Portsalon Golf Club

Portsalon Golf Club opened in Donegal, Ireland in 1891 and is located on the shores of Ballymastocker beach between the scenic Knockalla mountains and Inishowen hills. The club, a founding member of the Irish Golfing Union, was originally designed by Charles Thompson before Pat Ruddy oversaw renovations in 2000. The front nine at Portsalon Golf Club features elevated tee boxes and holes that snake through sand dunes showcasing views of the ocean, highlighted by the 500-yard par-4 second, which appears to disappear into the beach and the estuary running along the hole. The second nine at Portsalon Golf Club routes players back into higher ground, while still providing views of the ocean. The signature of the back nine is the par-4 14th—one of five original holes—which entices players with a downhill winding fairway framed by the sea in the backdrop. Though Portsalon Golf Club is four hours from Dublin and 90 minutes from Derry, this former hidden gem is now on the map and well worth the trek to Northwest Ireland.