| Course Description: |
Murvagh, as it is commonly known, is a magnificent par-73 with standard scratch of 74 off the back tees, measuring 6,621 metres true test golf. It is a testament to the late Eddie Hackett ability design spectacular links courses. After completing Waterville and Connemara was given an opportunity flex his muscles on promontory in Donegal Bay. He recalled with great modesty "The greens are natural sites: only level of some them were adjusted by hand. All as I had do develop course what nature provided".
One of the feature holes is 174 metres 5th to a plateau green with Donegal Bay in background and no bale-out front or sides, a truly magnificent hole. Rumour has it that some members argued it, was too difficult, but Hackett having non of it. Donegal is a challenging course at any time, but when the wind blows it will test very best of golfers to play anything near their Handicap. Irish Women's Close was contested here in 1997, won by legendry big hitter Mary McKenna Donabate.
Murvagh is a must if you are anywhere near Donegal and even worth trip from Rosslare to play. The clubhouse of highest standard warm welcome extended all visitors.Voted the No. 39-ranked golf course in Ireland, by “Golf Digest Ireland” in 2008. Donegal was voted No. 21 Links/Shoreline Course in Ireland by "Backspin" Irelands leading Golf magazine in 2008, the panel comprised of a selection of 52 Professional and amateur golfers throughout Ireland. |
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| Club History |
Founded 1960.
In the middle of the last century, a group of local men met at the Donegal Courthouse, and thus began the discussion and design of the first golf course near Donegal Town. Land in the Tullycullion townland was donated by the Temple family, owners of the world famous Magee & Co. , and on completion of design and construction, the course opened in May 1960. The Club remained in that location for just over a decade - a community effort where much of the club maintenance was performed by members. However, as membership and popularity grew, there was new incentive to construct a larger course, more in line with links golf that is known in this part of the world.
The 180 acres of the Murvagh peninsula juts out into the Atlantic, accessed only by an avenue through forestry lands. Unusable for either forestry or farming, the land was perfect for the design and construction of a links course. The Temple family, once again, was instrumental in procuring this land, and in 1973, a 99 year lease on the land was obtained. Eddie Hackett, one of the best known course designers in Ireland, was commissioned and the course was designed using Muirfield, with its two circuits of golf, as its model. By 1973, the newly designed course had 18 holes open for play. The original clubhouse was a caravan, to be replaced some months later, by a railway carriage.
By 1974, Pat Ruddy, who came on board in later years as the architect of new design features of the course, wrote "here is one of Ireland's finest golf courses in the making and must be visited". By 1976, a new clubhouse was built, and the club had 80 members, including Eamonn O'Connor, an Ulster Council representative, and Maire O'Donnell, a former Curtis Cup Captain.
The club has continued to evolve over the years - with a number of holes redesigned by Pat Ruddy, and a new Clubhouse, which opened in 1998. Through its ongoing evolution and continued development, the course continues to attain national recognition, and is consistently listed in the upper 20% of the top 100 courses in the British Isles. |
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| Members Achievements |
Darragh McGowan was selected on the Connacht ILGU Team for the Interprovincial's. Played at Ballybunion Golf Club from 18th to 20th August 2004.E. MacMullen was selected on the Connacht Ladies team that played the AIB Interprovincial championship at the Island Golf Club from 8th to the 10th August. She was on the Irish Senior Ladies team that played England at Woodbrook Golf Club on 21st and 22nd October 2001.
Norma Mullooly was selected for the Connacht Girls' team in the Smurfit Interprovincal Championship at Enniscrone Golf Club from the 18th to the 20th April 2001.
Donegal Golf Club won the Connaught Trophy in 1987, the team was Maire O'Donnell, Phil Hunt, Goretti McGill, Una Anderson and Mary Gallagher.
Norma Mullooly was selected on the ILGU Junior squad in November 2000 and was on the Irish Girls' team which played in the Home Internationals, at Downfield G. C., Dundee, from the 15th to the 17th of August, 2000.
Helen McMullen played for Ireland in the Girls Home Internationals at Moseley Golf Club in 1992, and at Helensburgh Golf Club in 1993.
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|
| Card of the Course (yards) |
| |
| Name |
Hole No |
Blue |
White |
Orange |
Green |
Par |
Index |
Red |
Par |
Index |
| Road to the Isles |
1 |
486 |
486 |
476 |
466 |
5 |
9 |
407 |
5 |
6 |
| Westward |
2 |
426 |
388 |
378 |
345 |
4 |
3 |
322 |
4 |
2 |
| Bell's Isle |
3 |
194 |
175 |
165 |
156 |
3 |
11 |
147 |
3 |
18 |
| Foster's Castle |
4 |
469 |
395 |
386 |
377 |
4 |
1 |
303 |
4 |
8 |
| Valley of Tears |
5 |
185 |
177 |
168 |
159 |
3 |
7 |
112 |
3 |
16 |
| The Hassans |
6 |
470 |
470 |
461 |
451 |
5 |
17 |
392 |
5 |
10 |
| St. Ernan's |
7 |
397 |
348 |
342 |
330 |
4 |
13 |
277 |
4 |
14 |
| Moyne Hill |
8 |
502 |
499 |
490 |
437 |
5 |
5 |
394 |
5 |
4 |
| Murvagh |
9 |
367 |
349 |
341 |
333 |
4 |
15 |
289 |
4 |
12 |
| |
Out |
3,496 |
3,287 |
3,207 |
3,054 |
37 |
|
2,643 |
37 |
|
| Hackett's Corner |
10 |
357 |
317 |
309 |
309 |
4 |
16 |
286 |
4 |
11 |
| Fairy Rath |
11 |
369 |
346 |
336 |
326 |
4 |
6 |
266 |
4 |
13 |
| The Bluestacks |
12 |
544 |
501 |
495 |
487 |
5 |
14 |
439 |
5 |
3 |
| Tullycullon |
13 |
167 |
141 |
133 |
122 |
3 |
18 |
119 |
3 |
17 |
| Hare's Croft |
14 |
517 |
487 |
479 |
461 |
5 |
2 |
452 |
5 |
1 |
| The Larks |
15 |
374 |
365 |
360 |
349 |
4 |
8 |
306 |
4 |
9 |
| Temple |
16 |
227 |
168 |
165 |
155 |
3 |
12 |
150 |
3 |
15 |
| Souterrain |
17 |
376 |
376 |
370 |
350 |
4 |
4 |
341 |
4 |
7 |
| Barnesmore |
18 |
392 |
343 |
336 |
327 |
4 |
10 |
294 |
4 |
5 |
| |
In |
3,323 |
3,044 |
2,982 |
2,886 |
36 |
|
2,653 |
36 |
|
| |
Total |
6,764 |
6,344 |
6,182 |
5,922 |
73 |
|
5,440 |
73 |
|
| |
SSS |
75 |
73 |
72 |
71 |
|
|
75 |
|
|
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