UPDATED .. January, 2025

In golfing years, the Donegal Golf Club at Murvagh on the north-west coast of Ireland is a relative new kid on the block.

Indeed the Donegal Golf Club that is overlooked by the Bluestack Mountains to the north and shaped by the might of the Atlantic Ocean to the west is a golf course that was designed in the ‘70s, the 1970s.

Though what Donegal Golf Club may lack in experience, the golf course boasts an ageless, classic links challenge making it one of those must play Irish golfing gems.

Those venturing to this wonderful corner of Ireland will learn the present Donegal Golf Club course was officially opened in 1976, and in the year of the USA Bicentennial, the year also Nadia Comaneci won three Olympic gold medals, Concorde first took to the skies, Apple Computer was formed and in golf, Raymond Floyd sank the winning putt to capture the Masters.

The Donegal Club itself had been founded 17 years earlier in 1959 which still places it a good 70-years or so behind Ireland’s big three and they are Ballybunion founded in 1893, Lahinch in 1892 and Portmarnock in 1894.

Though what Donegal may lack in history it clearly makes up in terms of strength and character.

Donegal Golf Club’s first golf course and clubhouse were built at Tullycullion on the edge of Donegal Town. However in the early in the 1970s land to the south of the township was identified at the Murvagh Penninsula on Donegal Bay as being more than suitable for a golf course.

Agreement was reached to lease the land from the Department of Lands before the club’s next move to call on legendary Irish-born golf course designer, Eddie Hackett who agreed to design an 18-hole championship course.

Hackett, who passed away in 1996, was the former Head Professional at Portmarnock before turning his hand to course design and his legacy also includes Irish links gems as Connemara, Dooks, Letterkenny, Enniscrone and Rosepenna.

“I found that nature is the best architect, I just dress up what the Good Lord provides”, said Hackett.

While Hackett is credited with designing Donegal there has since been a number of changes carried out under the guidance of renowned Pat Ruddy.

Donegal Golf Club has hosted a number of leading Irish amateur tournaments starting with the Irish Ladies Close Championship in 1979, and again in 2003.

In 2004, the Club played host to Ireland’s prestigious Men’s Irish Close Championship with Brian McElhinney winning from a strong filed that included the likes of future four-time major winning Rory McIlroy, who was then only 14 years old and contesting his first Irish Close Championship.

In a testament to strength of the course after two qualifying medal rounds that former DP World Tour player in Irish-born Gareth Maybin led on one under par with scores of 72 and 73.

But when it came to the championship rounds it was Noel Fox carding the only sub-70 round of the championship of a three under par 69 that remains the course record to this day. (See image of Fox and course record winning scorecard).

More recently, Donegal hosted the 2010 Ulster Senior’s Amateur Championship won by Garth McGimpsey, who won the 1985 British Amateur championship and who in 2004 had captained the victorious 2003 GB & I Walker Cup team that included the likes of future Ryder Cup star Oliver Wilson.

Donegal Golf Club has indeed come a long way in just 66 years (2025).

The 6,547 metres or 7,160 yard course is presented in two loops of nine where the fairways wind their way by towering Atlantic dunes and sage-green grasses of the bay.

There’s a straight forward par five of 485 metres off the back tee to begin the experience before quickly encountering the hardest hole of the course, the 485-yard par four second hole, named Westward Ho that runs at right angles to the opening hole.

There’s then two par threes within three holes, the third Belles Isle and the 179-metre fifth  aptly named Valley of Tears ahead of two par fives in three holes, the sixth Long Ridge and the eighth Moyne Hill at 502 metres.

The ninth Pineway brings you back to the clubhouse and at 368 metres a good chance of birdie before heading back out for the inward half starting with Round the bend, the par four 10^th and seven metres shorter than the ninth, but certainly no less a challenge .It’s then a right turn with again two par fives in three holes, the 12^th and one of the holes redesigned by Ruddy, and the adjoining 14^th, and where there’s a small stream running across the fairway in front of the green to seriously question a golfer in ‘going for the green’ or playing safe by ‘laying up’.

At 543-metres, the 12^th is the longest hole of the course and is 33 metres longer than the 14^thand Donegal’s second longest.

In between the longest and second longest at Donegal is Wee Dunt, and the shortest on the course at 166-metres with the word ‘dunt’ a noun meaning ‘blow’.

If you’re safely negotiated Wee Dunt then Big Dunt, the par three 16^th at 228-metres, is ready to come crashing down on your scorecard.

The closing two holes are each par fours.

Sousterrain, the short 325-metre par 17^th, and the strangely named Bogey Hill, the 18^th and measuring just a metre short of 400 metres is where you tee off the site of a former tomb, and where the club notes say you have the chance to finish on a high note rather than buried under the weight of a bogey or worse.

No matter what your score, and if you’re like me, you’ll walk off the 18th green, pause and look back down the fairway and thinking to yourself what a truly wonderful golfing experience.

It had been a journey to a golf course tucked away from the madness of world outside and where you are wonderfully presented with discovering the rewards of playing links golf.

Thank you so much to everyone at Donegal Golf Club, including club professional Leslie Robinson.

Donegal Golf Club Professional – Leslie Robinson

Another of the great bonuses in teeing-up at Donegal Golf Club was meeting club professional Leslie Robinson.  Leslie is a mirror of what golf is all about in Ireland – friendly, engaging and clearly so proud of making sure we enjoyed our visit.

Leslie has been with club since 2000, and is a nationally recognized teacher, golf coach and player.

Having turned Pro at the young age of 18, Leslie played on the Irish PGA circuit for over 20 years, consistently placing within the top-10 throughout that time.  During his outstanding and colourful career, he represented Ireland in international team events, played in four Irish Opens and won numerous Pro-Ams.  As well as winning the PGA Irish Championship in both Enniscrone and Nuremore, he was placed second in the World Golf Championship in France, and was qualified to play in the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Leslie works with all levels of players imparting his knowledge and vast experience of the ancient club-and-ball game. He regularly visits local primary and post-primary schools in South Donegal, introducing the fundamentals of golf to the children.

His expertise and instruction are available not only for Donegal Golf Club members, but for anyone interested in individual, corporate or group lessons.

Finally – A very special thank you to Rory Mathews at Failteire Ireland for his wonderful ‘hands on’ attention to detail and Pete Simm at The Azalea Group (www.theazaleagroup.com) for the superb opportunity to attend the Ireland Media Masters.

And as a reminder, articles on Rosses Point and the new Darren Clarke designed Castle Dargan course visited during the trip will follow.

Here is a comprehensive selection of photographs of Donegal Golf Club.

  
Donegal Golf Club – Images by www.golfbytourmiss.com &  www.golffile.ie –