Northwest Ireland Guide to Great Value Golf

Northwest Ireland Golf Map

Golf Courses

Wild and wonderful County Donegal has been discovered and there are now eight first rate links courses which are too expensive for this value golf website. So we are left with three value links courses in County Donegal - Portsalon, Dunfanaghy and Bundoran joined by Strandhill in neighbouring County Sligo. Lough Erne (County Fermanagh) and Slieve Russell (County Cavan) are the two outstanding and value for money golf courses in northwest Ireland.

The links course at Northwest Golf Club near Buncrana and the clifftop course at Greencastle, also on the Inishowen Peninsula, are being considerd for inclusion on this site

Being a relatively sparsley populated county Donegal's links make up the majority of the golf courses available - Letterkenny (Eddie Hackett's first design task), Ballybofey & Stranorlar and Greencastle are the other 18-hole golf courses. Castle Dargan is a Darren Clarke design outside Sligo that is a glaring omission from this site, at €45 for a mid-summer round this is a seriously good golf course.

Back to County Donegal to also mention the 9-hole courses. Cruit Island is very well-know for its specacular setting and there are also 9-hole courses at Falcarragh, Buncrana, Redcastle and Gweedore. Not far from Portsalon (or Letterkenny) is a par-64 holiday course at Otway Golf Club.

Full Northwest Course Index

Towns & Villages

Letterkenny is the administrative capital of County Donegal and all of the Donegal links courses are within an hours' drive. On a touring itinerary Donegal Town has more to offer the visitor while Dunfanaghy or Downings are seaside locations adjacent to the Rosapenna links where there is also an on site 4**** hotel. Ballyliffin village is dominated by a number of hotels altough 15 minutes from the courses is the village of Culdaff where McGrory's has been a long time favourite accommodation.

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.

Sights & Attractions

County Donegal is wild and wonderful! Although the 4th largest county in Ireland it is the 5th least densley populated county on the island and most of the population live in Letterkenny or Donegal Town. The county has a magnificent coastline on 3 sides, a rugged interior with Glenveagh National Park at its centre and characterised by the scattered rural villages and communities that dot the wild landscape.

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.

Access

The most beautiful airport in the world is at Carrickfinn, on a peninsula in northwest Donegal. There are twice daily connections to Donegal Airport from Dublin and a daily direct service from Glasgow. Dublin Airport is 3 hours from either Letterkenny or Donegal Town, Belfast City Airport is 2 hours from Letterkenny or 2½ hours from Donegal, however (if travelling via Heathrow) then City of Derry Airport is even closer.

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.

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