The Watson Course at Ballybunion
Stay just steps from the first tee of the Tom Watson designed links golf course
Cashen Course reborn on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Dunes
Stay opposite the clubhouse at Teach de Broc. From bedroom to tee, no transfers, no queues, no stress.
A modern classic on the Atlantic dunes
Set between the Atlantic and the Cashen River, Ballybunion’s second course opened in the early 1980s on one of the most dramatic links landscapes on earth, originally laid out by Robert Trent Jones Senior. It earned a reputation for towering dunes, thrilling shot values and unforgettable views. It has since been reimagined by Tom Watson and architect Graeme J. Webster in a multi year programme that honours true links golf and unlocks the best of this extraordinary terrain. The aim is not to mimic the Old Course, but to create a distinct companion that feels coherent, strategic and joyful from first tee to last putt.
Origins and intent
The original Cashen was bold and unforgettable, yet over time many golfers found it eccentric. Blind shots disrupted rhythm, artificial mounding diluted the natural drama, and penal rough could overpower the fun of links golf. The land itself always held rare potential. The brief was to restore clarity, improve the cadence of the round and put imagination at the heart of every hole.
The redesign delivered
What stands today is the course the land always promised. The theatre of the dunes remains, but the golf now moves with the natural rhythm of the site. Lines that once felt hidden are revealed. Greens welcome creative approaches. The ground game is again the native language of play.
There is a quiet thread of legacy in every decision. Tom Watson, the man who helped make Ballybunion famous, brings a lifelong affection for links that shows in the details as much as the vistas. Together with Graeme J. Webster, the team has balanced thrill with fairness, drama with flow, beauty with purpose. The result feels inevitable, as if the course had been waiting beneath the marram all along.
Why the redesign matters
Routing and flow
Adjusted tee and landing zone alignments reduce blind shots, even out walking gradients and open long views through the dune corridors.
Greens and surrounds
All eighteen green sites are rebuilt and enlarged to roughly five hundred to five hundred and fifty square metres, with short grass entrances and contouring set for appropriate wind conditions.
Approaches and the ground game
Approaches are regraded to accept low flight, releasing second shots and to provide consistent apron firmness across prevailing wind directions.
Strategic bunkering
Hazards are placed to provoke decisions rather than simply punish, with revetted faces by the greens and natural looking fairway bunkers built on durable bases for long term integrity.
Tees and yardage
A refined tee matrix improves angles and playability for every standard while preserving scope for championship length.
Paths and circulation
New walking and buggy routes sit discreetly in the dunes with better gradients and defined access that protects playing surfaces.
Visual framing
Authentic dune lines and lowered tee surrounds frame natural sightlines to the coastline and target zones.
Turf and agronomy
Upgraded irrigation and maintenance practices deliver firmer, faster conditions that deepen the true links experience across the season.
This course rewards creativity and invites return play. It is welcoming for the mid handicapper and fascinating for the low marker, a true companion to the Old Course rather than a substitute.
Hole by hole overview
⛳ Hole 1 – A framed beginning
Clearer lines from the tee and a green that welcomes the running approach set a confident tone, with subtle interior contours to test the opening putt.
⛳ Hole 2 – A river revealed
Elevated tees showcase the Cashen River. The landing zone is wider and the green sits naturally in the land, open to bump and run.
⛳ Hole 3 – Traditional short hole
The carry is more manageable and the dune set green blends forgiveness with clever slopes and fall offs that still defend par.
⛳ Hole 4 – The showpiece
A dramatic ridgeline and Atlantic backdrop define the drive. The fairway sweeps around the dune to a green set farther back, adding scale and grandeur.
⛳ Hole 5 – Against the elements
A strong two shotter into the prevailing wind. Repositioned bunkers offer choices from the tee and an open entrance rewards a bold second.
⛳ Hole 6 – The softened rise
A graceful climb replaces a slog. New teeing and fairway shaping create rhythm, finishing at a green of gentle plateaus and runoffs.
⛳ Hole 7 – Dune tunnel
A short two shot hole where precision beats power. The fairway and green allow either a running draw or a measured lay up.
⛳ Hole 8 – The correction
Formerly a blind three shotter, now a strategic highlight with restored visibility. A central fairway bunker tempts the brave line and the green is in sight for the second.
⛳ Hole 9 – A new turn
Recast as a stout two shot hole with width, options and a testing approach to a raised surface framed by natural dunes to close the front nine.
⛳ Hole 10 – The hollow
A drop shot short hole into a wind swept bowl. A larger, more expressive green sits amid natural grasses.
⛳ Hole 11 – The sweep
Right to left movement in the land shapes the play. Subtle bunkers guide the line and the green rewards committed approaches.
⛳ Hole 12 – Along the ridge
Elevation, outlook and strategy combine. A new teeing area reveals sweeping sea views, fairway bunkers define options and the green prefers a low, spinning second.
⛳ Hole 13 – Cliffside theatre
Arguably the most striking hole, routed closer to the coastline. A green near the edge is inviting yet exposed, a signature of the redesign.
⛳ Hole 14 – The thinker’s hole
Nothing is hidden. Subtle slopes, shifting winds and a clever green ensure the test stays honest.
⛳ Hole 15 – Dune climb
An uphill three shot hole with better tempo. Fairway movement creates choice and a welcoming but tricky green rewards smart lay up positions.
⛳ Hole 16 – Classic short hole
Clean lines with framed bunkers and a generous putting surface that becomes a different proposition in the wind.
⛳ Hole 17 – The return
Strong and straightforward, rich in nuance. Shot shape and commitment matter as the round turns for home.
⛳ Hole 18 – Dignified finish
A generous drive to a clear target, then a confident approach to a more playable green brings the journey to a satisfying close.
Watson Course personality
Expect bigger dunes, deeper valleys and larger, more nuanced greens than its celebrated neighbour, but with a friendlier and more flowing rhythm. The ground game is central, with short grass surrounds and receptive entrances that invite the bump and run. Width from the tee builds confidence, choices tighten near the green, and recovery is always on. Guided by a celebrated links name, the course marries drama with clarity and rewards creativity and touch. You will find as much joy around the greens as from the tee.
Planning your trip
Where to stay
Sleep across the road from the clubhouse at Teach de Broc, Ballybunion’s award winning boutique golf hotel. Expect refined rooms, a welcoming lounge, an elegant dining room and the easy comfort that comes with people who know golf and know Ballybunion. Stay and play packages and concierge tee time assistance are available for guests.
Perfect pairings
Play the Old one day and the Watson Course the next, or arrive early for a seaside walk and dinner before your morning tee time. Spring brings fresh growth and lively winds. Summer offers long light and firm turf. Autumn often delivers golden evenings and quiet fairways.
Getting here
The course sits on the Kerry coast with convenient access from Shannon and Kerry airports. Our concierge can arrange transfers or a self drive itinerary with Tralee, Lahinch, Waterville and Old Head within reach.