Donegal Golf Club, Murvagh’s major re-design to be overseen by Paul McGinley

The world-renowned Donegal Golf Club links at the Murvagh peninsula are set for a major overhaul under the guidance of Paul McGinley.

The club recently held an EGM to rubber stamp the work, which is set to begin in early spring of 2024.

There have been numerous upgrades at the course since it was opened 50 years ago in 1973, firstly under Eddie Hackett and Pat Ruddy, who has undertaken most of the changes since then.

But with Ruddy’s retirement, the club had a decision to make and they have been fortunate that they have acquired the talents of someone who has very close links with Donegal, Paul McGinley. While born in Dublin, Paul’s parents are Donegal born with his father, Mick, well-known as a former GAA player with the county and also one of the county’s greatest supporters.

Paul McGinley pictured addressing members at the recent EGM at Murvagh Pic: Philip Mulligan

It seems as if the stars aligned for those tasked with finding a course-designer for the future. Outgoing Club Captain, Donie McIntyre, takes up the story.

“We’ve only had two designers in the history of the club, Eddie Hackett and Pat Ruddy.

“Pat is obviously retiring so we needed a new course designer and maybe a new vision and fresh thinking.

“We had some people out in America in Orlando at a Tourism Golf Promotion and Paul McGinley happened to be there. And everyone knows Paul’s Donegal background.

“Everything seemed to happen at the one time. It seemed to be destiny.

“Paul came here and made a presentation to the management committee. He was shown around and was out with our Head Greenkeeper. We were all very impressed.

“We said, look, can we afford this? And will the membership go for it? Our secretary, Eamon Murphy, did a lot of work for us along with Paul McGinley’s Head Man, Joe Bedford.

“We were pleasantly surprised at the financial implications, it is fair to say. We decided, as a management committee, that we could afford it. So we thrashed it out. Paul said he would come up and put his ideas to the membership to see if they would go for it,” said McIntyre, who said the initial work would involve a six figure sum.

“He wanted to work on three holes in a five-year plan initially. There are no radical changes because he feels it is a fabulous canvas where we are. He also thought there was a fantastic business opportunity for the club because they are saturated  down the country with visitors and Americans.

“They are coming up here, and it has nothing to do with price, it is about availability. I feel that we in Donegal have the best courses, they are all fabulous.”

The initial work will start with the famous 5th hole, aptly named the Valley of Tears. The Captain said that it was envisaged that the difficulty of the hole for the ordinary golfer would be eased.

The other holes which will be worked on initially include the 2nd and 4th.

“We had an EGM here and Paul came here and made a presentation to fully brief the members. It was very well attended and we thrashed it out. The financial implications for the club were put on the table and everybody had their say,” said McIntyre.

“Dorothy (Woods), our President, chaired the meeting and I have to say she went to great lengths to give everybody an opportunity to speak. Then we took a vote on Paul’s initial three holes plan and it was passed.

“The budget has been allocated and work will commence in early spring or earlier if weather permits.

“We now have a plan and a master plan is being worked on at the minute for the 18 holes and that will be presented to the members when it is finished,” he said.

“Paul has also committed to raise the profile of the club. The man himself has a very high profile in the world of golf and he will be marketing us. He envisages that our earnings from green fees will increase.

“But, and Paul knows this, we have to protect the members’ interests. We’re not here just for tourists coming. It is about keeping the membership fee at a reasonable cost, which was the original idea of the golf club in Donegal. Going back to Howard Temple’s time, the idea was that golf would be available to the people of the locality at a reasonable amount of money.”

Paul McGinley pictured with senior members at Donegal GC, John McBride and Eamonn O'Connor Pic:  Philip Mulligan

The club is one of the best known courses, not just in Ireland, but worldwide and attracts green fees from all over the world.

“For me, personally, it has been an absolute privilege to be Captain this year, and I can speak for Dorothy too. Meeting people coming to the club and coming to Donegal. We are only playing our part and it helps the economy. They are coming off cruise ships and spending money in Donegal Town.

“We envisage that this will expand and we will be saying, why not play Bundoran? Why not play Ballybofey and Stranorlar? Why not go up to Portsalon? Donegal is under-exploited and Paul McGinley sees us as the gateway to open up the county.”

Apart from the work in securing Paul McGinley as the course designer, 2023 will go down as the year that Murvagh hosted a first ever Pro-AM.

“It was very successful,” says President Dorothy Woods, who says it will become an annual event.

The President along with the Captain and Lady Captain played with Richard O’Donovan in that Pro-Am and McIntyre was a bit annoyed that he had to play off the back tees along with Pro while the Ladies got to play off the Ladies tees.

The club was also a venue for major finals during the year.

“We have hosted Ulster and All-Ireland finals and a couple of Sundays ago we had some Donegal finals. It was absolutely brilliant to see so many young, talented golfers from all over the county here that today, and talking to them.

“Once again, it is a balancing act and the members are always kept informed. It is also a great advertisement for the club.  It is also a great focus for our wonderful Greens staff. It makes you very proud as Captain, or even as a member of the club, when people come up to you and say you have a fabulous place here.”

“We are privileged,” said the President.

The club also hosts the Magee and Britton Scratch Cups, which are major events on the golfing calendar and are also a great advertisement for the course.

For both Donie McIntyre and Dorothy Woods, their year in office is coming to an end in the next month.

The Captain praised the work of the President and also the Woods family input. “Paddy is looking after the house here.  There has been some wonderful work done with solar panels and insulation. 

“We also have charging points for electric cars and that’s all down to Paddy.”

The outgoing main officers can take a bow. They have left a mark by getting Paul McGinley on board and Murvagh’s famous links will continue to evolve.