Ballyliffin (Old) - Donegal - Ireland

We played the Old Course this morning in sunshine and a 3-4 club wind to kick off our first tour to North West Ireland.

Ballyliffin is a nice if basic village with a fantastic location, and staying at the very nice Ballyliffin Lodge provides a good value way to stay and play.

Ahead of the Irish Open the clubhouse is very well appointed and friendly.

It has an excellent layout too –the locker room/pro shop/putting green/1st tee journey is about 100 yards in a straight line, others please note !

As elsewhere in the British Isles, it’s been a very long and very wet Winter here hence preferred lies still in play although one never really felt they were necessary, we never had a speck of mud on the ball, even on the lower lying holes.

We really enjoyed the Old Course; it’s a good mixture of holes including some downwind 300 yard drive opportunities as well as failing to reach an upwind 150 yard par 3 with well struck long irons.

The stretch 13-17 played straight into the wind, so our views were sadly rather more of marram than the Caribbean blue of the sea alongside, but the rough never felt too punitive unless one hit a truly bad shot.

Other than the 3’s, if one had positioned the ball correctly nearly every hole was accessible to a ground shot, essential on a day like this.

We really enjoyed the course and can’t wait to try the Glashedy – after being beaten up today, the locals said “well, the Glashedy’s not as easy as that of course”.

I have now been to Northwest Ireland to play golf three years in a row. Having played most links courses ranked top 100 in Britain and Ireland and many ranked just below, I think no other place offers a better combination of course quality and accessibility. (Not even factoring in the drop dead gorgeous scenery)

I mean, where else can you look out the window and decide on the day – as a non-member - when on the day you want to play two top links courses.......and reasonably expect to play two rounds at your own pace, whether that is a fast 3-hour two-ball match or a game at a more leisurely pace?

With the Glashedy course chosen for the 2018 Irish Open, I think there is a risk that more people will favour that course at the expense of the Old Links. They could not be more mistaken.

To me, it is the combination of the Old Links and the Glashedy and the fact that they are very different design-wise, yet equally matched, that is the Ballyliffin experience. Drive up to the clubhouse in the morning, have a chat in the pro shop to make sure you know where any other groups tee off and then decide which course to play first. If the weather turns ugly (happens), just wait in the clubhouse until it blows over, then start/resume your round. Play 9, 18, 27 or 36 holes, whatever takes your fancy.

Heaven.

So, what could possibly be better? Well, you cannot walk from your hotel room to the first tee. At Rosapenna, two hours away, but at equal distance from Dublin, you can. That would perhaps be the one reason to go elsewhere....

Review of the Month December 2017

One immediately feels the difference between The Glashedy and the Old Course. The Old has a more classic feel to it. The bumpy fairways have not been leveled so level lie will be found rarely. Especially on The first 11 holes, I all found them good golfholes but in my opinion they lack a bit of diversity. Alsho having played the Glashedy, it seemed that there were a lot of short-mid range par 4’s with a slight dogleg right that played roughly the same and therefore weren’t too special. There are a few standout holes like the brutal par 3 5th. It played downwind with 5 Bft. To a highly raised, shallow green between dunes and a front pin position. Anything short would be 40 yards back down the fairway. Luckily my 5 iron punch worked like a charm and now forms a fond memory. The back nine is where it really gets good, with some holes right next to the sea with sloping fairways, deep swales and some long finishing holes. No surprise that Sir Nick appreciates this course. I’d love to go back but I do feel after having played Sandy Hills (for a fraction of the price) and the Glashedy, that 120 euro’s might not be the best deal in Donegal. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my round on this classic links and Ballyliffin is a great destination that shouldn’t be missed. MO

The Old Links at Ballyliffin may be viewed by many as being inferior to the Glashedy, the younger and more dramatic sibling, but in reality there is not much to choose between them.

