St. Patrick's could be the best-kept secret in Ireland.
Few people outside of County Donegal, located in the northwest corner of Northern Ireland, have ever heard of St. Patrick’s Golf Links, much less played there. But, if you’re looking for a true adventure and one of the purest golf experiences available on an Ireland golf vacation, you’ll want to put it on your list.
Dermot Walsh, proprietor of the Hotel Carrigart, in the same-named village about two miles away, owns the two, 18-hole links courses, called Maheramagorgan and Trá Mór. They both have their share of strong holes dipsy-doodling through the sandhills along with bold elevation changes, doglegs and spectacularly sited greens.
But rather than a modern masterpiece, playing here is like turning back the golfing clock 125 years. On our last visit, the greenkeeping was rudimentary to say the least. The greens were shaggy, the tees were clumpy and uneven, and the cups appeared to be rotated no more than twice a month.
As for the clubhouse, there is none, unless you count the ramshackle tool shed about the size of a one-car garage. There is no starter or green fee collector, either, but if a member of the grounds crew happens to come buy, he’ll take your 30 Euros (about $39.25 USD), give you a scorecard, and point you toward the first tee of whichever course you’ve chosen to play.
And you know what? Playing this all-natural, authentic, wind-whipped linksland just might be one of the most unforgettable and rewarding golf experiences you’ll ever have on an Ireland golf vacation…or any other.
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