Do-it-yourself driving range driving locals crazy

A ‘makeshift’ golf course at Donegal's Fahan Marina is causing concern for members of the local community.

Donegal Live has been contacted by several readers this week who described golf balls “raining down” on them as they walked on the beach.

One reader said: “At the start of last week there were two fellas on the beach for hours every day, using it as a driving range. We were not safe, even out walking by ourselves, without it raining down golf balls on us.

“By the end of last week there were as many as seven people playing golf on both the sand and the grass at the Marina. I do not understand why the Garda have not stepped in to stop this hazardous behaviour.

“People taking their recommended daily exercise are in danger of being hit and seriously injured with random and unexpected golf balls flying everywhere. That is not to mention the fact none of these ‘golfers’ are even socially distancing among themselves, which is ridiculous when you think there is a highly infectious virus threatening us all.”

Another reader wondered ‘Why there were so many golfers using the beach at Fahan Marina?’

They said: “Last week there was one golfer, now there are seven using the area as a driving range, even going so far as to bring their own flags.

“The behaviour of these ‘golfers’ means it is very dangerous for children and others to use the beach. My neighbour had a couple of near misses and I fear for animals, a dog could easily choke on a golf ball.

“Anyone living locally does not have a lot of places to go for our daily walk and having large chunks of the beach effectively taken over is not nice. People are, naturally, afraid to challenge this behaviour.”