As you drive down from the village and look over the magnificent piece of land on which the two courses sit, there appears to be enough ideal ground to build at least two more. What a destination that would make, however remote. The Old Links had to undergo architectural changes to make room for the Glashedy but you would never know it playing there today. Further refinements were made by Faldo in 2006 with some major bunker improvements adding to the charm and interest of this most traditional of links courses. Holes spill in all directions, pitching and tumbling to leave many uneven stances and although not long from the daily tees there is no shortage of challenge even in a rare light breeze. The back nine occupies the land nearest to the sea and this was marginally the better half in my opinion with holes 14 to 18 providing an excellent finish. On my first visit here there was only enough time to play the Glashedy but I made sure not to make the same mistake this time around. Don't miss Ballyliffin and when you arrive remember to say hello to the Gareth, one of the friendliest and most welcoming head pros you could wish to meet. Brian W

If you are willing to play a true natural course, this Old Course is one of the best choices you have in the world, where no earth was moved. The layout just was mowed and bunkers place, with of course some shaping work in the greens but really very little. Opened in 1949, in the 90s Faldo did a complete refurbishing of the bunkers of a place that he stated more than once that he loved. The course is pretty much plain, with no big level changes but it has very nice views of the Ocean and the Glashedy Rock, which gives the name to the other course in the property. I played on a twosome with the Club Captain Paddy and it was nice as I was able to learn a lot about the history of the course and of the Club, how the new Glashedy was built, how Faldo helped and the day Rory as a young kid smashed the Glashedy course with a 66. The front 9 are maybe easier than the back with some great holes like uphill par 3 5th, a very tough green to hold the ball and if you miss, God help you! Course gets nice, tough and demanding as you arrive to long par 3 number 12, where a long iron is needed to reach that tough green. 14 to 18 make it a very nice final, specially long and tough 18th where if you miss the tee shot, the third one will be a very long one. A very well kept course, natural and true, with great views and challenge. Do not avoid any of them, maybe the best idea is to play 36 the same day and experience in real time the very big difference between Old and Glashedy.

Very good golf course. Played the Old in the morning and Glashedy in the afternoon. This is a brilliant 36 holes of golf. Considering the courses occupy the same land, they are very different in topography and conditioning. I would urge golfers to play both courses at this top resort.

Having played the Glashedy in the morning I thought we may have already played the best of the two courses and the afternoon was just going to be a post lunch knock around but I was wrong. The Old is every bit as good as its bigger brother. It's not as long as the other course and  much flatter but this doesn't make it any less challenging, it just means it's more playable (even enjoyable) for the average player. The fairways are very traditional links and the greens were a joy to putt on. I can't recommend Ballyliffin highly enough as a resort, 2 great courses, great food and service and the Guiness isn't too bad either.

Out of the two superb courses at Ballyliffin this just nudges it for me. There’s something about the more traditional linksy feel with it’s numerous bumps and hollows that brings a smile to the face on every hole – though probably not the greenkeepers who somehow have to cut the bumpy surfaces. It’s also a touch easier which would suit me if I had the pleasure of being a member here. Both courses are must plays and the welcome at this resort is second to none. The food is also excellent (As is the Guinness!).

Probably my favourite 36 hole complex in Ireland. Course plays different every time I have played it but the condition of the course always remains the same – excellent. The course is complimented by a fantastic clubhouse and friendly staff. Anybody that has not yet made their way to Ballyliffin should make it their next port of call.

The Glashedy was my favourite at Ballyliffin when I played here before but I fell in love with the Old course this time around. The Faldo bunker changes that have been incorporated so sympathetically into the design were a delight to behold, blending in so unobtrusively into the golfing landscape. I loved “The Tank” (so reminiscent of the wonderful uphill 13th at Muirfield) on the front nine and the run of holes along Pollan Strand between the 14th and 16th (with exhilarating tee shots from positions beside the sandy shore) were a delight to play. It was marvellous to listen to some of the members back in the clubhouse describe the original, elementary nine holes that were laid out back in the late 1940’s, comparing what had gone before to the magnificent modern day 36-hole complex now in play – a links setup that everyone on the Inishowen peninsula can be justifiably proud of. A lot of water has flown under many a golfing bridge since my untrained eye surveyed the scene here six and a half years ago so, in the light of experience gained since then, my original 5 ball review is grossly inadequate for either the Old or the Glashedy at Ballyliffin – nothing short of 6 balls will suffice for two of the best links courses that I have played in GB & I. Jim McCann