Ballyliffin Golf Club
There are lots of famous courses in Ireland, of course. Tralee, the K Club, Ballybunion, Old Head and Lahinch are just a few that come to mind. Many of these are toward the southern Atlantic Coast or perhaps around Dublin.
Lesser known to many who might be considering a golf trip to the Emerald Isle, however, is Northwest Ireland. It’s an option worth considering, given the rugged nature of the region, lending a unique beauty to the golf. Additionally, the culture is magnificent, and it might even be a little more affordable than some of the bigger name venues.
These regions include County Donegal, County Sligo, and County Mayo, each with their own charm and terrific courses. You might say this region is a little more off the beaten path and a little less touristy than other parts of the country. There are loads of local pubs, of course, and if you like Irish seafood chowder – a wonderful concoction often consisting of salmon, shrimp, crab, mussels, and potatoes – this is the place to get it. And of course, there’s no shortage of the perfect pours of Guinness to go along with it, either at the pubs or the clubhouses.
As for the golf, it stretches from the wonderful Ballyliffin at the tip of the Northwest coast to Carne Links on the very western coast of County Mayo. Let’s take a look:
County Sligo Golf Club
Ballyliffin Golf Club
There are two courses at Ballyliffin, Ireland’s most northerly golf destination. For many visitors, this might have been a bit of a secret until the newer of the two courses – Glashedy Links – played host to the 2018 Irish Open, where TV viewers got a glimpse of how magnificent it is. Designed by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock, it’s a par-72 that plays more than 7,500 yards from the back tees, so it’s clearly a championship venue. Scottish pro Russell Knox tamed it back in 2018 with a 14-under winning score. For us, it’s not so easy, but the views and enjoyment on this course are stellar, none better perhaps than on the par-3 fifth, where you could look out into Pollan Bay and see Glashedy Rock Island, for which the course is named. Two holes later, there’s another incredible par 3, the seventh, which plays from a tee elevated at least 150 feet above the green.
The routing of Glashedy is actually intertwined with The Old Course at Ballyliffin, which initially opened as nine holes, then went to 18 holes in 1973. It’s a par-71 that plays to just under 7,000 yards from the tips. There’s also a nine-hole par-3 course called The Pollan Links that opened in 2020 and was designed by Ruddy. And you’ll surely want to hang out a bit at the 25,000 square foot clubhouse, which features the Glashedy View Restaurant & Bar on the top floor, with panoramic views of the golf courses and Atlantic Ocean.
Ballyliffin Golf Club
Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort
About 90 minutes southwest of Ballyliffin and also in County Donegal in the town of Downing is Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort. There are now three courses at Rosapenna, and the latest, St. Patrick’s Links by Tom Doak, is ranked among the best in the world already. Opened in 2021, St Patrick’s Links is routed to an adjoining dune system just south of the other two courses. It showcases one unique hole after another, working high above Sheephaven Bay then over more gentle dunes.
Golf at Rosapenna actually goes back to the 1890s when Old Tom Morris convinced then owner Lord Leitrim that this is where he needed to build his links. About a hundred years later, Frank Casey bought the property. He added a new nine to the Old Tom Morris Course, then in 2003 got Ruddy to design Sandy Hill Links, which is a can’t-miss for anyone visiting Northwest Ireland. Built though the dunes, Sandy Hill Links also has great views of Sheephaven Bay. With a luxury hotel on site, a great golf trip to Ireland could consist of a week at just Rosapenna and Ballyliffin. But why stop there, right?
Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort
Cruit Island Golf Club
Don’t dismiss Cruit Island Golf Club because it’s just nine holes, and it’s pretty quirky. Located about an hour south of Rosapenna, it has some of the best views of any golf in Ireland. This is nine holes that you will probably want to play more than once.
Certainly one of the highlights is the par-3 sixth hole, which plays across a piece of the sea, but all the holes are a bit of an adventure. It measures just 2,800 yards or so, but certainly isn’t a pushover, especially if it’s windy, which it usually is, of course. It’s a par-34 with seven par-4 holes and two par-3 holes. A great clubhouse perched over the ninth completes the experience. Best of all, visitors can play 18 holes there for about $75.
Cruit Island Golf Club
Narin and Portnoo Links
Located in the southwest corner of County Donegal, Narin and Portnoo Links is another stop you’ll want to make in Northwest Ireland. The layout, which started as nine holes along the beach in 1930 before another 18 was added in 1965, is another stunner. This is true especially after the course was rearranged and the architect duo of Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner were brought in for a redesign. With new ownership, the club reopened in 2008, and the course and the club have received high marks ever since.
