Golf Courses in Donegal

Donegal Golf Club was founded in 1959 when the first golf course and clubhouse were built at Tullycullion on the edge of Donegal Town & in 2019 celebrated it’s 60th Anniversary. In the early 70’s the club decided to expand and some far-sighted members identified a large piece of links land, located on the Murvagh Peninsula. Eddie Hackett, Ireland’s leading golf course designer at the time, was hired to develop the land into an 18-hole Championship Course, which the club still call home to this day. The golf course has undergone quite a bit of remodelling since then, most of which has been done so with the expert guidance of Pat Ruddy, one of Ireland’s top links golf course architects.

Donegal Golf Club is known for its isolated and breath-taking location, with panoramic views across the Donegal Bay, along with the Bluestack Mountains providing a dramatic backdrop. From the back tees, it measures a huge 7,200 yards, so you won’t be surprised to hear that we recommend you move forward a bit unless you think you’re tough enough. It is fair to say Donegal is one of the toughest links around and it should be on any golfer’s radar.

Donegal Golf Club was the venue for the Irish Ladies Close Championship in 1979, and again in 2003. In 2004, the Club hosted the Men’s Irish Close Championship; the winner was Brian McElhinney, the 2004 European Amateur Champion, who came out on top of a strong field that included Rory McIlroy, then 14 years old and playing in his first Irish Close Championship. The Ulster Senior’s Amateur Championship was played on the course in 2010. It was won by Garth McGimpsey, former Walker Cup Captain, who is probably Ireland’s most famous recent Amateur. Most recently the club hosted the Ulster Boys Amateur Open Championship in April of this year, with young Josh Mackin of Dundalk etching his name on the famous trophy along side the likes of past winners Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy. The club hosted the National Students Championship in August 2019 and will be the venue for the All Ireland Cups & Shields finals from the 16th to 20th September of this year.

Come and engage with the golfing spirits of the past, while you enjoy a truly memorable golfing experience on one of 2011 British Open Champion & Donegal Golf Club member Darren Clarke’s “favourite courses in the world”.