Dooks Golf Club

In a world where the phrase “hidden gem” is all but impossible to say with a straight face, Dooks Golf Club is as close as we can get. Thirty minutes west of Killarney and flush against an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, Dooks is more of a quaint Irish club than you find on most Southwest Ireland itineraries. Still, if you talk to anyone who played it on their journey to this area of the world, you’ll often find they rave about the experience. 

Dooks can trace its roots back to the 1800s, and yet the intervening years have been tumultuous to say the least. After expanding to 18 holes in the 1900s, the cost of maintaining a full course was too much for a small-budget membership. A campaign in the 1960s brought the course back to life, and it was a much healthier club by the late ‘80s. With golf tourism increasing in popularity in the region, the membership voted to renovate the course to modern standards. What exists today is far from what was laid out way back when, but the local culture still shines through.

Take Note…

Move over Bethpage Black. The famous sign at Bethpage Black can’t hold a candle to the sign before the first tee at Dooks Golf Club. “Bona Fide Golfers Only. No Sharing of Clubs.” This is serious stuff.

It’s a Toad. Dooks Golf Club has one of the most identifiable logos you’ll ever see. It’s not a frog, but a toad, and one that is native to the area. Depending on the time of year, you can often see them on the course.

A look to Dingle. Nearly every hole at Dooks has views of the water and the mountains of Ireland. Across the water you’ll get a view of the town of Dingle, home of Dingle Golf Club. Between Dooks and Dingle, you have two of the most underappreciated stops on a Southwest Ireland golf trip.

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