Northwest Ireland Golf Travel Guide

Even before the extraordinary 2021 hype surrounding the opening of St. Patricks Links at Rosapenna Donegal was a golf destination well worth visiting. In the 1980's Nick Faldo was so impressed with the Old Links at Ballyliffin that he wanted to buy it. Instead the members engaged Pat Ruddy (owner and designer of The European Links) to build a second course, the Glashedy Links.

Ballyliffin is especially notable as the courses provide a contrast in design styles, the Old is very traditional links golf where wind and sand provide the main defence while the Glashedy course adds significant elevation changes and raised greens thus adding difficulty. Both Ballyliffin courses are inside our top 10 Irish links especially as continuous improvements have been made over the past 20 years.

Old Tom Morris designed a course at the Rosapenna Hotel in the late 19th century. The true links holes he designed still exist today as the second 9 of the course named after him. These Valley holes are now preceded by a later 9 holes also by Pat Ruddy, while the other half of the original Old Tom course are a separate 9-hole course. Old Tom created the Valley holes between the giant sand dunes and the sea. In the late 20th century Pat Ruddy desinged a course straight through the dunes and named it Sandy Hills. This is also one of Ireland's top 15 links in our opinion.

The newest course at Rosapenna is St. Patricks Links a design by Tom Doak on a magnificent piece of linksland that previously hosted 2 local links courses. Perhaps 'post-modern' is the best way to describe it. In the same mould as Kingsbarns and Castlestuart in Scotland the views and layout cannot be faulted and the course is very playable -- whether being difficult to lose a ball of the tee or having no greenside defence is still golf is a matter of opinion.

The links at Narin & Portnoo is a similar story. There has always been a good links here, with the location it could not be otherwise. Several attempts were made to bring the course up to date, the latest by architect Gil Hanse who has also made a course that is pleasing to the eye and very playable for the recreational golfer.

Two design masters are responsible for the final two courses. Old Tom Morris designed Portsalon (where there was once also a Victorian hotel) at the same time he was working at Rosapenna. Nothing much has changed except updates by Pat Ruddy to being the course up to expected modern day standards. Eddie Hackett, the complete master, designed the links at Murvagh (Donegal G.C.) on land between forest and sea where nothing would grow. Like all Hackett links this is links golf as it should be.

Finally Cruit Island a secnic 9-hole course of some reputation. It's a trek to get there (Narin & Portnoo is closest) and being remote from the normal accommodation bases ideally requires a day on its own...

All of the magnificent Donegal links courses can be played using Letterkenny as a base. Letterkenny itself is the largest town in County Donegal, located on the mouth of Lough Swilly and offering a good choice of accommodation. Portsalon is the closes golf links (30 minutes), Donegal (Murvagh) the furthest at just over one hour.

Historic Donegal Town would be the more propular visitor destination and is convenient when the links at County Sligo is also being played. Narin & Portnoo can be played from Donegal or on a transfer day between Donegal Town and the northern Donegal accommodations. The many towns and villages of The Rosses in western Donegal can also be considered if time out to play Cruit Island is required.

Dunfanaghy is a spectacularly located small town on the north cost of Donegal from where the three courses at Rosapenna and Portsalon are within 30 minutes. There is also an 18 hole links in Dunfanaghy with some spectacular ocean holes and magnificent views of Horn Head and the Atlantic. Travel time can be reduced by staying either at the Rosapenna Hotel or the adjacent village of Downings (sometimes Downies). Downings has the advantage of being home to The Harbour Bar, one of the very best in Ireland.

The two courses at Ballyliffin are the best in Donegal, in fact they can be considered when discussing the best links courses in Ireland. Ballyliffin village is dominated by a number of hotels and a restaurant. Although the main town in the area is Carndonagh golfers staying away from Ballyliffin prefer the village of Culdaff where McGrorys of Culdaff can be found.

Coastal Donegal

The Slieve League Cliffs are the highest sea cliffs in Europe and the highlight of the southern coat of Donegal. There is now a visitor centre that provides shuttles to the cliffs as well as guided tours. Stunning views are available from the well constructed viewing platforms.

Killybegs is one of Ireland's largest fishing ports while further west is Glencolmcille, where there are further cliffs, sandy beaches, waterfalls and wild surrounds. Glencolmcille is named for St. Columba (Colm as Gaelige) who lived with his followers in the glen before being forced to move, eventually to Iona (Scotland) where his most famous monastery was established. Remains of his early churches can still be seen around the area.

Western Donegal & The Rosses

The west coast of Donegal is dominated by small communities served by some larger centres including Ardara, Glenties, Dungloe and Gweedore. Signs of traditional ways of life can often be seen and the area is particularly noted for its cottage textile industry as well as its musical traditions. The Clannad family homestead is a popular pub called Leo's Tavern in a tiny village called Meenaleck.

The area between Glenties and Gweedore is known as The Rosses. This is an Irish speaking area with a separate cultural identity to the rest of the county. Social interaction is an important part of daily life - hence the many pubs and taverns where music and storytelling is still to be seen and heard. At the far northwest corner is Bloody Foreland, a remote clifftop location named for the colour of the cliffs rather than any gruesome battle.

North Donegal

The north coast continues to provide speactaular ocean views that predate the rather extraordinary Wild Atlantic Way marketing campaign. Dunfanaghy is a typical seaside holiday town. The Rosguill Peninsula is home to the three Rosapenna links, magnificent strands and a scenic circular drive.

East is Fanad Peninsula where Portsalon golf links can be found. The two peninsulae are connected by the locally named 'Bridge to Nowhere' as it serves only local traffic and does not save any travlling time between Rospaenna and Portsalon. The Fanad Peninsula is another scenic peninsula and Ballymastocker Strand, that runs along the golf links, was once voted most beautiful beach in the world. Another circular route can be taken, the highlight of which is Fanad Lighthouse at Fanad Head. From Portsalon the coast continues south along the western shore of Lough Swilly to Letterkenny - a seasonal ferry sometimes runs between Rathmullan and Buncrana on the Inishowen Peninsula.

Inishowen Peninsula

Home to the two outstanding links at Ballyliffin, the Inishowen Peninsula is the large Peninsula between Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle. Ireland;s most northerly point is at Malin Head where there is a spectacular clifftop walk. Returning on the eastern shore is Farren's pub, the most northerly in Ireland and seemingly always with a few locals in. Doagh Famine Museum is near to the golf courses.

Glenveagh National Park

There are towns and villages on the south, north, east and west borders of County Donegal but there is virtually nothing in the middle except wild, wild mountain landscapes! Except for Gleveagh National Park and it is worth driving through this beautiful landscape and visiting the wonderful Glenveagh Castle and learing of the party lifestyle of its owner and his mysterious disappearance.

By a quirk of fate Tailor-Made Golf Tour's first customers landed at Donegal Airport in 2004. For those with relatives in the area or seeing the sights and perhaps playing Cruit Island then connecting in Dublin might make sense. For others the journey back to any of the golf accommodation towns will take an hour so simply arriving and departing from Dublin makes most sense. Those arriving from or travelling on to Scotland may also consider Donegal Airport.

City of Derry Airport is more convenient to Ballyliffin or Letterkenny but has similarly few routes unless for those deciding to route through London Heathrow or Glasgow.

Belfast City Airport also has direct connections from Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as from hubs such as Amsterdam.

For North American golfers Dublin Airport is the obvious choice, especially from cities with direct connections. Shannon Airport is similar travel times from Dublin Airport, now helped by motorway extension bypassing Galway and Tuam.