No 21 - Old Head

Old Head provides a breathtaking experience on a spectacular stretch of coastline, which makes for a very challenging test

Old Head
Neil Tappin
By
published

21 OLD HEAD

Architect: Carr, Kirby, Merrigan, Hackett 2006 position: 18 Stats: 6,508 yds; par 72; SSS 72 GF: €295-€350 T: 00353 21 477 8444 W: oldhead.com

If this was my personal list of top 100 courses, Old Head would come out comfortably on top.

Quite simply, it exists on the most spectacular stretch of coastline imaginable.

A thin peninsula that juts out to sea, 10 of the holes are played high along the cliff edge, with the possibility of hitting your ball into the frothing ocean below a genuine danger.

But Old Head is about more than just the rugged views and sheer drops.

The holes themselves have been cleverly designed, requiring players to shape the ball in both directions to unlock their full scoring potential. NT

+ Stunning layout; exciting do-or-die holes; excellent facilities - Very expensive; not a true links; unplayable in extreme conditions

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Where next?

>>> Top 100 Golf Courses: No. 22 Back to the Top 100 Golf Courses list - An introduction to Golf Monthly's Top 100 Golf Courses by editor, Mike Harris - Who makes up The Top 100 Golf Courses panel? - How do Golf Monthly assess the Top 100 Golf courses?

- Gallery: Golf Monthly's Top 10 Golf Courses in pictures

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Neil Tappin
Neil Tappin
Editor

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 

Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X

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