Narin and Portnoo: 2026 Access and Booking Update
Gil Hanse's first Irish links turned a much loved Donegal community course into one of the most talked about rounds in the northwest. Here is where Narin and Portnoo stands in 2026, the fee, and how to book.
Photo via Google.
The news: a Gil Hanse links, bedded in
Narin and Portnoo is an old links, opened in 1930 and laid out over and around the dunes above Gweebarra Bay in southwest Donegal. For most of its life it was a cherished local secret, scenic and engagingly old fashioned. That changed when the club brought in Gil Hanse, one of the most sought after architects in the world, to reshape it. It was his first work on an Irish links, and the new par 73 routing opened in stages from 2021.
The story for 2026 is that the redesign has matured. The reshaped holes have grown in, the new bunkering and green sites have settled, and the course is no longer a work in progress but a finished, genuinely admired links. That fame has a practical consequence: a course that was once quiet is now a sought after tee time, so planning ahead matters more than it used to.
Why Hanse mattered here
Gil Hanse built his name on the Olympic course in Rio and on careful restorations of major championship venues, work defined by natural shaping and respect for the ground. At Narin and Portnoo he had exactly the raw material that suits that approach: real dune land, ocean views and a routing that did not need reinventing so much as sharpening. The result keeps the meandering, walkable character of the old course while giving it greens and angles worthy of the setting.
It is also a reminder of how much value sits outside Ireland's most famous links. This is big time architecture at a community club price, which is a rare combination. The full facts box and signature holes sit on our Narin and Portnoo course page.
Indicative 2026 green fees and access
Narin and Portnoo is a friendly members and visitor club that takes tee time bookings directly. It remains one of the best value quality links in Ireland, though the days of turning up unannounced in summer are over. The indicative fee below moves with season; treat it as indicative and confirm before booking.
| When | Conditions | Indicative 18 holes |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | peak season, prime times | around 180 euros |
| Shoulder season | spring and autumn | discounted |
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees, single round of 18 holes. Always confirm directly before booking.
Donegal is a drive rather than a quick hop, which is part of its charm and the reason it stays quieter than the southwest. Most golfers pair Narin and Portnoo with the county's bigger names over a few days rather than play it in isolation, and book the summer tee times well ahead now that the course is on the map.
Our take
Our take is that Narin and Portnoo is one of the most rewarding additions to the Irish links map in years. It will not displace the championship giants for sheer scale, but for the combination of architecture, scenery and value it is hard to beat, and the Hanse connection gives it a story that will keep drawing pilgrims. For a Donegal trip it is now a fixture rather than an option.
Build it into a wider county tour. Pair it with the championship links at Ballyliffin in the north of the county, use our Donegal courses guide and the best courses in northwest Ireland ranking to set the route, and let the Ireland golf hub and our Donegal golf packages pull the trip together.
Plan your Donegal links golf trip
Narin and Portnoo is the value highlight of a Donegal tour. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs a route through the county's links around the courses you want, with no obligation.
Questions
Who redesigned Narin and Portnoo, and why does it matter?
The links was reshaped by the celebrated architect Gil Hanse, his first design work on a links course in Ireland. Hanse is best known for the Olympic course in Rio and for restorations of major championship venues, so his involvement at a modest community club in Donegal drew attention well beyond the area. The new par 73 routing uses the natural dunes over Gweebarra Bay and opened in stages from 2021.
Can visitors play Narin and Portnoo in 2026, and what is the green fee?
Yes. Narin and Portnoo is a welcoming members and visitor club that takes tee time bookings, and the indicative summer green fee is around 180 euros for 18 holes, with discounts in the shoulder season. Treat that as indicative, confirm the current rate with the club, and book ahead for summer because the course has become far busier since the redesign.
What is the setting like?
Narin and Portnoo sits in southwest Donegal with sweeping views over Gweebarra Bay, an old fashioned, naturally routed links that meanders over and around the dunes. It is one of the most scenic and best value links experiences in the northwest of Ireland.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, history and indicative fees verified June 2026 from club, golf travel and ratings sources; rates, seasons and access change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.