Author: Alice & Danny Scott
Danny and Alice are globe trotting and rediscovering America with a mission to bring alive the best of all destinations.
Donegal Golf and the Abbey Hotel
Donegal County, Ireland
At Donegal Golf Club, aka Murvagh, sheep were loose on the driving range because the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence, especially after an unseasonably wet spring. Adam, the pro, welcomes members and guests alike. He’s fairly new to the club but old hat at Irish golf charm.
Enshrined in the club’s culture is Lynn McCool, the GM. It’s always great to
Catch up with her at the Irish booth at the PGA show in Orlando. We missed her on our morning round, so we returned after lunch at Smugglers Creek and a walk on Rossnowlagh Surf Beach for a hug and some craic.
Lynn introduced us to Margaret, the lady captain, shared the nice merchandise in the shop and explained some of Paul McKinley’s redesigns on the Eddie Hackett-designed course. Donegal is in great shape and relatively easy to navigate, though it’s one of the longest in Europe. The par 73, stretches over 7400 yards from the tips.
The course is sometimes called “the Muirfield of Ireland” because of its two nine-hole loops sitting on a secluded peninsula with panoramic views of the Atlantic and Donegal Bay. The ninth tee is so close to the sea that we ran to the beach and back while waiting for the group ahead. The water was warm, but purple jelly fish circles laid in the sand, so we weren’t all that tempted to swim. Later, John Bolger, GM of GreenGolfBall jokingly assured us the purple ones are “fine”. We’re not so sure about that, but we are sure that GreenGolfBall has the expertise to design bespoke golf trips throughout Donegal, the rest of Ireland, and beyond.
Just ten minutes from the course, Donegal Town is a walkable village for shopping and pub hopping, centered around a diamond plaza where musicians play. The Abbey Hotel, where we stayed for our final segment of golf in Ireland, sits directly across from the plaza. While known for country music, you’ll find every variety in the bar, including local fiddlers playing jigs. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with ours facing the peaceful River Eske.
We loved the Steak on Stone experience at their Market House Restaurant, with window seating to watch passersby. The chef sears the steak first, then it’s delivered to the table with a sizzling hot stone and sauces so you can finish cooking and warming yourself. This way, every bite is hot and flavorful – highly recommended. Our cocktails were adorned with mini pansies, served by Ben, who was too shy to mention that his dad is the secretary at Murvagh. Dorothy, who helps run groups at the Abbey in the evenings, spilled the beans and shared plenty of gossip. She is “the former president who won the cup” and recognized playing ahead of us on the back nine. Over dinner, Sharon in sales and Anne, the restaurant manager, asked about our round at Murvagh. It’s a small town after all, and a fun one, with a castle of its own to tour.
Cruit Island
Sometimes pronounced “crutch,” you may need one when you’re finished playing. Sometimes pronounced “critch,” you’ll have an itch to return to it. This is the best little Irish secret, reached by crossing a bridge where the local swim club meets in wetsuits. From a distance, we thought there might be a funeral procession with all the black suits on shore, then realized they were crazy swimmers. They must time their outings for high tide, or they’d be swimming in mud.
Eugene ran the Cruit pro shop on a cool, wet day and told us the course it is member-owned but very welcoming to guests. He handed us a yardage book, since there are numerous blind tee shots, including the first, third, and the fifth holes. The old saying “every blind squirrel gets a nut” rings true here. Every player is essentially blind half the time.
But your eyes are wide open the rest of the time, because Cruit has some of the most magnificent views in the world, on a layout where strategy and execution are everything. Distance and accuracy both matter, especially on the signature sixth hole. A long par 3 in the wind, your drive must fly over a cliff and water to a green that juts out with water behind it too. It’s tough to keep the ball dry on this one, but we gleefully managed.
The next tee box, number 7, feels like standing atop the world. If the wind doesn’t blow you away, the views will. It’s another blind hole, and it’s genuinely difficult to figure out where to aim, and then find your ball, while the sea keeps distracting you. The best part about this par 68, nine-hole course is that you can play it again for a full 18, with half the tee boxes repositioned.
It’s a thrilling ride to get here and a thrilling course to play. Try not to miss it.
Narin & Portnoo Links
This was our first course we ever played in Ireland, 15 years ago, so it was our first Irish love, and we were happy to make it our final round of this trip. A few things have changed, like a nice new clubhouse and some tweaks to the layout, but it was every bit as recognizable and memorable as it was back then.
It begins in a pastoral setting, with an offer of a shot of whiskey from the local distillery, which we postponed until after the round. From the fifth hole on, it’s a seaside delight with terrific conditioning throughout. Irish hares dart about, and when standing on their hind legs, they look like Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit.
Lynn McCool told Larry Foley, the owner, that he’s the luckiest man alive to have Narin & Portnoo. The Golf Operations Manager, Yuka Quinn and Niamh feel lucky too, caring for the course while Larry resides directly across the big pond in New England. Niamh is an Irish native, while Yuka is from Japan but never played golf there or here. She met her Irish husband backpacking in Australia. He’s now well-known for his natural methods and products at Portnoo Market Garden.
Golf is amazing in Donegal, and so are the people and the sights.
Slieve League Cliffs
Cliffs are part of the wonder of Ireland’s land and seascapes, and Slieve League is one of the most special vantage points of all. The shop at the shuttle stop is filled with locally crafted merchandise, alongside a café with entertaining singalong musicians. Aiden shuttled us from the public lot with a stream of corny humor, joking that the Cliffs of Moher to the south have nothing on Slieve League. Having now seen both, we can attest that they’re each extraordinary provided you catch then in a clear hour, since the fog can come and go. Sheep graze all over the hillside, no fence required. Some visitors hike the trails; others prefer to sit and take in the coastline. Either way, a food truck is on hand with hotdogs and daily fresh-caught lobster rolls, the absolute best. Sorry, Boston and Maine.
Donegal County is spoiled for golf and beaches. We dipped our fingers in Sheephaven and toes in Donegal Bay. GreenGolfBall knows where to send you for a swim, a surf, or a sail, along with all the golf you could dream of playing. They recently launched Signature Departures, where guests join a coach, meet new people, and avail of guaranteed tee times and accommodation. A couples’ Departure in the west/northwest region is also available on their website. Our ten-day trip to Dublin and Donegal could not have been any better.
greengolfball.com/signaturedepartures
