Cruit Island Golf Club

Cruit Island’s place amongst the best golf courses in Ireland is all the more impressive given it’s only nine holes.

Scenic, dramatic, thrilling and raw – all that and Cruit Island is only a nine-hole links. Its rise, therefore, should be a surprise. 

It entered the top 50 for the first time in 2017 and now, Cruit (pronounced Critch) moves into the top 40 in front of some stellar names.

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The beauty of this remote Donegal links must be seen to be believed. The eccentricity of it must be experienced to be believed. And the sheer joy of a round here must be savoured to be believed.

It’s nine holes but there is no way you will stop there. At most, a quick refreshment in the modest, friendly clubhouse as you settle up for another lap is all that will delay you from holing out on the actually quite difficult 9th and teeing off again on the epic 1st.

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Cruit will often bewilder you and will always enchant you. It looks easy, but it isn’t – and hit it poorly and you will run up a score you are struggling t fathom every bit as much as the holes themselves. 

But play nicely and cleverly and you can keep a scorecard you look back on fondly for years to come, for all sorts of reasons.

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• Course has: Bar
• Course has: Buggy Hire
• Course has: Driving Range
• Course does not have: Practice Green
• Course has: Pro Shop
• Course has: Restaurant
• Course has: Trolley Hire
• Course does not have: Dress Code
• Course does not have: Club Hire
• Course does not have: Handicap