Old Head Golf Links

Q: Which hole is hardest at Old Head Golf Links?

Hole 6 has stroke index 1 — the hardest hole on the scorecard.

Kinsale, Ireland

Par

Holes

Yards

6,793

Par 3 / 4 / 5

5 · 8 · 5

Course Layout

206 features mapped — fairways, greens, bunkers, tees, water. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Fairway Green Bunker Tee Water

Hole-by-Hole Strategy

Dogleg and layup calls derived from hole centerline geometry. 10 doglegs · 7 layup holes.

#	Par	Yards	Plays Like	Shape	Call
1	4	441	454 +13y · +43ft	Slight dogleg right (19.6°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
2	4	390	375 -15y · -49ft	Sharp dogleg left (63.4°)	LAYUP Sharp left-hand dogleg (63.4°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
3	3	176	181 +5y · +16ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
4	4	403	395 -8y · -26ft	Moderate dogleg left (34.4°)	Favor the right side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
5	4	427	439 +12y · +39ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
6	5	546	549 +3y · +10ft	Moderate dogleg right (30.0°)	LAYUP Par 5 at 546y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
7	3	189	191 +2y · +7ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
8	5	540	548 +8y · +26ft	Slight dogleg left (21.3°)	LAYUP Par 5 at 540y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
9	4	436	427 -9y · -30ft	Moderate dogleg left (30.4°)	Favor the right side off the tee — opens the angle for your approach.
10	5	533	536 +3y · +10ft	Sharp dogleg right (68.8°)	LAYUP Par 5 at 533y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
11	3	198	200 +2y · +7ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
12	5	564	513 -51y · -167ft	Sharp dogleg left (48.0°)	LAYUP Par 5 at 564y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
13	3	167	108 -59y · -194ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
14	4	436	442 +6y · +20ft	Slight dogleg left (13.7°)	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
15	4	335	377 +42y · +138ft	Straight	Straightaway — driver safe if you're hitting it well.
16	3	183	228 +45y · +148ft	Straight	Par 3 — pick the club that fits the full yardage, not one short.
17	5	619	593 -26y · -85ft	Straight	LAYUP Par 5 at 619y — two-shot reach is elite only. Layup to your wedge distance wins scorecards.
18	4	440	469 +29y · +95ft	Sharp dogleg left (68.0°)	LAYUP Sharp left-hand dogleg (68.0°). Driver runs through the corner — 3-wood or long iron off the tee.
Total	72	7,023	Distances from OSM centerlines; elevation from SRTM (Open-Meteo).

Course by the Numbers

Calculated from 206 mapped features. Areas are measured directly from the polygon geometry.

66 bunkers

5,711 sq yd of sand — 3.7 bunkers per hole on average.

1967 sq yd

Largest bunker on the course — bigger than most tees.

570 sq yd avg green

Classification: Mid-size greens (~4,500 sq ft avg) — typical modern design. Standard target size — club selection matters more than shape.

11.12 ha of fairway

Total groomed playing surface across 31 fairway zones.

10 doglegs

4 sharp, 6 moderate. Plotting a line off the tee matters more here than pure distance.

7 layup holes

Best played as three-shot holes for anyone outside single figures — chasing them turns pars into doubles.

Hole 17: 619y

The longest hole on the card — par 5. Know your layup number before you tee off.

66 bunkers · 20 greens · 31 fairway zones · 84 tee boxes · 2 water hazards.

What Should You Expect to Shoot?

These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.

Championship

Rating 75.0 · Slope 140 · Par 72 · 7,069 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	9	84	+12
10	15	90	+18
15	22	97	+25
20	28	103	+31
25	34	109	+37
30	40	115	+43

Medal

Rating 74.0 · Slope 133 · Par 72 · 6,793 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	8	82	+10
10	14	88	+16
15	20	94	+22
20	26	100	+28
25	31	105	+33
30	37	111	+39

Club

Rating 72.0 · Slope 128 · Par 72 · 6,450 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	6	78	+6
10	11	83	+11
15	17	89	+17
20	23	95	+23
25	28	100	+28
30	34	106	+34

Ladies

Rating 73.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 5,400 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	7	80	+8
10	13	86	+14
15	18	91	+19
20	24	97	+25
25	30	103	+31
30	36	109	+37

Forward

Rating 73.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 5,345 yards

Your Handicap	Course HCP	Expected Score	Over Par
5	7	80	+8
10	13	86	+14
15	18	91	+19
20	24	97	+25
25	30	103	+31
30	36	109	+37

Scorecard

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Out	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	In	Total
Par	4	4	3	4	4	5	3	5	4	36	5	3	5	3	4	4	3	5	4	36	72
Yards	418	388	176	423	409	478	179	520	451	3,442	494	198	554	160	428	328	178	600	411	3,351	6,793
Stroke Index	7	3	13	11	17	1	9	15	5		8	4	16	2	10	6	18	12	14

Holes That Decide Your Round

Hardest Hole · SI 1

Hole 6

Par 5 · 478 yards

Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →

Longest Hole

Hole 17

Par 5 · 600 yards

Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.

Scoring Opportunity

Hole 13

Par 3 · 160 yards

Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.

Easiest Hole · SI 18

Hole 16

Par 3 · 178 yards

Expected par or better. If you drop a stroke here, it's usually a mental mistake — which is trackable.

Pre-Round Checklist for Old Head Golf Links

Know your average distance off the tee — budget for 8 par-4 tee shots. Check 5 par-3 yardages — pick your go-to clubs now, not on the tee. Plan hole 6 (hardest) for bogey — don't chase birdie there. Hole 17 is long — know your layup number. Arrive 45 min early — 15 range, 10 short game, 10 putting, 10 to the tee.

Your Game Plan for Old Head Golf Links

The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.

Take the 2-min Assessment Try the App Free for 30 Days

Tee Sets

Championship

Yards:: 7,069
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 75.0
Slope:: 140

Medal

Yards:: 6,793
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 74.0
Slope:: 133

Club

Yards:: 6,450
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 72.0
Slope:: 128

Ladies

Yards:: 5,400
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 73.0
Slope:: 130

Forward

Yards:: 5,345
Par:: 72
Course Rating:: 73.0
Slope:: 130

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the par at Old Head Golf Links?

Old Head Golf Links is a par 72 course with 18 holes measuring 6,793 total yards. Front nine par 36 (3,442 yards), back nine par 36 (3,351 yards).

What is the longest hole at Old Head Golf Links?

The longest hole is hole 17, a par 5 playing 600 yards.

Which hole is hardest at Old Head Golf Links?

Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 5 playing 478 yards.

What should I shoot at Old Head Golf Links?

Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.