Rosapenna (Sandy Hills)
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Ballyliffin (Old)
The story of Ballyliffin reads almost like a fairytale. Established in
1973, on the remote Donegal peninsula of Inishowen, the course
struggled in the early years. Then Nick Faldo arrives in 1993, a year
after his third Open Championship victory, and declares it “the
most natural links I have ever played.” He loves it so much that he
even tries to buy the place. He fails, but his visit reinvigorates the
club… and Ballyliffin has never looked back, adding the exceptional
Glashedy course only a couple of years later, in 1995, and a new
clubhouse in 1999. Ironically, Faldo was invited back to do some
upgrade work on the Old course in the early 2000s. The focus of
his changes were to introduce revetted bunkering and new tees, but
the heart of the Old course remains… this is a classic links design,
sweeping over low, bumpy and unpredictable fairways which almost
float towards natural green sites. The Old course boasts holes that
cling to Pollan Bay, with holes 13 to 16 nuzzling up to the beach.
Portstewart
When the opening nine holes of a course tumble over a violent
dunescape known locally as ‘God’s Own Country’, you know you’re
playing somewhere special. That’s what Portstewart throws at you
as its opening salvo. Every hole is stunning in its shape and size, but
golfing memories of the course often come down to one hole… the
1st. Widely regarded as the best opening hole in Irish golf, the tee
sits level with the first floor of the sparkling new clubhouse. Views
spill away over the sea to Inishowen, and Mussenden Temple sits on
the cliff tops in the distance. There is no drive quite like it: soak it up
before you take that first swing. The front nine all follow suit and,
despite the gigantic dunes, you will be able to see what lies ahead.
The high tee boxes show off the landscape and the hole in play,
including steep rises to many greens… so pay attention.
The back nine start in the same ve