Derry Debriefs, Volume II

Welcome back to Derry Debriefs, a series about my recent trip to Derry, Northern Ireland, and the golf I played in the area. Today, we’re heading west across the border back into Ireland to visit a couple of clubs in County Donegal.

Vol. II

You expect inclement weather when you go to Northern Ireland in March. Honestly, I expected every day to include sideways rain and wind. Over the course of four days, we had maybe 15 minutes of rain. And that was while we were in the parking lot of Ballyliffin Golf Club.

Ballyliffin has two courses, both of which opened in the last 60 years, making it one of the newer clubs in the country. First came the Old Links, as they’re known today. In the 1990s, the club built the Glashedy Links to establish a championship-level course on the property’s most dramatic dunes. The course has hosted multiple DP World Tour events, including the 2018 Irish Open. With dunes approaching the heights of those found at Portstewart, the Glashedy Links is a visually impressive course that leans into a championship feel. The fairways have less natural movement but certainly ripple, and mounding on either side of the landing zones provides a stadium-like feel. It also features a dramatic downhill par 3 in No. 7, a hole with water all along the right side. The elevated tee and dark hillside in the distance provide a very different experience than any other you’ll find in the country and combine to make for a very memorable tee shot.

But while Ballyliffin showed us an enjoyable morning, the highlight of day three was undoubtedly my experience at North West Golf Club, a course I knew nothing about before pulling in. On our way to Ballyliffin earlier that day, we drove right by North West and, like any golfer, I craned my neck to see what course we had just passed. Tucked up against an inlet that feeds to the Atlantic Ocean, North West uses every bit of its small property to stretch to 6,300 yards. With modern equipment, it’s a bit of a firing range and you always have to keep your head on a swivel. I would be shocked if the elevation change on property is more than 10 feet. Nonetheless, the no-frills club blew me away. The course itself uses classic architectural tactics like contours, angles, and boundary lines to create interest. Its treacherous bunkering, especially that on the 93-yard par-3 16th, called “Fairy,” keeps you on your toes, as well.

{{related-article}}

What truly made our experience at North West so memorable was the reception from the club itself. I got the sense that many visitors drive by on their way north but never actually stop in to see the course, which is a shame. The club is as humble as it comes, and its people went out of their way to show us a good time. Competition Secretary Liam O’Brien came out to walk with us and upon seeing my wife using a push cart, decided to play caddie for the back nine. Now, a little backstory on my wife’s relationship with golf. She only tolerates the good shots. If a bad one occurs, she scoots up to grab her ball and moves it back into a decent position. This caught our Irish friend by surprise at first. But after a couple of holes of wrapping his head around golf that didn’t involve counting every stroke, he became enamored with my wife’s healthy attitude and brisk pace of play. Four holes in, my wife and Liam were thick as thieves, ribbing each other on their way down the fairway. What started as a part-time caddie quickly evolved into a looper who not only pushed her clubs along but also advised on strategy and club selection.

Liam’s kindness left a mark on me that day. Not only was he a terrific host, but he became the lasting symbol of the hospitality we experienced throughout the region. These people aren’t putting on a show for their visitors. They really are this kind.

After a wonderful day on the golf course, our third day in Derry came to an end with a unique experience. Up at the Brook Hall Estate and Gardens, you’ll find Lo & Slo, a BBQ cooking school on the banks of the River Foyle. Founded by Emily and Norman McCorkell, Lo & Slo fuses American barbeque techniques with the cooking styles of Northern Ireland. Emily is a Philadelphia native but has been in Ireland for more than a decade, and together the two have created a magical experience at the grill. They will even have a food truck at Royal Portrush next week! With some of the best meats and local beers I’ve ever had, this family-owned operation blew my socks off. I would seriously go out of my way to get back to Derry just to experience their cooking again. The golf is pretty good, too.

Coming Friday – Portsalon and why Derry is worth the effort.

‍This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.