Cruit Island Golf Club

The 3rd hole is where Cruit Island begins to leave a permanent mark on traveling golfers. The drive on the short par-4 is completely blind. From the crest of the ridge, the fairway tumbles down to a tiny green that’s guarded in front by three bunkers. At first glance, the putting surface appears to be falling into the sea. Beyond, a rocky archipelago takes the brunt of the crashing waves, while the peak of Errigal looms in the distance. The sensation of cresting the ridge to discover this panorama is almost unrivaled in golf across the pond.

In addition to the 3rd, a quick Google of Cruit Island is certain to yield scores of photos of the par-3 6th hole. The tee box is on a thin peninsula that juts into the Atlantic, while the green sits on a similar, if larger, finger of land. In-between, There’s roughly 120 yards of crashing waves and rocky cliffs, shaped by millions of years by fire, water, and ice. The hole measures just 137 yards, but can easily play over 200 depending on the wind.

Cruit Island is the kind of place that defies the English language. There simply aren’t enough adjectives to do it proper justice. Yet the 6th hole offers a perfect summary of the experience: it’s equal parts spectacular, preposterous, and unforgettable. And it’s worth every minute of the journey to the edge of the earth.