Portsalon,
Fanad, Co. Donegal
Office
+353 (0)74 915 9459Pro shop
+353 (0)74 915 9459Fax
+353 (0)74 915 9459Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Daragh Lyons (Club Manager).The Course:
18 holes. Seaside links. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb (more so on the back-nine)
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland.
Designer:
Original design by Charles Thompson (golf professional at Portrush GC); substantial improvements designed by Pat Ruddy (2000).
55.201994
-7.626914
47 miles NW of Derry (Londonderry)
From the town of Letterkenny, take the R245 direction Rathmelton / Milford. After 20 km (go through Milford) turn right direction Kerrykeel / Fanad. After 1.5 km turn onto the R246 direction Kerrykeel / Fanad and follow the R246. After approx 14 km turn right direction Portsalon Golf Hotel. After 1.1 km turn right direction Portsalon GC. After 1 km turn right into golf club.
Portsalon Golf Club: The Fanad Peninsula in County Donegal is one of Ireland's quieter corners, where a memorable links golf course combines with spectacular mountain scenery and breathtaking sea views. Relatively recent improvements to the layout at Portsalon have catapulted it into the upper echelons of Ireland's coastal courses - both in terms of scenery (which has been here since time immemorial) and the playing quality of the holes (a more recent phenomenon).
Several idiosyncratic and criss-crossing holes have now been straightened out and a more uniform and stronger layout has resulted. The renovation has not however altered the timeless charms of this seaside course, and its inherent golfing challenges.
With the majority of the layout played through an impressive area of sand dunes alongside the North Atlantic Ocean, you are assured of great scenery, not least the views onto Ballymacstocker Bay and Lough Swilly. The layout itself provides a thorough examination of your overall game; there are times when long and straight is an essential requirement from the tee.
The tranquillity of the environment here at Portsalon is only interrupted by the wind (and occasional gales) that blow through, and on sunny summer days the sounds of playful youngsters on the beach.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance. Handicap required.
Credit cards accepted. Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire
Good
Running alongside the golf course at Portsalon are 3 km of pristine golden sand that form spectacular Ballymastocker Beach. County Donegal's Fanad Peninsula is home to several other fabulous beaches, as well as the impressive Fanad Head lighthouse (located 12 km north of Portsalon).
Ireland: 23rd best course in Ireland (Golf World, 2023).
No
No
Portsalon; Rosapenna (Old Tom Morris and Sandy Hills courses).
No
Portsalon (o.5 km)
Rosapenna (Old Tom Morris and Sandy Hills courses)
Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).
Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24).
To secure the best rates and ensure availability, it's recommended to book your rental car in advance, especially during peak golfing season.
Car Rental in Belgium, Europe & Worldwide – Avis
Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.
Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
