Fota Island Resort

Fota Island is home to three championship parkland courses totalling 27 holes, which puts it right up there with the best golf venues in Ireland. Set in the wooded landscape of County Cork, it's a proper resort setup where you can play, eat well and switch off without spending half the trip in the car.

Fota Island Resort is a haven for golf lovers, with mature oak woodland framing the fairways and a calm, tucked-away feel that suits a long weekend away with mates or a couple's escape with a bit of comfort built in. The estate hosted the Irish Open on several occasions, and while the courses have enough bite from the back tees to keep better players honest, there's plenty of width and sensible tee options to make them enjoyable for mid-handicappers without it turning into a sleeve-losing nightmare.

You're also close enough to dip into Cork city for restaurants and nightlife if your group wants to stretch the evening a bit, while still coming back to a quiet estate setting. In short, it's a strong pick for golfers who want championship-level pedigree, plenty of variety on site and the safety net of excellent spa and dining when the weather does what it does in Ireland.

Who is this for?

Golfers or groups seeking a high-quality Irish parkland experience with three courses on site, strong spa and dining facilities and the option of self-catering lodges for families or larger parties.

Who is it best for?

Societies and friends' trips wanting variety without changing hotels, couples looking to combine serious golf with spa breaks and anyone who values having everything, including 27 holes of championship golf, within walking distance of their room.

Top Offers at Fota Island Resort

Arriving on

Sorry, we can't find a package for Fota Island Resort on your selected date

Please try another date, or alternatively, call our Golf Experts who can create a fully customised package for you for any date in less than 60 seconds!

0800 043 6644

Golf Courses at Fota Island Resort

Deerpark Course

The renowned Fota Island Golf Club is set amidst the fantastic scenery of the estate itself. While golf on the site dates back to the 1800s, it was not until Christy O'Connor Jr. and Peter McEvoy laid out their new Deerpark course in 1993, that Fota Island became a serious golfing destination. Since its inception, the championship course has played host to the Irish Open in 2001, 2002 and 2014 and has established a reputation as one of Ireland's best.

2014 Irish Open
Finland's Mikko Ilonen led from wire-to-wire to claim his fourth European Tour title at Fota Island. Ilonen carded a final round of 70 to finish 13-under par, one shot ahead of Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, with Sweden's Kristoffer Broberg and English duo Danny Willett and Matthew Baldwin another shot back in third.

What the pros say:
“I love the venue. It’s a great venue for a golf tournament — the setting, the type of course it is. There’s plenty of birdies to be made out there. We seem to get better weather down here at Cork. Nice practice facilities, hotel on site; what more could you ask for in a venue, [and an] airport nearby? I hope it comes back and gets onto a rota that it comes back here regularly.” - Padraig Harrington

“I believe they are talking about Fota Island as a venue the next two or three years. I’m all over it. I think it’s a great venue.” – Graeme McDowell

Course Information
Par	71
Designed by	Christy O'Connor Jr. and Peter McEvoy
Opened for play	1993

Tees
Blue	6,927 yards	SSS 73
White	6,488 yards	SSS 71
Green	6,100 yards	SSS 69
Red	5,509 yards	SSS 72

Belvelly Course

The Belvelly's par-72 layout includes the new nine holes added by Jeff Howes in recent times, and is a formidable test at 7,121 yards from the back markers. Interesting features have been worked into the design, not least on the signature 16th hole, where visiting golfers face the challenge of firing their approach shot over an old quarry to a small target.

Course Information
Par	72
Designed by	Jeff Howes
Opened for play	1993

Tees
Blue	7,121 yards	SSS 74
White	6,746 yards	SSS 72
Green	6,349 yards	SSS 71
Red	5,772 yards	SSS 73

Barryscourt Course

The par-73 Barryscourt Course also takes in the new nine holes, and is the latest addition to Fota Island's impressive portfolio of golf. The course is a monster from the back tees, but the characteristic slope of the greens will also undoubtedly challenge the putting of every visitor. The highlight of Fota's latest course is the redesigned 8th, which features an array of hazards to be safely negotiated.

Course Information
Par	72
Designed by	Jeff Howes
Opened for play	1993

Tees
Blue	7,362 yards	SSS 75
White	6,958 yards	SSS 72
Green	6,567 yards	SSS 71
Red	5,861 yards	SSS 73

Irish Open history at Fota Island

The Deerpark course at Fota Island has held the Irish Open 3 times and is the third course in the South to do after Cork and Killarney.

The Irish Open at Fota Island
Year	Winner	Country	Score
2014	Mikko Ilonen	Finland	-13
2002	Søren Hansen	Denmark	-14
2001	Colin Montgomerie	Scotland	-18

Accommodation at Fota Island Resort

The resort has 131 bedrooms and suites across classic, deluxe and spacious family categories, with many rooms looking out over the woodland and fairways. Rooms are finished in a smart, modern style and are set up well for golf breaks, with comfortable beds, reliable internet access and an in-room entertainment system for winding down after your round. Service is five-star without being fussy, which suits societies and groups who want things to run smoothly from check-in to breakfast.

If you're travelling as a larger party, or you simply want more space between tee time and dinner, the self-catering lodges are a standout option. They sit within the estate and come with fully equipped kitchens, making them ideal for groups who want an easy breakfast at their own pace before heading to the first tee. Families also tend to prefer the lodge setup for the extra room and flexibility, while still having full access to the resort's restaurants, bar and spa when you want a night off cooking. I'll admit that the lodges are one of those features that sound nice in theory but actually deliver in practice, particularly for societies who want to spread out a bit and keep costs sensible without sacrificing comfort.

Food-wise, you've got three reliable choices on site: The Amber Lounge, the Fota Restaurant and The Clubhouse. Expect local produce on the menus, including seafood from the Cork coast, Irish cheeses and seasonal ingredients from nearby farms. The Amber Lounge is the "treat yourself" option, with views over oriental gardens and a whisky list of 75-plus bottles. It's the kind of place you head after a good round when you want to mark the occasion properly. The Fota Restaurant serves as the resort's main dining room, with an elegant setting and a weekly changing à la carte menu built around what's in season. For something more relaxed, The Clubhouse, which includes The Spike Bar, overlooks the 18th green of the Deerpark Course and works perfectly for casual lunches, post-round snacks or an early dinner before heading into Cork.

Beyond golf and dining, the resort's spa offers 18 purpose-built treatment rooms focused on health and beauty therapy, run in partnership with the Comfort Zone product range. The leisure centre includes a well-equipped gym and swimming pool, giving non-golfers or those taking a day off the course plenty to do. It's a setup that makes Fota work well for mixed groups or couples where one partner wants to play 36 holes while the other prefers the spa.