Golf Courses in Northern Ireland
Ardglass
The spectacular links at Ardglass offers views of the Irish Sea from every green and every tee. There is a variety of holes and points of interest including a traditional farm cottage that stands immediately behind the sixth green. The course finishes with a roller coaster ride towards the oldest clubhouse in the world.
Belvoir Park
A timeless Harry Colt classic that has stood the test of time. Crafted through Belvoir Park Forest the course features majestic beech, oak and fir specimens that have been supplemented with various other species. Between the trees are lush fairways, clever bunkering and greens of the highest standard.
Castlerock
Castlerock is a classic links laid out by Ben Sayers in 1908 and altered by Harry Colt in 1925. It has many holes flowing through high, inviting dunes and holes that border the River Bann or the Derry to Coleraine railway line, including the famous Leg-o-Mutton. A burn meanders across the course, lurking out of sight on some holes.
Clandeboye
The Dufferin Course at Clandeboye offers a distinctly heathland course of the highest calibre, set high above the residential plains of north County Down. Sweeping seascape views and abundant flowering gorse provide the backdrop to a challenging course where accuracy is key. One of Belfast's best golf offerings.
Concra Wood
240 acres owned by the Irish Forestry Commission in a stunning lakeside location was purchased by Castleblayney Golf Club and transformed by O'Connor Snr. and his nephew O'Connor Jnr. into a stunning parkland golf course. The challenge is varied with both the golf course and the location being equally memorable.
Malone
Northern Ireland's top ranked inland course, Malone is a classic parkland test offering variety and quality in spades. Built on the Ballydrain Estate the course features mature trees and a 25 acre lake. Constant design improvements have been made since the course first opened in 1962 as Malone continues to be Belfast's #1 golf course.
Portstewart
Portstewart is as fine a links as one could wish for. From the dramatic opening tee-shot, played from on high to the ribbon of fairway below, the course flows through high dunesland where the River Bann meets the Atlantic Ocean. The journey is adrenalin pumping, one awe inspiring challenge after another.
Royal Belfast
The final home of the oldest golf club in Ireland occupies a scenic location overlooking Belfast Lough. Happily the timing of the move coincided with the time of designer Harry Colt who laid out the course in 1926. Aside from the views there are some challenging golf holes and an old manor house that serves as the magnificent clubhouse.
Royal County Down
Royal County Down is a superlative links course in a superlative seaside location overlooked by the Mountains of Mourne. The fairways are lined with gorse that blaze yellow in spring. Bunkers, blind shots and bounces good or bad characterise the course, perhaps the most immaculately presented in Ireland.
Royal Portrush Dunluce
One of the world's great golf courses, the Dunluce links is now even better for the alterations made for The Open played here in 2019. There are a succession of challenging and memorable holes including the opening tee shot, the scenic and challenging, short, par 4 fifth and the famous par-3 sixteenth hole, aptly named Calamity.
Royal Portrush Valley
As with the Cashen Course at Ballybunion, the standing of the second, Valley links, at Royal Portrush suffers from the high ranking of its big brother. This is a shame for, no matter how good the Dunluce links is, the Valley links deserves higher respect and is a very playable, classic links in its own right. And it is a lot of fun too!
