Ballyliffin Golf Club

Having just returned from a golf tour of the North West I felt compelled to highlight just how good Ballyliffin is. Despite the fact that we teed off in some of the worst weather I have played golf in, after 3 holes I was already thinking of when my next trip back to this part of the Emerald Isle would be! Being soaked through to the bone and fighting against a stiff, stiff breeze can often be pretty demoralising when on a golf break but the fact that I loved every minute of it is testament to how good the Glasheedy Links is at Ballyliffin. Every time you step onto the tee you are presented with a spectacular hole that will challenge all from the high handicappers to the best players in the world. Fast running, undulating fairways are bordered by towering dunes and thick but fair rough and greens are immaculate; quick, true and with plenty of subtle breaks to keep you on your toes from start to finish. My favourite thing about links golf is the endless options you have when faced with shots on the course. Ballyliffin's excellent layout and design allows you to get really creative from the tee, the fairway and around the greens and trust me, when the wind blows you will need to be creative! My playing partner for instance played an approach from about 120 yards like a green side chip with a 3 iron while I flicked a wedge in from the same spot only for both balls to finish nicely within 10 feet of the hole...you don't get that variety on inland courses now do you!? Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to play the Old Course but I will be doing so on my next golf break! Top, top class and full marks to Ballyliffin...I will be back and I can't wait!

great set up all round.club house was modern.Pro Gareth McCausland was very polite,attentive and a great ambassador for the club.The glashedy course has many standout holes.particularly the stunning 7th hole which would feature in my dream 18.13th and 14th great holes too.course was in excellent condition. the old links was very enjoyable.par 3 5th hole is a standout. Restaraunt was very modern.good selection of food and reasonably priced.staff exceptionally friendly

Great links courses here! Fairways and greens were perfect and both courses had interesting, dynamic layouts. Great service in the bar and everyone we ran into at the club was so friendly. Highly recommended!

Nobody has written anything wrong about this club. The layouts were fantastic (we played both in one day), the winds were strong, the greens and fairways were exceptional, etc. Very accomodating clubhouse and pro shop. Word to the wise - the Glasheedy links course is very long with some long walks. I have arthritis in my toes and got a cart for the 2nd round - very beneficial and highly recommended. Mark from Oklahoma

Both courses are excellent, perhaps as good as it gets. Glashedy is long, about 6900 from the whites. Heartily recommend both courses, excellent food in the club house, and a very warm welcome there.

Played both courses the second week of September. The Glashedy was an absolute beast in about a 5 club wind and greens that were lightning fast. A top course but a little untidy in places with a lot of sand filled divots around. We played the Old course the day after and it was perfect, sunny and a light breeze. This is more of a traditional links with hardly a flat lie on the fairways and some pretty harsh rough. Faldo has taken the Old course to a new level, first with the new bunkering and second with the new hole and additional tees by the ocean. You'd have to go a long way for a better view than the ocean side holes. In fact our 4 ball rated the Old above the Glashedy which is a total change from when we played 2 years ago. The clubhouse has obviously been designed by a golfer as I don't think I've been in better, and the food is fantastic. Can't wait to go back.

Up there with the very best. Recently visited Ballyliffin and played both courses, very hard to say which one was best, as both of them are magnificent. The wind is the real factor on how you will score. The clubhouse is modern but very tasteful and fits into the surroundings easily. The staff are very friendly and only to happy to assist (Thank you to the young lady in the shop for the replacement softspike). I would recommend a visit anytime you are intending visiting Ireland and Donegal in particular Brian Dickson

Absolutely stunning. Georgous August weather and north westerly wind made the course play fair but tough. The most outstanding memory is working from the 6th green on Glashedy through to the 7th gold tee and the view that awaits you. No better place to spend a day playing 36 holes. Clubhouse staff and professionals very friendly and helpful. Looking forward to returning.

Rugged, beautiful, tranquil, well thought out, testing, rewarding.... brilliant! Anyway, enough of the superlatives and onto some detail. Two fantastic courses (the Old course and Glashedy) with are similar yet very different. The old course is more defined and characteristic of classic links but the new one still uses the contours but is probably a little fairer off the tea but the greens are more difficult & v.hard to hold. We stayed down the road in Buncrana which is a great epi-centre for golf in Donegal and you must play both of these! The club house is outstanding with views to die for with great food and of course, the guinness :-D We'll be back!!

I visited this Course in april of 2001 and will tell you it is worth the drive to play it.the veiws are right up their with the best.weather was excellent the day I played.The whole course was in excellent shape From Tee to Green.

Ballyliffin is tremendous, playing the Old and Glashedy for 36 holes a great golf. The Old was very reminiscent of other old links with humps and bumps, i.e. Ballynion Old and Prestwick. If memory serves, No. 15 was a par 3 with dunes surrounding 75% of the green. It was very intimidating view, but very unique. Glashedy has a much different feel--big and bold along the lines of Turnberry, with every hole being demanding, and a very difficult test. But the fairways were firm, flat and relatively wide, so that length is much more of a premium that at the Old. Our group of 12 favored the Old over Glashedy, but supposedly most people from the US favor Glashedy--either way, these two courses make for a great day of golf.

To say that Ballyliffin is a wonderful golf course is at best an understatament. It is a GEM, we have been lucky to play there on 2 seperate visits in 2000. Infact we are going back again in August this year(2001). Our party of 27 from the UK, played the Glashedy course on the Friday and returned to play Old Links on sunday. One of our party who plays off scratch, commented he, had played some of the best Birkdale etc and was happy to rate Glashedy as the best and toughest he had witnessed. When you stand on the 1st tee at Glashedy a question comes to mind, "Where is the fairway"? If the wind blows, take your prayer mat with you. After wandering through the course looking for golf balls you need to take to the bar & and have a pint of the Black stuff. The friendly atmosphere is as good as any you will find around the world. The staff in the clubhouse are Superb. The facilities at Ballyliffin are fantastic, the club house to my knowledge was only opened in the April of 2000. I can't praise the whole expierience enough. Go and see for yourself. As an after thought, do as i did. Rent a Buggie!! Best Regards See you on the course Howard Abbott From North West England.

To say that Ballyliffin is a wonderful golf course is at best an understatament. It is a GEM, we have been lucky to play there on 2 seperate visits in 2000. Infact we are going back again in August this year(2001). Our party of 27 from the UK, played the Glashedy course on the Friday and returned to play Old Links on sunday. One of our party who plays off scratch, commented he, had played some of the best Birkdale etc and was happy to rate Glashedy as the best and toughest he had witnessed. When you stand on the 1st tee at Glashedy a question comes to mind, "Where is the fairway"? If the wind blows, take your prayer mat with you. After wandering through the course looking for golf balls you need to take to the bar & and have a pint of the Black stuff. The friendly atmosphere is as good as any you will find around the world. The staff in the clubhouse are Superb. The facilities at Ballyliffin are fantastic, the club house to my knowledge was only opened in the April of 2000. I can't praise the whole expierience enough. Go and see for yourself. As an after thought, do as i did. Rent a Buggie!! Best Regards See you on the course Howard Abbott Tawd Vale Golf Society. From North West England.

Links golf at its very best, with beautifully maintained greens and fairways and spectacular views of the Atlantic. Nick Faldo is a great fan and a regular visitor.