County Donegal Golf Packages and Breaks
Donegal is Ireland's last great links frontier: Ballyliffin's 36 holes on the Inishowen peninsula, Rosapenna's three courses including Tom Doak's world top 50 St Patrick's Links, and a supporting cast, Portsalon, Narin and Portnoo, Murvagh, that would headline most counties. The crowds of the southwest never made it this far north, but the tee sheets now fill a year out. Here is how to build the trip, what it costs in 2026 and where to stay.
Photograph: Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort, County Donegal, via Google
Who this trip suits
Donegal is for golfers who want the links without the procession. If you have done the Kerry and Clare circuit, or you want a buddies trip where the golf is world class and the bar afterward is full of locals rather than other tour groups, this is the county. The driving is part of the deal: the courses string along the Wild Atlantic Way at the island's wild northwest corner, an hour or more apart, through some of the most dramatic coastline in Europe. Groups of four to eight in a van or two cars get the most from it. It suits a 5 to 7 night trip; shorter breaks should pick one base, Ballyliffin in the north or Rosapenna in the middle, and stay put.
The courses to build around
Two anchors carry the itinerary. Ballyliffin offers 36 holes at Ireland's most northerly club, the old school Old Links and the modern Glashedy Links that hosted the 2018 Irish Open, won by Russell Knox in a playoff. Rosapenna offers three: Tom Doak's St Patrick's Links, opened in 2021 and ranked 44th in the world by GOLF Magazine's 2025 to 26 list, Pat Ruddy's big duned Sandy Hills, and the Old Tom Morris course dating to 1891. Around them: Portsalon on Lough Swilly, the Gil Hanse reworked Narin and Portnoo, Donegal Golf Club on the Murvagh peninsula in the south, and nine holes of pure joy at Cruit Island. Our Donegal best of list ranks them all.
A sample 6 night structure
| Day | Base | The plan |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Lough Eske Castle or Sandhouse, Rossnowlagh | Arrive via Dublin (about 3.5 hours) or Belfast; settle in, links legs at Donegal Golf Club, Murvagh, 210 euros |
| Day 2 | Rossnowlagh or Downings | Narin and Portnoo, the Gil Hanse redesign on Gweebarra Bay, from about 270 euros; drive north via the coast |
| Day 3 | Rosapenna Hotel, Downings | Sandy Hills, 240 euros day rate or 190 as a resort guest |
| Day 4 | Rosapenna Hotel | St Patrick's Links, 350 euros or 300 as a guest; Old Tom Morris in the evening if the legs allow |
| Day 5 | Ballyliffin Lodge or Rosapenna | Portsalon on Lough Swilly on the way north (fee on enquiry), or a rest day on the beaches |
| Day 6 | Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa | Ballyliffin: Glashedy Links 330 euros, or the 36 hole same day ticket at 550; depart via City of Derry, 25 minutes |
Fees are the clubs' published 2026 visitor rates except where noted, indicative for the April to October season; always confirm directly before booking.
What it costs and when to book
Indicative package range
Third party operators in 2026 were selling a seven night Donegal package, with five rounds spanning Ballyliffin's two links, St Patrick's, the Old Tom Morris and Portsalon plus bed and breakfast at Ballyliffin Lodge, from around 407 dollars per person per night, call it 2,850 dollars a head for the week. Packages built around the Donegal Links Classic, the visitor tournament played each May over Sandy Hills, Portsalon and Ballyliffin Old, started near 1,199 pounds per person sharing, with the 2026 entry alone at 450 euros. Self builders should budget 200 to 350 euros per marquee round, 50 to 80 for the hidden gems, plus hotels from roughly 150 to 400 euros a night by tier. All third party figures carry the usual caveat: 2026 rates, always confirm directly before booking. Not ready for the full week? Check tee time availability for single rounds.
Best time to book
Treat Donegal like the southwest now: about a year ahead for May to September. Rosapenna's season runs April 1 to October 18, its Three Links Ticket, 640 euros for a round on each course, was sold out for April through August 2026 at the time of review, and its 2027 rates are already published. Ballyliffin takes no walk ups; all golf is booked and paid in advance. May, June and September are our pick of the window, with long northern daylight stretching golf past 10 pm at midsummer. April and October are the value plays.
Where to stay
The Rosapenna Hotel and Golf Resort in Downings is the heart of the trip, with guest green fee discounts on all three of its courses. In the north, the Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa reopened in February 2026 after a 1.5 million euro refurbishment, five minutes from the club. In the south, Lough Eske Castle outside Donegal Town is the county's five star, and the Sandhouse on Rossnowlagh beach is the romantic's choice near Murvagh. See our recommended Donegal hotels for current rates.
Plan your Donegal golf trip
Tell us your dates and group, and one concierge secures the Ballyliffin and Rosapenna tee times in the right order, books the hotels, and costs the whole week to the head. Peak months sell out close to a year ahead, so the sooner we start the better. No obligation.
Donegal golf trip questions
How much does a County Donegal golf trip cost?
Third party operators were selling a seven night Donegal package with five rounds, including Ballyliffin's two links and Rosapenna's St Patrick's, from around 407 dollars per person per night in 2026, roughly 2,850 dollars a head for the week, and event packages around the Donegal Links Classic started near 1,199 pounds per person sharing. Building it yourself, budget 200 to 350 euros per marquee round plus hotels. All figures are indicative third party 2026 rates; always confirm directly before booking.
What are the green fees at Ballyliffin and Rosapenna in 2026?
Ballyliffin's published 2026 visitor rates are 300 euros for the Old Links, 330 for the Glashedy Links and 550 for a same day 36 hole ticket. Rosapenna's 2026 day visitor rates are 350 euros for St Patrick's Links, 240 for Sandy Hills and 200 for the Old Tom Morris course, with resort guests paying 300, 190 and 150 respectively. Rosapenna's Three Links Ticket, one round on each course for 640 euros, was already sold out for April through August 2026 at review. Always confirm directly before booking.
When should you book a Donegal golf trip?
About a year ahead for peak summer. Rosapenna's season runs April 1 to October 18, its discounted Three Links Ticket was sold out from April through August 2026 with 2027 rates already on sale, and Ballyliffin requires all golf to be booked and paid in advance. May, June and September are the sweet spots for long daylight and firm links turf. Late bookers should target April or October, when tee sheets loosen and rates ease.
How do you get to Donegal for golf?
City of Derry Airport is the closest gateway, about 25 minutes from Ballyliffin and just over an hour from Rosapenna. Belfast's airports are roughly an hour and a half to two and a half hours out depending on the course, and Dublin Airport, with the widest flight choice, is about three and a half hours from Rosapenna. A car is essential: the courses string along the Wild Atlantic Way, with Ballyliffin to Rosapenna about an hour and a half by road.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Fees and package figures verified June 2026 from club and operator published sources. Last reviewed June 2026.