Remembering your roots and giving back to those who helped you up the ladder is par for the course for many successful people.

It’s certainly a huge driving factor behind Paul McGinley’s efforts to help put Dunfanaghy Golf Club on the map for the thousands of golfers who come to our shores each year looking to experience our unique links courses.

On Sunday, the 2014 European Ryder Cup captain returned to the place where it all began and officially opened the €150,000 McGinley Golf Academy at the lovely Donegal club on the edge of Sheephaven Bay.

It’s the home place of McGinley’s father Mick Snr, who was unable to make the trip north for health reasons, and less than 30 miles from the seaside village of Rathmullan, where his late mother Julia grew up.

Both Mick and Julia were former Presidents and Captains of Dunfanaghy, which was laid out by six-time Open champion Harry Vardon in 1906.

In time, the members  are looking forward to see the links significantly upgraded as McGinley Golf Design’s Sheephaven Bay Project is gradually carried out, increasing par from 68 to 71 and opening up myriad views of the ocean and the club’s stunning surrounds such as Killahoey Beach, where 1 km of golden strand offers wonderful views of the golf course, Horn Head and Muckish Mountain.

It’s a modest but beautiful members club in a privileged location and having spent all his school summer holidays learning the nuances of the game on its springy links turf, McGinley has a special affinity for a club where his parents are warmly remembered.

“I don't ever remember not coming up here,” McGinley said shortly after the ribbon cutting ceremony finished hurriedly to avoid the vicious storm that swept across the country, reminding everyone why the club needed a covered practice facility in the first place.

“Every single summer holiday was up here. We came up in June, and Mum and all the kids would stay here, and Dad would come up then at the weekends before spending two weeks here in August.”

The Dubliner (56) stayed with relatives before his parents built their own house in the village and still returns at every opportunity.

“My first handicap was 45 and I worked my way all from there to plus four eventually because I wasn’t that good. I mean, I was five handicap when I was 19,” he shouted above the cacophony created by the happy chatter and the clinking tea cups as trays of sandwiches and other delights are passed around the club’s Vardon Lounge.

“But this is where I learned links golf and all the members took me around to play in the different open weeks before I’d head back to Dublin and go back to Gaelic football until the next summer, when the clubs would come out again.”

McGinley is excited about the course redesign but proud and emotional about the opening of the Academy, the cost of which was split between him and the club.

“I said I would put up 50 pc via my Foundation and the club raised the rest of the money through grants and its own funds,” he said if the €150,000 cost.

His pride in the club is understandable as it’s where his father passed on his love of the game and its traditions, leading to a stellar European Tour career.

“His behaviour was always impeccable; never got mad, always calm, always a good sport,” he recalled.

So as a tribute to his father, the new practice facility at Dunfanaghy is called the McGinley Golf Academy, rather than the Paul McGinley Golf Academy.

“I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without Dad’s love and knowledge of golf and this is where it started and where I learned to play golf,” McGinley told the members and neighbours shortly before scampered for the sandwiches and cocktail sausages.

The Academy will be a godsend to PGA professional and local native Seamus McMonagle and see local schools benefit from expert coaching at a facility that has three covered bays, one of which can be equipped for TrackMan technology.

As for the course, Dunfanaghy is not meant to be a Championship test. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be stunning.

“It’s a members course and it can be one of the most scenic in Donegal,” McGinley said. “But many of the holes are built under the sand dunes, so what I am doing with the Sheephaven Bay Project is taking the greens at the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth and raising them up so we can enjoy those sea views.”

Work on the course will not start until the appropriate environmental assessments, which are well in hand, have been carried out.

But to facilitate the transition, a new par three will be built, giving the 640 members 19 holes so there will always be 18 in play as work designed to maximise the spectacular views is gradually carried out.

“The key to the Academy is getting the local schools involved so we can generate new members and sustainability for the future,” said Chairperson Colm Donaghy.

“We have around 30 junior rights now and we're hoping to grow that number substantially. We’ve also been successful getting more women to join through our Get Into Golf programme and the plan is to continue that.”

As for the course redesign, the hope is that it will generate increased visitor numbers, which will mean financial sustainability for the club.

“We took in €120,000 in green fees this year, which is an increase on last year,” Colm said. “The rack rate is just €60 midweek, but it’s €50 if you’re a Golf Ireland member and €40 if you’re Donegal Golf Ireland. With a member it’s €20.

“The course project is going to cost from €450,000 to €500,000 to carry out all the phases but Paul has done all the design work for free.

“He’s been tremendous, as all the McGinley’s have been. His father, Mick was brilliant for the club — a former President and Captain who was a big driving force for positivity in terms of developing Dunfanaghy.”