for a stop off between playing some of Kerry’s most famous courses.
For the location on Google Maps please click here.
Conclusion
Overall, I liked Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club. The layout is one which I liked, and I enjoyed planning my way around the course. It’s a course where it pays off to play safe and keep the ball in play instead of going all out with driver all the time. Some holes require you to sacrifice a bit of length for the security of knowing that you will be in play for your next shot.
Coming through the archway from the 7th green to the 8th tee-box was a real shift in locality. You went from being in a woodland to being on the seaside. From a parkland course to what looked like a links course. Hearing the waves on the beach below and looking out over the rolling surf crashing on the white sands gave a sense of serenity to what was a challenging day at Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club.
OVERALL RATING – (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)
Contact Details for Ballyheigue Castle Golf Club
Website: Click here
Telephone: +353 66 7133 555
Email: golf@ballyheiguecastlegolfclub.com
Hole-by-Hole
All distances are from the white tees which I played from on the day. Indexes for front nine and back nine are shown separated by a “/”.
Hole 1: Par 4, 337yds, index 10/9
Avoid the group of trees on the left side of the fairway and if necessary, bail out right. It will leave a longer approach shot in but at least you will be safe. Being too long may put you in the bunkers on the right-hand side so a fairway wood may be a better choice of club.
On the approach shot there is a bunker right side of the green to avoid.
Hole 2: Par 5, 466yds, index 18/17
The second hole may see you cut the corner of the OOB line which is the clump of bushes in front of the tee. Get your drive up early to get out over these and you can leave a yardage where it is easy to hit the green in two. Alternatively play it safe out the middle with a long iron or fairway wood.
Going for the green in two is possible but you have a pond to carry and a pond behind the green if long. A safer option is to lay up on the left side of the pond in front of the green and leave a pitch shot in.
The green has some interesting humps and dependent on pin position it can be difficult to get close.
Hole 3: Par 4, 367yds, index 4/3
A good solid drive away makes this hole easier. A pond in front of the tee box is there only for aesthetics and the bunkers out the fairway are easy to get past for longer hitters.
The only danger on this one is the bunker which is situated in front of the green and which can catch any approach shot landing just short.
Hole 4: Par 4, 358yds, index 6/5
For this tee shot you need to be aware of the dip on the right-hand side of the fairway. Going into this off the tee makes hitting the green very difficult. If taking driver, you need to be accurate off the tee. The landing area is very narrow. Take care not to be too long and block yourself out. A bunker on the left prevents you from bailing out there. A good choice is a long iron out the middle staying short of the danger even though it leaves a longer approach shot in.
Around the green there is a bunker in front of the green to avoid.
Hole 5: Par 4, 438yds, index 2/1
A good long hole and one which definitely suits faders of the golf ball. The tee shot may look daunting but there is more room than you think off the tee. Hitting out through the tree lined passage the hole then turns to the right and slightly downhill. Driver may be too long if you don’t get the required fade. Hitting a long iron or fairway wood for your tee shot is a good option.
From the fairway you have a good vantage point of the green. Being downhill you can knock some of the yardage off. Bunkers in front of the green are its protection.
Hole 6: Par 3, 159yds, index 12/11
The first par 3 on the course. Two bunkers on the left and two on the right mean you need to be accurate with your iron to hit the green. Being short of the green requires you to come up over a steep false front. Being long means you need to be wary of this false front as it can easily throw you off the front of the green!
Hole 7: Par 5, 529yds, index 14/13
A long par 5 to finish up the holes on this side of the course. This is another one which suits faders of the golf. There is a bunker on the right-hand side waiting to catch anyone who fades too much but it’s possible to be over this.
Even after a good drive away it’s still a long way to the green. The best option is to lay up for the second shot. There is a bunker in the landing zone for second shots but it’s easy to see and should be easily avoided.
Two bunkers in front of the green are the only danger for the approach shot in.
Hole 8: Par 3, 130yds, index 16/15
This hole can be deceptive as it plays shorter than its yardage due to being downhill. There’s a slope on the left side which can kick your ball down close to the old green and bunkers if you miss the green. However, miss the green on the right hand side and another slope may kick you in towards the green.
Hole 9: Par 4, 356yds, index 8/7
The last hole is another faders dream. Playing uphill it plays a little over its yardage. A bunker on the right-hand side may catch drives which are going a little too far to the right. Try to take a line just to the left of the bunker and you should hit the middle of the fairway.
The approach shot must come in over a bunker. There is also a bunker on the right of the green.
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