NARIN & PORTNOO - 16 POINTS
Narin & Portnoo is a lovely course in a wonderful setting
For years Donegal was just for the real golf connoisseur. Those in the know were aware of the high calibre of golf on offer but it didn’t have the profile of some of the other, more classic, Irish itineraries.
Well, in recent years, that has changed, and one of the main reasons is what has happened at Narin & Portnoo. Golf has been played here since the early twentieth century but recent work by acclaimed architect Gil Hanse and his associate Jim Wagner has elevated the course to something really very special. They moved tees and greens, created new holes (and left some alone) to create one of the most fun courses you can play.
The land here is spectacular. Sitting close to the water, with significant dunes, the canvas was begging for a world class design and I think they now have that. Hanse is known for building courses that are relatively forgiving from the tee but which make things more interesting the closer you get to the green - think Castle Stuart or Streamsong Black. He takes that philosophy to Narin & Portnoo, making for a pretty darn good experience.
You kick off with a slightly head-scratching par 4. It’s not a long hole - 338 yards from the middle tee - but you need to navigate a burn in the landing area (well for me anyway) and then play a blindish shot up to the long, narrow, perched green. Oh, and there’s out of bounds on the right. If all that sounds a bit terrifying, it is! But don’t worry, the course opens out from there on but it’s certainly a baptism of fire.
The second hole is a long par 4 - up to 524 yards depending on the tee you play from - and you will get your first introduction to some of the great movement on the ground here. Both the fairway and green have some really interesting contours which give a nice taster of what is to come.
Things really step up as you get closer to the water and the headland at the far end of the property. The 6th is a lovely par 3. It may be only 140 yards but there is valley at the front which will gobble up any less than perfect shots as you hit from plateau to plateau. The 7th is great fun. The high up tee on this short par 4 doesn’t really prepare you for what is to come, with a green nestling behind the dune on the right. Get your line right off the tee and you may find yourself with an eagle putt.
There are plenty of short holes on the course - none of the par 3s are over 150 yards from any tee and there are some short par 4s. However, there are some really good long par 4s too. The 8th is a good example of this. The setting is wonderful along the coast and the land is really interesting, with tons of movement, but you will need to be right at the top of your game to get home in 2. You may be better served doing what I did and playing this as a par 5!
The back 9 used to have three consecutive par 5s and the new routing breaks that up - there are three par 3s, two par 5s and four par 4s. The variety in length is stark. Even off the middle tees you will find a range on this back nine from 117 yards on the 15th to 574 yards on the closing hole.
I really enjoyed the routing of the course. On the back 9, it feels like you are moving away from the holes by the water for good, but you find yourself heading back that way unexpectedly before the final turn for home. You can really play the ball on the ground here. Indeed, in what was a pretty stiff breeze, I found the putter was often the best way to get it closer from a long way off the green.
One criticism that could be levelled at the course is that the 5 par 3s all present a similar challenge. I can agree with that up to a point but the wind means that there was a good range of clubs needed to play them. I would much rather have 5 par 3s under 150 yards than 5 over 190 yards but I recognise that some would maybe like a little more variety.
I was really surprised with just how good Narin and Portnoo is. The setting is phenomenal but the golf course absolutely does it justice. It’s a fun course which won’t beat you up from the tee but will ask questions all the way around - imagination and a good short game will definitely help you score well here.
It’s not yet there in all of the lists, but I would consider it to be in the top 100 courses in GB & Ireland. The work by Hanse and Wagner has elevated it to such a level and I would thoroughly recommend it has a place on any itinerary to Donegal.
BOOKING THE COURSE
You can book very easily online, rates are €180 in the summer, with discounts for the shoulder season. The club has a local membership but, outside of medals, you can book the course seven days a week and there is normally good availability. If you are an Irish resident you can phone up to take advantage of some good discounts.
Prices correct as of August 2023.
TOUR TIPS
When I played at Narin I drove down from Rosapenna, where I was staying. The drive is about an hour and twenty minutes. It’s not too far but the roads around here aren’t too fast! It’s very doable therefore to stay in Rosapenna and do a day trip down to Narin & Portnoo.
If you are really going for it with a tour, then you may play Carne, Enniscrone and County Sligo to the south. Carne is the furthest away, about three hours south. Donegal would make a good staging post on the way up from those courses.
If you are in the area then you should consider playing Narin & Portnoo in the morning and then in the afternoon getting to Cruit Island - it’s a pretty remote nine hole course but with some lovely quirk and special views.
CONTACT DETAILS
Narin & Portnoo Links
Naran,
An Fhearthainn,
Co. Donegal,
F94 F433
Ireland
Tel: +353 74 954 5107
E-mail: admin@portsalongolfclub.ie
Web: narinandportnoolinks.com
