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Fota Island Golf Course


Cobh, County Cork

Fota Island Golf Club is located a few minutes drive from Cork City with it's international airport and passenger ferry terminal. It lies in the heart of a 780 acre estate which is included in, "The Inventory of Outstanding Landscapes in Ireland". The splendid woodlands are woven into a challenging, par 71, championship course which is very much in the traditional mode, featuring pot bunkers and undulating putting surfaces.

It would appear that golf was first played at Fota Island before November 1886.

In 1993, a new course was developed at Fota Island. It was designed by Irish Ryder Cup star, Christy O'Connor, Jr. and twice English Amateur Champion, Peter McEvoy. While essentially a resort course, it hosted a number of tournaments, including the Irish Club Professional Championship, the Irish PGA Championship and no fewer than three Irish Amateur Opens.

Fota Island is a great change of pace from the links courses. Located near the port town of Cobh, where the Titanic made its last call, it can also serve as a perfect warm-up round for the rest of the trip. A relative newcomer to the scene, Fota Island has already made a big splash as host to the 2001 and 2002 Murphy’s Irish Opens. Golf at Fota dates back to 1886, but the course as it now stands was created in 1998 with the purpose of becoming one of the European Tour’s finest courses. In fact, it was awarded as the European Tour’s “Golf Course of the Year” in 2002.

The beautiful clubhouse was formerly a cluster of old farm buildings that have been preserved and transformed into a traditional, luxurious setting for winding down after a round. The welcome you receive at Fota Island is immense, the challenge is great, and the atmosphere is superb. For a terrific 36-hole day, play Little Island (Cork Golf Club) in the morning, Fota Island in the afternoon, and enjoy dinner in the clubhouse afterwards



At a Glance

  • Beautiful parkland course
  • Fast greens

Our Take

I played 4 courses in the area in late September and Fota Island was head and shoulders above the rest. We were made to feel very welcome in the clubhouse before and after our round. Once on the course it was easy to see why it has hosted the Murphy's Irish Open, the greens and fairways were first class and each hole presents you with a different but fair challenge. It's really not a course where you reach for the driver on every tee box. I would recommend buying a yardage planner, as there are one or two little surprises that await you. The course is set in beautiful surroundings and the view from the 6th Tee overlooking the estuary being the best. The 18th (par 5) with its downhill approach to a green 3/4 surrounded by water with the clubhouse in the background will stay in my memory for a long time. It was a fitting finish to a great day on a course that I cannot recommend highly enough.