The ultimate Ireland golf trip
Cruit
Now it was time for some- thing completely different – a journey to Cruit (pronounced ‘Critch’) Island. This 9-holer finds itself in the north- western extremity of Donegal and therefore Ireland. I can’t really tell you where it is – but we did go past Glenveagh National Park on our way.
What I can tell you is that you must come and have a game here. Forget the logistics and trust me when I say that it will make you happy.
Yes, we were lucky enough to play on a gorgeous early summer evening but I’d enjoy it here in just about any conditions.
With water on all sides, it’s a visual treat. And the small but perfectly formed club- house is a delight. But more than that, the holes here are very, very good. Outrageous in places, yes. Baffling on first acquaintance, yes. But that’s OK because you get to have another go on your second nine, which I enjoyed even more than the first.
No one knows who de- signed the course, and yet all the holes work while being rich in character. The par 4s are generally short but well defended with tiny greens. In total, the nine holes add up to a shade over 2,500 yards.
On the 3rd you play down towards the ocean and pitch down to the green. I loved the 5th, which is within range from the tee. Miss it on the wrong side though and you are snookered.
Then there is the show-stopping 6th – played from one edge to another over the rocks. It’s only a short iron on a calm
day but it really could call for any club in the bag.
The next hole involves a blind pitch – surely one of the hardest shots in golf – to a bowl green while the 9th is another tempter: do you smash a drive over the corner of the hill or lay up to the angle and wedge in. We concluded the latter was the better policy.
I don’t know what acre- age Cruit Island occupies but tackling Murvagh the next morning was a journey from the sublime to the ridiculous. Another Hackett design, recently updated by Ruddy, this is another of those great, wild quintessentially Irish links that takes you on an epic journey.
It’s almost 7,500 yards off the back tees and plays to a par of 73 so expect plenty of hitting. There’s ample room to open your shoulders but you can expect good ball-striking to be rewarded.
Dan Murphy
Dan loves links golf, which doesn't mean he is very good at it. He is a four-handicapper at Alwoodley. A qualified journalist and senior editor with 25 years’ experience, he was the long-time editor of NCG. His passion is golf courses and he is the founding editor of NCG Top 100s course rankings. He loves nothing more than discovering and highlighting courses that are worthy of greater recognition.
