Portsalon Golf Club
Fanad, Co. Donegal, Ireland
COURSE REVIEW:
Founded: 1891
Designer: Pat Ruddy (redesign 2001)
Championship Length: 6,472 yards
PAR: 72
Type: Links
Portsalon Golf Club is set on one of the most northern reaching parts of Donegal on the shores of Ballymastocker Bay, alongside a beach recently voted the “second most beautiful beach in the world”. Like Rosapenna and Narin & Portnoo, Portsalon is not an internationally renowned golf course. What Portsalon is however, is a seriously good golf links with roots in the 19th century, located in some of the most beautiful terrain imaginable and offering stunning views.
This is what Irish golf is all about. Portsalon represents a throwback to what the great courses such as Ballybunion and Lahinch were like before they became recognised the world over and before demand for tee times grew beyond their wildest dreams. Measuring just under 6,000 yards, its par 69 course simply exudes character and charm, does not suffer from any pretensions of greatness and offers all visitors a warm welcome and the opportunity (lest we forget) to play a marvelous links.
Though Ireland has many great hidden golfing gems, Portsalon can legitimately lay claim to being Ireland’s best kept golfing secret. With heather clad mountains plunging into the deep blue waters of the bay, Portsalon has few peers with regard to scenic splendour. The opening hole is an uphill dogleg around a cliff and is followed by a par three of some 196 yards over water to a green that juts into the bay. The 3rd hole, unchanged since 1891 is a downhill par four played across and along the beach to a green guarded by two ancient rock formations. It is an exhilarating start and so it continues at Portsalon, with fairways and greens threading through sand dunes untouched by the course of time.
NEARBY COURSES:
Ballyliffin (Glashedy) (2 hrs, 15 min); Ballyliffin (Old) (2 hrs, 15 min); Castlerock (2 hrs, 30 min); Donegal (Murvagh) (1 hr, 45 min); Portstewart (2 hrs, 40 min); Rosapenna (60 min); Rosses Point (Co.Sligo) (2 hrs, 35 min); Royal Portrush (Dunluce) (2 hrs, 40 min)
RECOMMENDED NEARBY ACCOMMODATION:
Ballyliffin Lodge (2 hrs, 15 min); Harvey’s Point Country Hotel (1 hr, 45 min); Rathmullan House (45 min); Rosapenna Hotel (60 min)
LOCATION:
Situated just over 20 miles north of Letterkenny. From Letterkenny, follow the R245 road to Ramelton and on through Milford. From Milford, take the R246 to Portsalon.
