Golf on the North Coast

The North Coast is a golfer’s dream. In this area of outstanding natural beauty, there is a fabulous choice of courses to play, not least the world-famous Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush which sits amongst stunning natural golfing country, surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery you will find anywhere.

Luxury Self Catering Accommodation - 1 mile from Royal Portrush Golf Course

Blackrock welcomes Golfers:

  • We have Golf Welcome Accreditation by Northern Ireland Tourism Board
  • Specific storage are for golf clubs in a dry and secure area
  • Private washing and drying facilities
  • A wide selection of golf literature and books

About Golf in Northern Ireland

Consistently ranked as one of the most challenging courses in the world, the Royal Portrush Dunluce Course takes its name from the castle nearby, the remains of which overlook the course.  This course is 1 mile from our accommodation and is the only course in Ireland to have hosted the British Open Championship.  Surrounded by magnificent views of the hills of Donegal to the west, the Isle of Islay and the Southern Hebrides to the north and the Giant’s Causeway and the Skerries to the East, this championship course is truly one of the finest links courses you will ever play.

Royal Portrush’s second course, The Valley, lies on the sea side of the Dunluce Course and is home to Royal Portrush Ladies Club and the affiliated Rathmore Club.  Continually growing in stature, the Valley is a slightly shorter, less challenging course than the Dunluce, but is nonetheless a serious test of your golfing skills. This is a beautiful course, actually lying below sea level in some places, but remarkably dry.  Together with three other local courses, the Valley hosts the Causeway Coast Amateur Tournament, the biggest amateur tournament in the world.  Do not underestimate the Valley because of the mighty Dunluce – there are no weak holes on this course.

Boasting a long history, golf was first played in Portstewart as far back as 1889 and Portstewart Golf Club was founded in 1894. The Strand Course has spectacular views across the bay to the blue Donegal hills, the Atlantic Ocean and the estuary of the River Bann.  Set in classic links country amid towering sand dunes, the greens are fast and in superb condition all year round.  Expansion was undertaken in the 1960s and the Strand Course as it is known today was opened in 1992.  The new championship layout of the Strand Course is now a formidable links course to compete with the best links courses in Ireland and testimony of this resulted in the Irish Close Championship being held here in 1992.  Having hosted all of the major amateur national Championships, Portstewart presents a genuine test of golf. There is a widely held view that the Strand Course has the best opening hole in Irish golf – perhaps the best opening hole in all of golf.

Another fine example of courses in the area is Castlerock Golf Club, a truly magnificent links course set among rolling sand dunes where you can see the River Bann flowing out to the Atlantic, with wonderful views of Donegal and on a clear day, towards Scotland and the Isle of Islay. Steeped in history, it is believed that the sand dunes, where part of the course winds its way, were occupied by humans in the Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages.  The Club consists of the 18-hole Championship Mussenden Course and the 9-hole Bann Course, which has a par five said to be one of the most scenic holes in Irish golf. Castlerock has played host to both amateur and professional competitions over the past hundred years and more recently, the World Student Games in 2000, the first time the competition was played in the United Kingdom, and the Irish PGA championships in 2001.  Castlerock, together with the neighbouring links of Royal Portrush (Valley Course), Portstewart and Ballycastle is long established in the highly successful annual Causeway Coast Tournament, a competition sponsored by Bushmills, the oldest whiskey distillers in the world.  This event is extremely popular with golfers and spectators alike, both nationally and internationally.

Blackrock Beach House is also within driving distance of Royal Co Down and Ballyliffin Golf Club.

These are some examples, but whatever the calibre of your golf, you cannot fail to enjoy playing the wonderful courses on the North Coast.

Further Information

Royal Portrush Golf Club

www.royalportrushgolfclub.com
Tel Office/Tee Times – 02870822311
Pro Shop – 02870823335

Portstewart Golf Club

www.portstewartgc.co.uk
Strand Course (Championship) and Riverside Course – 028 7083 2015
Old Course – 028 7083 2549

Castlerock Golf Club

www.castlerockgc.co.uk
Tel: 028 7084 8314

Ballycastle Golf Club

www.ballycastlegolfclub.com
Tel: 028 207 62506

The Golf PA

www.thegolfpa.com

Royal Co. Down

www.royalcountydown.org
Tel: +44 (0) 28 4372 3314

Ballyliffin

www.ballyliffingolfclub.com
Tel: +353 74 937 6119

Connoisseur Golf

www.connoisseurgolf.com

Bravo Whisky Golf

www.bravowhiskygolf.com

How to get to the Golf Clubs

Private Airport Transfers
www.airporter.co.uk
Airport Transfers offer 16 seater Mercedes vehicles to and from the door of the Belfast airports, direct to your hotel or private address.

Brogans Prestige Travel
http://www.brogansprestigetravel.com/
Located on The Causeway Coast in County Antrim, Brogans Prestige Travel offers custom built coaches and executive cars for long and short excursions throughout Ireland.

If you have any specific requirements that would make your stay more comfortable, please get in touch.