Northwest Ireland

The 1995 Pat Ruddy/Tom Craddock build that put Donegal on the map and hosted the 2018 Irish Open. Big dunes, a proper par-3 island in the rough at the 7th, and a closing stretch from 14 in that will eat your card if the wind comes up. Don't skip the Old Links next door — they're a stone's throw apart and you can play both in a day.

The 1973 original, redesigned by Nick Faldo in 2006. Wilder, more rumpled, more humpy fairways than Glashedy — some say it's the better course and they have a point. Half the green fee of its famous sibling and you'll remember more shots from it.

Pat Ruddy turned loose in real dune terrain, and it shows — narrow corridors, blind shots, greens perched in dune saddles. It's brutal in wind and unapologetic about it. If you only play one Rosapenna course it's this, but the new Doak-designed St Patrick's Links right next door is making that a tough call.

Tom Doak built this on a piece of duneland Eddie Hackett once called the best he'd ever seen, and it opened in 2021. Wide fairways, massive greens, the kind of strategic links Doak is known for — completely different from Sandy Hills' brawler aesthetic. Stay at Rosapenna and play both back-to-back.

An 1891 club on Ballymastocker Bay with one of the most underrated front nines in Ireland — the 2nd plays straight at the beach and the views from the cliffside holes will stop you mid-swing. Pacey Reidy's 2000 redesign sharpened the back nine without ruining the old bones. Green fees that feel like a misprint when you see what you're getting.

A 1930s links on Donegal Bay reworked by Gil Hanse in 2019 — and somehow still under-the-radar. Green fees that won't break €70, no resort, no logo shop the size of a Costco, just one of the most authentic Irish links experiences left on the island. Protect this one.

Nine holes on a tiny island off the Donegal coast — the par-3 6th plays across an Atlantic chasm and is one of the most photographed holes in Ireland for a reason. It's a half-day novelty, not a serious test, but if you're already this far west you'd be a fool to skip it. Green fee is about €25.

An Eddie Hackett design from 1973 stretched along Donegal Bay south of the marquee tracks — long, exposed, and tougher than it looks on paper. Worth a day if you're routing in from Sligo or Knock airport, less essential if you're staying north around Ballyliffin or Rosapenna.

The only proper resort stay in the region and the obvious base if Sandy Hills and St Patrick's are on your card — walk out the door, three links courses on property. Rooms are functional rather than fancy and the bar gets clubby with golfers most nights. Book the half-board package; there isn't much else to eat in Downings.

Ten minutes from the golf club in the village of Ballyliffin, this is where most groups playing the Inishowen Peninsula end up. Comfortable, well-run, decent restaurant, and the bar fills up with golfers swapping stories about Glashedy's 14th. Not luxurious, but the right call for the area.

On Lough Foyle just south of Inishowen — sea views, a serviceable on-site golf course (skip it), and the closest full-service hotel if you're splitting time between Ballyliffin and crossing into Northern Ireland. Solid mid-range option with good food.

The splurge option — a restored 19th-century castle near Donegal Town with the kind of dining and grounds the rest of the region can't match. It's a 90-minute drive from Ballyliffin so it's not the right base for the whole trip, but worth a night or two if you're routing in via Knock or playing Murvagh.

A family-run village hotel that's been running since 1922 — exactly the kind of unfussy Irish base that fits this trip. Walking distance to pubs and the harbor, fair prices, and a good central spot if you're playing both Rosapenna and Portsalon without committing to the resort.

For groups of 6+, a self-catering house along the Atlantic coast is often the smarter call than splitting hotel rooms — kitchens, common space, and a fire to dry your gear. Look around Downings, Dunfanaghy, or Portsalon for proximity to the courses, and book early; the inventory is small.

A fishing-village spot that won World's Best Seafood Chowder a few years back and hasn't lost the plot since. Get the chowder and the seafood platter, sit at the bar, don't try to be fancy. The right post-Glashedy lunch.

An 1810 country pub near Rosapenna with a serious kitchen that nobody outside Donegal knows about. Beef from down the road, fish from the bay, fire going, prices that haven't caught up to the cooking. Book ahead — it fills up.

A converted flax mill on the edge of New Lake doing the most ambitious cooking in the northwest — small menu, local sourcing, the kind of place a city food critic would lose his mind over if it were anywhere near Dublin. The dinner reservation worth driving for.

Wood-fired pizza in a beer garden behind a pub. After three days of chowder and lamb stew this hits different. Cash and chaos, no reservations, and the right call when the group can't agree on dinner.

Ireland's most northerly pub, on the windy edge of Inishowen. Worth the drive for the location alone, but the seafood is genuinely good and the pints come with views straight out to the Atlantic. Half-day side mission with lunch built in.

If you're staying south near Lough Eske or routing through Donegal Town, this is the safe call — Donegal Bay seafood, slow-cooked lamb, turf fire, exactly the rural Irish dinner the trip should include at least once.

The local in Downings, two minutes from Rosapenna. Plates of fish, pints of stout, fishermen at the bar at 5pm and golfers by 7. This is where the half-board crowd ends up when they need a night off the resort menu.

The hotel bar overlooking Portnoo harbor — straightforward food, full bar, the right place for a slow lunch after Narin & Portnoo. Don't expect a tasting menu; expect fish and chips, a pint, and a window seat over the bay.

A small, locally run dining room in Dunfanaghy doing seafood-forward dinners with a tight wine list. Books up — call early. The right alternative if The Mill is full or you want a second night out in town.