Paul McGinley has launched the opening phase of his redesign project at Donegal GC.
The club officially opened the reimagined 16th, 17th and 18th holes on Saturday completed by McGinley’s Course Architecture and Design company.
“Our masterplan calls for an evolution, not a revolution,” said McGinley who was appointed by the club in February this year and will begin phase two over the autumn and winter.
“The core principle is that the course needs to be more playable for the membership and all standards of player.
“At the same time, it should be seamlessly prepared for major events by creating optionality on tees and challenges on greens that allow pins to be tucked when needed.
“Donegal Golf Club is one of the very best canvasses of any club in the country. That is what both excites and motivates me to best utilise the terrain while also honouring the history, routing and flow of the course.”
McGinley’s ties with Donegal run deep as his father Mick, a former inter-county player, was from Dunfanaghy while his mother Julia, who sadly passed last year, was a native of Rathmullan.
So while he was born and raised in Dublin, McGinley has become a vocal supporter of the golfing product on offer in the North West.
“The Wild Atlantic Way is one of the greatest marketing concepts that I have ever come across. With so many great assets in the county of Donegal it is a great tourist destination with so many activities to do along with playing top links golf courses,” added the former Ryder Cup captain who plays sparingly these days, preferring instead to focus on his television punditry and various business interests.
“With many other great courses situated in the county of Donegal such as Ballyliffin and Rosapenna, Donegal town is at the heart of the county and provides a great base for visitors who are looking to play some of Ireland’s best courses.
“We’re all in this together - we’re all raising Donegal together. Donegal is the next frontier.”
Donegal Golf Club opened in 1960 and quickly grew in popularity which led to an 18-hole course needing to be designed.
The course was originally designed by Eddie Hackett in 1973 and was remodelled by Pat Ruddy in 1992.
The golf course sits on The Murvagh peninsula which juts out into the Atlantic, accessed only by an avenue through forestry lands.
It has holes playing along sand dunes with views of Donegal Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Bluestack Mountains.
