Donaghadee

[Garland Bayley]

Has anyone beside Joe Tukholski played it? Search only returned 4 results, with only one claiming to have played it. It looked inviting from the bus as we rolled by.

Thoughts anyone?

[Niall C]

Garland


I've not played it but would be interested to hear what you think if you do. I looked into the history of the course given its Willie Fernie connection and it's fair to say that it has seen a fair bit of chopping and changing over the years.


Niall

[Garland Bayley]

I won't be playing it, but sent a note to Joe hoping having played it he will chime in.

[Garland Bayley]

BBC One show Hope Street is filmed in the town. Anybody watching that?

[Greg Hohman]

Garland, I could not get through the first episode.

[Joe_Tucholski]

I played the course on my first trip to Ireland.  The course played different than any of the other courses on my trip, with turf that was a bit softer and trees bordering fairways. 

I ended up at Donaghadee because it fit my itinerary (I played an Open comp at Kirkistown in the morning - really liked Kirkistown), a course near the coast rarely disappoints and they were having a golf/meal twilight special where the golf was essentially free.  I'm a frugal minded person and quite happy with a bargain.  I played with a nearly empty course which always puts me in a good mood.  I left happy with the transaction and think of it as a nice place that serves its purpose well, even now it costs just 30 pounds.  If you had seen me yesterday and asked me if I'd played the course, I wouldn't have recalled it by name (not just because I have no idea how it is actually pronounced).

[Garland Bayley]

I found that Kevin Markham has photos of Donaghadee, unfortunately taken on a very grey day.

They can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevinmarkham/albums/72157623521028921

[Johnny_Browne]

I live in Donaghadee and am fortunate to be a member of both Royal Co Down and Donaghadee. Donaghadee is a busy members course at the edge of the sea but not a links course.  The land is dry in the summer and wet in the winter. The course has a number of very good holes and some not so good.  There have been a lot of changes made but over the last 10 years these and these have been constructed using a golf architect which has improved the course.  It has a neat very small 9 hole pitch and putt course and a large short game practice area. [/size]The original 9 Hole course was designed by Willie Fernie the famous Scottish professional who won the Open Championship in 1883 and was runner up on four other occasions.  The current 18 hole par 71, which is part links part parkland opened in 1907.  There is an excellent video on the Club Website of the original 9 holes with a commentary by Robert Neill, who is a hickory club enthusiast and he describes how the original holes might have been played with hickories.[/size]https://www.donaghadeegolfclub.com/about-us/[/size]Johnny Browne[/font]

[Garland Bayley]

Wow!

People sometimes remark that members of this site may have played every course in the world, but little did I imagine it would have a member of a random course sighted from a bus tour.

Thanks for the information on the course Johnny.

[Garland Bayley]

Kevin Markham's book Hooked: An Amateur's Guide to the Golf Courses of Ireland reviews the course as follows:

"Donaghadee Established 1899"

"STRAIGHT AND TRUE"

"Donaghadee overlooks the sea. The views are interrupted briefly by a line of houses, but the course rises and fall so you see plenty, including the Scottish coast."

"The course is an interesting mix that combines parkland, heathland, and links but there is not one flat hole out there. For the most part it is open and exposed - almost bare - but the sparse trees that dot the early links-like fairways are countered by bigger trees inland and on the separate, up-and-down 5th to 8th.  Add in the gorse (the par 3 9th especially) and the mix is complete. Several seriously high tee boxes hit down onto fairways, and three greens are at the top of long, sharp rises. Holes 2 and 12 combine both for some roller-coaster drama, and a deep ditch/stream runs across these and other holes, threatening tees shots whether you're long or short."

"The course is mown throughout, so there's lots of room to play and almost every flag is on view. Off the tee, the stream and bunkers present the biggest problems. The green complexes are a different matter; the bunkering is excellent, well shaped and tough. It is often tucked under the putting surface, pinching the entrance. Greens are smallish, smooth and have little rises into them, which can take a short ball and playfully toss it in a bunker - so be aggressive or play bump-and-run brilliantly. It's not a long course, so you can go for your shots."

"Some more creative tree planting would enhance the character and colour - just look at the trees on the 16th. The clubhouse has serious entertainment programme so enjoy."

[Garland Bayley]

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[Kevin Markham]

Unfortunately I haven't played the course in a long time. 2008 to be precise. I went back for a look a few years ago, while on a photography job nearby, but got one of those days when you wouldn't get out of the car for getting drenched.
I know that improvements have been made and I want to get back to see them - on a dry day, preferably - but I did enjoy the course as it has a feel and flow that is different to anywhere else I've played in Ireland.
It's not top tier golf and nor would it pretend to be, but it has plenty of entertainment value. The 9th and 16th holes stand out.

[Andrew Slane]

I grew up in Bangor, perhaps 6 miles from Donaghadee and have fond memories of teenage games on long summer evenings with friends who were members. It's a good few years since I've played it having moved to England however I'd agree with Kevin's comments. Some holes you would look forward to, such as the 9th, and it always seemed straightforward and open. I would lose fewer Wilson Pro Staffs there than at my home club Clandeboye! It's a fun layout, off the beaten track and not likely to trouble the rankings any time soon, however I doubt you would be disappointed with what's on offer.