Ireland Trip report

[redmike]

Got back yesterday from my golfing trip to Inishowen, in Donegal, Ireland, so I thought I'd post a bit about the courses.

Saturday. Started off with a round at the nine hole Buncrana Golf Club. The course was in pretty good condition, but the longest hole is 385 yards, so no par 5s. The course was in pretty good condition - fairways and greens were in good nick. However, its is on a very small piece of land next to the sea, and some of the fairways criss cross. Wasnt a problem when i played in October as I was on my own, but on Saturday it was a bit of a nightmare as it was very busy. Overall, not a bad little course and for 13 euro for 18 holes, is a nice little holiday course.

LAter on Saturday we played at North West golf club, which is about a mile away from Buncrana golf club. It was lady captain's day so the first nine holes were very busy, but after that we had the course to ourselves. Was 20 euro a round as we played after 4. The course is in a lovely setting, looking out over Lough Swilly and again was in great nick, with a good mixture of holes, and definitely worth a visit.

On Sunday we played the Old Links at Ballyliffin Golf Club, venue of the Irish Seniors Open last year. This was in a different class to anything I have ever played before and good value at 60 euro a round. Greens and fairway were in superb condition and the rough was absolutely penal. After the round we went in the clubhouse which is great - very big and welcomiing with great food.

On Monday we returned to Ballyliffin to play on the Glashedy links. Another superb course. It winds its way up and down some of the hills and is very impressive. The most memorable hole was the 7th, a Par 3 where you tee off from the top of a hill to a green 150 feet below you with bunkers to your left and a large pond to your right. Again not bad value at 70 euro a round.

Both the Ballyliffin courses are again in a superb location next to the Atlantic and were fantastic to play.

The only downside was that food and drink were a little pricey due to the value of the euro, but we were lucky in that my mums family are originally from Ballyliffin and my dad has a holiday home in the village, so there were no accomadation costs.

Can't wait to go back!

 

[mono217]

Wow irish golf really sound compelling and great to play there sounds as if you had a great time good on you.

 

[redmike]

Wow irish golf really sound compelling and great to play there sounds as if you had a great time good on you.

Thanks Mono. I can't believe though that Ive been going there for 30 years and because Ive only been playing golf for two years this is the first time ive played at Ballyliffin! Going to have to make up for lost time!

 

[Hendy]

Sounds like you had a good time, I live in derry/londonderry not at all far from the north west course (about 15/20mins) and in fact most of the courses in Donegal. In saying thatBallyliffin is indeed a awsome course and in my honest its got to be one of nicest places to play in Uk & Ireland.

Next time your over you should try http://www.portsalongolfclub.ie for a wee warm up round before hitting some of the dearer courses in these parts it has some really tight fairways, that will give any single figure golfer a hard game.

 

[redmike]

Sounds like you had a good time, I live in derry/londonderry not at all far from the north west course (about 15/20mins) and in fact most of the courses in Donegal. In saying thatBallyliffin is indeed a awsome course and in my honest its got to be one of nicest places to play in Uk & Ireland.

Next time your over you should try http://www.portsalongolfclub.ie for a wee warm up round before hitting some of the dearer courses in these parts it has some really tight fairways, that will give any single figure golfer a hard game.

ive read about port salon gc - it looks very nice. I think i visited there years ago - does the town have a realy nice beach? Its one to add to the list!

 

[Hendy]

Sounds like you had a good time, I live in derry/londonderry not at all far from the north west course (about 15/20mins) and in fact most of the courses in Donegal. In saying thatBallyliffin is indeed a awsome course and in my honest its got to be one of nicest places to play in Uk & Ireland.

Next time your over you should try http://www.portsalongolfclub.ie for a wee warm up round before hitting some of the dearer courses in these parts it has some really tight fairways, that will give any single figure golfer a hard game.

ive read about port salon gc - it looks very nice. I think i visited there years ago - does the town have a realy nice beach? Its one to add to the list!

