Donegal Highlands Golf Course
Donegal Highlands Golf Course offers an approachable yet challenging 18-hole track marked by tall fescue-lined bunkers and well-maintained greens. Perfect for golfers seeking a competitive round with natural hazards and a welcoming, budget-friendly setting near Acme, Pennsylvania.
Course Overview
Situated a short drive from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Donegal Highlands Golf Course offers an engaging 18-hole layout that balances natural challenges with an inviting atmosphere for golfers of varied skill levels. The course unfolds across gently rolling terrain where tall fescue grasses border many of the bunkers, creating a defining characteristic that adds both strategic depth and visual interest. Rather than punishing errant shots with thick rough, Donegal Highlands encourages careful navigation, as the fescue acts as a rugged guardian, often more penal than the sands themselves.
Players will find the course approachable yet stimulating, particularly as the greens showcase considerable improvement in recent seasons. These putting surfaces favor precision and touch, although they typically do not demand extreme shot-making from novices. Fairways tend to be on the narrower side, requiring accuracy from the tee. Water hazards and natural rock formations also contribute to the variety of the course, making each hole distinct and rewarding careful course management. While some fairway areas can show wear in wet conditions due to thinner turf, ongoing maintenance efforts have steadily enhanced overall playability.
The surroundings carry a quiet rural charm, dispensing with busy roads or intrusive noise despite the proximity to major highways. A welcoming pro shop greets players with attentive service and a practical self-serve ice chest to keep drinks cold during summer rounds, underscoring the course’s thoughtful approach to player comfort.
Donegal Highlands is well-suited for those seeking a competitive yet friendly environment without the premium rate of higher-profile courses. Weekday rates using the tee time pass make it an especially attractive option for local golfers looking to test their skills without stretching the budget.
Walking the course is entirely feasible, and golfers opting to do so should prepare for moderate elevation changes and uneven footing where fairway grass is thinner. Sturdy footwear is recommended, given occasional softer ground conditions following rain. Donegal Highlands rewards those who appreciate a course where natural elements and strategic design come together, delivering a solid golf experience amid western Pennsylvania’s scenic landscape.
Course Highlights
Donegal Highlands stands out with its tall fescue that edges most bunkers, rendering the sand traps a preferred hazard over the dense grasses. The greens have undergone significant improvements, offering smoother rolls and more consistent speed. Natural rock formations and water hazards diversify the layout, providing both aesthetic appeal and strategic challenges. The course’s rural location ensures a peaceful round away from highway noise, despite being just two miles from the PA Turnpike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Guest Reviews
Kevin Cakanac
Very fun course, the greens have been heavily improved from the last time I was here. There are a lot of ways to lose a ball out here, tall grass, water along the sides of some fairways, but it’s a great golf course!! Highly recommend to make your way out here.
Dan Barra
Awful course conditions. Horrid greens that had so many patches of dead grass. Dried out mud patches on greens. Take some of that 48 bucks and buy some gas for the weed whackers. Every bunker was “under repair.” Literally hazards like holes and pipes in field of play. Oh, but nice rock formation around the three trees by the cart path as your walking to 16th green. Nice touch, looked great! Lol. Place is a joke.
Linda Toy
If you haven't played Donegal Highlands lately, you really do need to give it a try. The course is in good shape (like all local courses, it could use some rain), the greens are really nice (yes, even #4), and the new owners and staff are working hard to make improvements that enhance the beauty of an already well-designed track as well as being some of the nicest people we know. We have been playing here regularly for the last 5 years, and each year, we see great improvements in the course conditions. We highly recommend it and we'll see you on the course!
Daniel Gould
Dave Wayne
I will say that the greens were some of the best I’ve played this year!! The course is in nice shape for all the warm weather we’ve had. Not crowded on a Wednesday so easy to make it around in 4 hours. The sand traps look like they’re doing away with them ( only real complaint ) Its a decent challenge for the average golfer⛳️
Lawrence C
Before my round on 6/5/25, the last time I played Donegal highlands was in 2022, and it was in very rough shape. This was the reason I had not been back in so long. The course is 2 miles off the PA turnpike, but you don’t see or hear the busy road at all. The round started with friendly service in the shop. A nice touch was a self serve ice chest to keep your drink cold on a hot and sticky day. Donegal Highlands is not a top track, but it is much improved from my last visit and worth playing. The greens did not have too much movement to them, but all rolled relatively well. The bunkers were in good shape. A unique feature is that most of the bunkers are surrounded with tall fescue. Your’e better to be in the bunker than the tall grass. An area for improvement would be to let the fairway grass come in just a bit higher and thicker. In some areas the grass was a bit thin and too short causing some fairways to still be wet/muddy from rain a few days ago. If you have the tee time passbook/app you can play 18 for $23 on a weekday, and Donegal Highlands is more than worth it.
Lawrence C
Before my round on 6/5/25, the last time I played Donegal highlands was in 2022, and it was in very rough shape. This was the reason I had not been back in so long. The course is 2 miles off the PA turnpike, but you don’t see or hear the busy road at all. The round started with friendly service in the shop. A nice touch was a self serve ice chest to keep your drink cold on a hot and sticky day. Donegal Highlands is not a top track, but it is much improved from my last visit and worth playing. The greens did not have too much movement to them, but all rolled relatively well. The bunkers were in good shape. A unique feature is that most of the bunkers are surrounded with tall fescue. Your’e better to be in the bunker than the tall grass. An area for improvement would be to let the fairway grass come in just a bit higher and thicker. In some areas the grass was a bit thin and too short causing some fairways to still be wet/muddy from rain a few days ago. If you have the tee time passbook/app you can play 18 for $23 on a weekday, and Donegal Highlands is more than worth it.
An-Die Welsh
Kevin Cakanac
Very fun course, the greens have been heavily improved from the last time I was here. There are a lot of ways to lose a ball out here, tall grass, water along the sides of some fairways, but it’s a great golf course!! Highly recommend to make your way out here.
Edilson.D.S.L USA
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Course Details
Access & Location
141 Clay Pike Rd, Acme, PA 15610, USA
Pro shop with refreshments and player amenities
Walking is encouraged; moderate elevation changes require comfortable shoes and awareness of softer turf areas during wet weather
Open to the public year-round; tee time reservations recommended on weekends
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