Portsalon Golf Club. Fanad's Hidden Gem.

Portsalon Golf Club

Portsalon Golf Club occupies one of the most magnificent settings in Irish golf — perched above golden sand beaches on the eastern shore of Lough Swilly on the Fanad Peninsula. Golf World magazine's accolade as the 2nd most beautiful golf course in the world brought international attention to what local Donegal golfers had always known: this is a very special place to play.

The course was substantially redesigned in 2000 by architect Pat Ruddy, who transformed what had been a traditional nine-hole layout into an 18-hole championship links of significant ambition and variety. At 6,246 yards and par 69, the numbers suggest a short course — but the terrain, the wind off Lough Swilly, and the constant distraction of the scenery make it a genuine test. Several holes play along the lough shoreline, with the sound of waves below and the mountains of Inishowen visible across the water.

The Fanad Peninsula is off the beaten track even by Donegal standards, which adds to the sense of discovery. There is no grid of tourist facilities here — just the course, the small village of Portsalon, a handful of superb guesthouses, and one of the most unspoiled stretches of coastline in all of Ireland. The journey along the narrow roads of Fanad, with the lough always in sight, is part of the experience.