Front 9 Holes

Hole 1

Par 4
385 Metres/420 Yards
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Good opening hole requiring an accurate tee shot favouring the right side of fairway. A well placed bunker left of the green will catch anything short and left, and a swale on the right hand side leaves a tricky chip. Par is always a great start.

Hole 2

Par 4

243 Metres​/267 Yards

Classic risk reward short par 4 with OB left and trees waiting right for an errant tee shot. Sometimes a lay up to the plateau can be the best play. 

Hole 3

Par 5

425 Metres​/470 Yards

Par five which when wind allows can be reachable in two shots for the longer hitters. OB left and hidden bunkers short left and greenside right await though, so a short wedge third shot might be preferable to a green which slopes from front to back.

Hole 4

Par 4

411 Metres​/450 Yards

A tough par 4, normally into the prevailing wind. A solid drive favouring the right hand side of the fairway leaves a long iron second shot to a large undulating green with a cavernous bunker on the right. Congratulate yourself if you make par here.

Hole 5

Par 4

356 Metres/390 Yards

An elevated tee shot to savour, and a good bounce should leave a short iron to a well bunkered green. Lots of subtle slopes and borrows to consider when putting. A back left pin position will leave a testing two putt for all levels of golfer.

Hole 6

Par 3

183 Metres​/200 Yards

The beginning of the MacKenzie part of the course, with Muskerry’s feature hole. A long par three, with over 190yards carry to the centre. The wind needs to be taken into account here and a good strategy is to play to the front left of the green, over the bunker, irrespective of flag position. A super hole and a par to cherish.

Hole 7

Par 5

425 Metres​/465 Yards

A par 5 where your tee shot needs to favour the left side of a sloping fairway. Two well placed bunkers 50 yds short of the green collect the errant shot, while roll offs right and back of green can leave a tricky chip. A good strategy is required if you are to birdie this risk/reward par 5.

Hole 8

Par 3

165 Metres​/180 Yards

The second of Muskerry’s tough par 3’s. Favour the left front of the green and take an extra club to get up the hill. Narrow OB on the right is also a factor.

Hole 9

Par 4

309 Metres​/337 Yards

An uphill par 4, with a blind tee shot. Aim for the green with your tee shot, but beware of a grass bunker some 100yrds short of the green on the left of the fairway. Ensure you check the wind direction before a short iron approach to a relatively flat green, should yield a par.

Back 9 Holes

Hole 10

Par 4

322 Metres​/352 Yards

Take a breather after the climb on the ninth, and pick your target trees in the distance for a tee shot and beware of OB on the right. A short iron into the green and a birdie putt awaits.

Hole 11

Par 4

361​ Metres​/394 Yards

One of the best views in Muskerry , all along the Lee Valley and the Kerry hills in the distance. Take time to ‘smell the flowers’ before hitting your tee shot over the corner of the ditch to the big tree in the distance. A downhill shot to a big green guarded by a bunker on the left and OB ditch on the right. The marker pole is a good line to the middle of the green.

Hole 12

Par 3

156​ Metres​/171 Yards

Classic MacKenzie par 3 with roll offs front, left and back of the green with a grass bunker short right.Favour the middle/left side of green and check the wind! A super hole.

Hole 13

Par 4

373​ Metres/408 Yards​

A tough, long par four, with a left to right sloping fairway. Aim up the left and you will have a flat lie, with a mid to long iron approach, to a green with a severe fall off right.Check your yardage as this green has a false front….

Hole 14

Par 5

446 Metres​/488 Yards

Another glorious view, of the lower holes and the clubhouse in the distance. A good drive , aimed at the right hand tree will funnel into the fairway. Make sure to keep the second shot towards the bunker on the right and hope a good bounce will get you to the sloping green. Good birdie opportunity.

Hole 15

Par 4

152​ Metres​/166 Yards

The beginning of the Shournagh Challenge, the strongest four hole finish in Ireland. 
Par three from an elevated tee to a green surrounded by bunkers. Beware the wind as the tee is sheltered behind. Front left is a good play here, especially if it’s breezy.

Hole 16

Par 4

391 Metres​/427 Yards

Good par four, needs a tee shot to skirt the trees on the right and avoid the ‘Tramline’ in the left rough. An accurate  second is required to carry the fairway bunker to a long green flanked by two more bunkers. Subtle breaks await on the green too.

Hole 17

Par 4

405 Metres​/443 Yards

Muskerry’s index one and a source of many a ruined card!  A long drive, usually into the prevailing wind, is needed to set up the second shot , over the river, to a green tight by the forest on the left. Laying up is often the best option, leaving a short third shot and hopefully a par putt. A super hole, and a par to be proud of.

Hole 18

Par 4

354​ Metres​/387 Yards

Yet another strong hole. Hit your drive towards the bridge, and get ready for another shot over the river (and the tree) to a well bunkered green. Favour the front right and the ball will feed into the middle of the green.