Yip indeed it does, on the link there is a pic at the top.. Also that mountain in the background you can drive down it.. the view from up there is something else.. Maybe the next time your over you we could meet up for a round in my local course, its inland course tho its friendly and do some dinner on a sunday for only 7 quid

 

[stevek1969]

I'm of the same views as you, i played Ballyliffin in June and it was one of the best conditioned courses i've played we played the Old Links and it was really windy we were 50 euro which was well worth it
We're going back next year and we're going to add Rosapenna to the list both courses are mean't to be stunning, on Portsalon we met guys who played when we were there and they said it was awesome ,think it was 40 euro.
Next time your there get the ferry to Migilligan its £15 and go and play the The Strand course at Portstewart ,that course is amazing.

 

[redmike]

Sounds like you had a good time, I live in derry/londonderry not at all far from the north west course (about 15/20mins) and in fact most of the courses in Donegal. In saying thatBallyliffin is indeed a awsome course and in my honest its got to be one of nicest places to play in Uk & Ireland.

Next time your over you should try http://www.portsalongolfclub.ie for a wee warm up round before hitting some of the dearer courses in these parts it has some really tight fairways, that will give any single figure golfer a hard game.

ive read about port salon gc - it looks very nice. I think i visited there years ago - does the town have a realy nice beach? Its one to add to the list!

Yip indeed it does, on the link there is a pic at the top.. Also that mountain in the background you can drive down it.. the view from up there is something else.. Maybe the next time your over you we could meet up for a round in my local course, its inland course tho its friendly and do some dinner on a sunday for only 7 quid

That sounds great! We're planning on making it an annual trip, so will have to meet up. What is your local course?

Ive been going over for years, so know how friendly people are over there but we were both taken aback by how unstuffy the clubs were. At North West we got chatting to the bloke who was captain of Ballyliffin in 2007 and he was a great bloke - playing seriously but having fun at the same time.

 

[redmike]

I'm of the same views as you, i played Ballyliffin in June and it was one of the best conditioned courses i've played we played the Old Links and it was really windy we were 50 euro which was well worth it
We're going back next year and we're going to add Rosapenna to the list both courses are mean't to be stunning, on Portsalon we met guys who played when we were there and they said it was awesome ,think it was 40 euro.
Next time your there get the ferry to Migilligan its £15 and go and play the The Strand course at Portstewart ,that course is amazing.

HAve been on that ferry before to take us to Giants Causeway (and also the Bushmills Distillery) and drove past Portstewart (or maybe Portrush?). There are plenty of cracking courses about over there

 

[Hendy]

the little ferry opens yous upto courses like, this http://www.castlerockgc.co.uk/ & http://www.royalportrushgolfclub.com/ both highly regarded as super course, but bear in mind none are cheap to play.. But i guess its your holiday so your here to enjoy yourself.. a little further up the coast you have http://www.ballycastlegolfclub.com/ which i am playing in a two week times cheaper than the royal and castle rock tho i am sure i will still enjoy it..

@ Mike, heres a link to my course http://www.newtownstewartgolfclub.com/ Its about 40mins from my home tho worth the drive every time.. alot of dog legs and lots of different types of the holes to enjoy.. a little sore on the legs tho with all the hills ( Well thats what a few of the mates like to remind me about when they come to play lol). All in all we have nice setting for a course well off the beaten track with no main roads near by. O and the odd deer walking around the course which is always nice to see..

 

[janmolby]

I'm a member of Letterkenny Golf Club & whenever you're back in Donegal again maybe you should give it a go. It's a parkland course & until a few years ago drainage was a problem but that seems to be sorted now & at €25 during the week, €35 at weekends it's good value.

A few others I've played at around Donegal are Dunfanaghy & Narin and Portnoo, both of which I think are very good links courses. Cruit Island is supposed to be good too though it's only a 9 hole course & is pretty remote but it depends on where you're staying I guess.