DESTINATION GOLF 2022
I havIt is incredible . It is a game changer . It will continue to make waves . It is a magical links with fire in its belly and genius in its soul . Ireland has world famous golf courses adorned with the names of legendary designers that stretch back to Old Tom himself ( including Rosapenna ), but the names of the modern greats are a touch scarce on the ground . We have a wealth of well known Irish designers – including the revered Eddie Hackett , Mel Flanagan , Paddy Merrigan , and the renowned Pat Ruddy – but the world of architecture belongs to a new breed . Their designs have steered golf course architecture in a more dynamic direction and their names add considerable weight to the inescapable ‘ bucket list destination ’.
Many of you reading this may not consider yourself design aficionados – I include myself in that group – preferring simply to visit a course and play your best . There ’ s nothing wrong with that but there is a significance to the opening of St Patrick ’ s that reverberates well beyond Irish shores . Just as golfers from around the world will travel to Ireland to play the old masters ( e . g . Ballybunion , Portmarnock , Royals County Down and Portrush ) so more will pursue a trail blazed by the new , modern masters of design . County Donegal already has two courses designed by Pat Ruddy ( Rosapenna ’ s Sandy Hills and Ballyliffin ’ s Glashedy ), but it now has one course redesigned by Gil Hanse ( Narin & Portnoo ) and the brand new St Patrick ’ s Links , designed by Tom Doak .
The significance of this is huge : Donegal , and Ireland as a whole , has now become a far greater attraction for travelling golfers . The Tom Doak name will do that . Co . Donegal may have brandished close to a dozen links courses but for many visitors it tended to lag behind the more smartly marketed south-west , the obvious Dublin / east coast hub , and the royalty of Northern Ireland . The range of Donegal ’ s links courses covered all the bases – from the old ( Bundoran ) to the new ( Sandy Hills ), from the classic ( Portsalon ) to the quirky ( Cruit Island ), from the subtle ( North West ) to the muscular ( Ballyliffin Glashedy ) – but St Patrick ’ s adds a whole new tier to the cake and adds a cherry on top for good measure .
But , to be clear , what was here already and across the county made Donegal one of Ireland ’ s great golf destinations … and that made it one of the world ’ s great golf destinations . Now , with both Tom Doak and Gil Hanse on the design sheet , international golfers will be salivating .
Making Waves
This is the first new course on our island since Cobh Golf Club moved to its new home in Marino Point , in 2009 . It is the first new 18-hole Irish links since Doonbeg , in 2001 . Carne added the sensational Kilmore nine in 2013 , designed by Ally McIntosh , but St Patrick ’ s is 18 holes and it is brimming with intrigue .
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