Murvagh (Donegal) and Nairn & Portnoo

carnsoreboxer

Tips needed please:)

Girls on tour, handicaps 8 - 20, meeting group from N & P, similiar h/caps, for inter county fun match next week:D Any tips on these courses would be very welcome especially as I have been "clubless" since Jan, waiting to hear if my application has been succesful in new club, so, although getting approx 1 game per week am out of practice. Obviously don't want to let myself or Dublin team down:(

Jealous lads? My husband is!!

Thekingofhearts

Both beautiful tracks. Narin and Portnoo is a gem. The two par 5's in a row are a pair of the best in the country. Beautiful views all round the course. Murvagh you need to be in the right spot off the tee. Big greens from there in. Last two times I've played it there was sand on the greens but they usually run smooth. I'm so jealous. I'll be up there again in September. Cant wait.

Kevinmarkham

There are actually three par fives in a row at Narin & Portnoo: 13 to 15, as well as the 10th - so the back 9 is long. My advice for N&P is to keep it simple - i.e. hit at what you can see. There are a couple of wicked doglegs (5 and 6) and the 9th offers a hidden, sharp drop, but the rest of the course is laid out in plain sight so you'll know the dangers (and plenty of them). Plenty of bumps and humps all over the place so no guarantees on lies. It is the most under-appreciated links courses in Ireland. It starts slowly, but I will never tire of saying that holes 7 to 11 are the best run of holes in the country (and that's saying something against Tralee), and as kingofhearts noted, the 14th and 15th are excellent

People say that Murvagh is long - not so long for the ladies, obviously - but Murvagh is generous enough that you have room. There is one stretch of very difficult holes (5 to 11) where the dunes really spread across the fairways into great shapes and slopes, but elsewhere the fairways are mostly tame and visible. Greens are big enough and soft enough (surprisingly so for a links) that you can attack them.

Views at both courses are spectacular (8th tee box at both courses). If you want to see some photos:
Narin & Portnoo
Donegal

carnsoreboxer

Thanks Kevin and Thekingofhearts! Appreciate the photos too.

Will it be possible to get strokesavers for both courses?

Really looking forward to it now

dvemail

they are both very impressive courses, i prefer murvagh myself although it is quite long.
As said above the fairways are quite wide and it is a fair course, not many weak holes.

Narin & Portnoo is beside the sea, unlike Murvagh which is near a bay, the first few holes arent very impressive and quite flat compared to the rest of the course, but the rest of the course really makes up for it.

Both are fun courses but bring plenty of golf ball with ye, and enjoy it.

Swingguru

No one has mentioned the new club house at Nairn. Small, yet perfectly formed. The perfect example of how to get it right without spending millions. You'll have a great days craic in there!

carnsoreboxer

Well we're back and Donegal beat us by a shot.

Two fantastic courses but with the incredible weather we are having all courses should be looking and playing their best now.

Murvagh - really enjoyed this despite being in a bunker on every hole, was just one of those bunker days for me. Course, imo, is fab and would love to play again. Played with a lady who knew the course which was a great help and lost 1 ball. Very friendly reception in the clubhouse though, again imo, meal was disappointing.

Then off to the Lake House Hotel in Narin and Portnoo. Couldn't recommend this hotel more highly, Frank is fantastic and they are doing terrific deals.

Narin and Portnoo, again a terrific course, we played with 2 members who helped when they remembered but my gripe would be it is not a course to be played as a green fee and not knowing your way around. We all felt the distance markers were incorrect, I had a gps with me, out of date download as course has been changed, but the holes which were correct were reading completely different distances. My big problem was over hitting all the grees which was very costly but again I only lost 1 ball.

The club house is fantastic and really buzzing, such a change from the Dublin clubs which are dead in the evenings. Watched the Leinster and Munster matches there and it was great fun, they were still taking orders for food at 10pm. We only had sandwiches but from what I could see the food appeared to be excellent.

So a terrific weekend, 2 great courses which I would love to play again but will wait until N & P have strokesavers! Lost 2 balls found at least 12 of which only 2 were rubbish!!

Would I recommend the trip - absolutely yes!!