At one point, there were three consecutive par-5s on the course – holes 13-15 – but the redesign changed that by rearranging some of the holes. The new par-70 design included two new par-3 holes on the back as well, while many of the tees and greens on the remaining holes were moved to create better holes. The result is a truly upper echelon course in Ireland that anyone in the region should try to play.
Narin and Portnoo Links
Donegal Golf Club
Darren Clarke, who’s a member, calls Donegal one of favorite courses in the world, and we can see why he would say that. It’s built on 182 acres that extend out into the Atlantic Ocean on the Murvagh Peninsula, with an outside loop that plays along the dunes and the ocean, and a more protected inner loop. It truly is a links experience to behold with magnificent views and a design that keeps evolving.
First opened in 1959, the original architect of record was the legendary Irishman, Eddie Hackett. Ruddy, however, came in more recently to smooth out this par 73 that plays more than 7,400 yards from the tips. The dunes are a bit smaller, perhaps, than other courses in NW Ireland, and there’s not much elevation change, so it’s a fairly easy walk. Among the highlights is the par-3 fifth hole, known as the “Valley of Tears,” because it’s basically all carry over a valley of trouble that includes a large and extremely deep bunker you want to avoid at all costs.
Donegal Golf Club
County Sligo Golf Club
Perhaps better known as Rosses Point – because that’s where it is – Country Sligo is another incredibly scenic Irish links course. Located just outside of the town of Sligo, there are plenty of ocean views, but one of the main draws is the backdrop of the peak of Benbulben, which is nearly 1,800 feet above sea level.
As for the course, it’s a 1927 Harry Colt design that will challenge you with a combination of bumpy fairways, troublesome bunkers, and multi-dimensional greens complexes. (The course actually opened as nine holes before the turn of the 19th century.) In 2013, Ruddy was brought in for a renovation, and it’s never looked better. Sitting on a peninsula, the 7,029-yard par-73 is almost entirely surrounded by water. The back nine, and in particular the headland holes of 11-17, are super memorable.
County Sligo Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club
Originally nine holes when Enniscrone opened, Eddie Hackett extended the course to 18 holes in 1974, creating a bit of an off-the-radar gem that visiting golfers should definitely check out if they have the chance. The 18-hole layout, which features an incredible moonlike landscape with its mounds, bunkering and dunes, has been called The Dunes Course since a new nine opened in 2001. That third nine is called Scurmore, and it was designed primarily by Donald Steele. Play all 27 if you have the time.
While many golfers don’t like blind shots, the ones at Enniscrone are actually incredibly fun to play, if you follow your caddie’s instructions (and yes, like almost all these courses, it’s best to have a caddie). There are blind shots, for example, on both 12 and 13, which are par-4s. There is more room than you think to hit your tee shots. You just have to trust your line and not peek too early.
Enniscrone Golf Club
Carne Golf Links
Finally, on the northwest edge of County Mayo is Carne Golf Links, which features the very last design of the legendary architect, Hackett. And it’s definitely one of his best. This work was completed in 1993, just three years before his death at age 85.
Now there are 27 holes at Carne Golf Links, which is laid out next to Blacksod Bay on some incredible terrain. Based on sketches Hackett had drawn, Jim Engh and Ally McIntosh created a very dramatic nine hole addition called “The Wild Atlantic Dunes,” which can be integrated with the original Hackett Course. Most guests will try to stay a couple of days to play a couple combinations, but you can play 27 in a day.
This is a real jewel that most golfers visiting from across the pond never get to, partially because of its somewhat remote location. It’s not over-designed, there are terrific views, and the course is loads of fun.
Carne Golf Links
Planning your trip to Northwest Ireland
These are just a few of the courses offered in Northwest Ireland. It’s really hard to go wrong, wherever you play. For example, Westport Golf Club near Mayo is a really nice parkland option and would provide a great change of pace. Or you could check out the lesser known, but historic North West Golf Club near Ballyliffin. Some of these more anonymous courses might even provide a bit of a break in difficulty and cost of green fees.
As for getting to Northwest Ireland, there are no direct international flights from the U.S. into airports in Northwest Ireland, though you could certainly connect from Dublin, for example, to Knock Airport in County Mayo. You could also just rent a car in Dublin, and make the scenic drive west for a few hours. If you started your Northwest Ireland golf vacation at Ballyliffin, Belfast Airport in Northern Ireland, is a pretty good option. Several U.S. cities offer direct flights to Belfast, and the car ride to Ballyliffin is only a couple of hours or so.
As always, our partners at Lyons Links can help you find the perfect package with its dedicated portal for Golf Stay and Plays users, which can be found here.
Enjoy Northwest Ireland!