~ ~ The Royal Portrush Golf Club was the first true links (seaside) course in Ireland, opening for play in 1888.
It is situated no more than a drive and a pitch from the town on the north County Antrim coastline, almost within spitting distance of the famous “Giant’s Causeway”. ... Read review
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~ ~ The Royal Portrush Golf Club was the first true links (seaside) course in Ireland, opening for play in 1888.
It is situated no more than a drive and a pitch from the town on the north County Antrim coastline, almost within spitting distance of the famous “Giant’s Causeway”.
~ ~ Similar in design and layout to the Old Course at Saint Andrews, Scotland, it boasts large, undulating putting greens, and fairways ... ...so long or demanding as Royal Portrush itself, it is nevertheless a formidable challenge, and one not to be missed if you are making a golfing pilgrimage to this lovely area of Northern Ireland.
~ ~ A major problem the Club have faced in recent times is coastal erosion, particularly on the exposed point which houses the 5th and 6th holes. This prompted Joe Carr, the famous Irish amateur and past Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf ... more
~ ~ The Royal Portrush Golf Club was the first true links (seaside) course in Ireland, opening for play in 1888. It is situated no more than a drive and a pitch from the town on the north County Antrim coastline, almost within spitting distance of the famous “Giant’s Causeway”.
~ ~ Similar in design and layout to the Old Course at Saint Andrews, Scotland, it boasts large, undulating putting greens, and fairways carved from the natural humps and hollows of the ever-present sand dunes. Precise accuracy is at a premium, with no fewer than ten holes out of the eighteen bending either left or right, and the rough is both plentiful and very thick and heavy to severely punish any wayward shot. The feature hole is the aptly named 14th, “Calamity Corner”. A par-three measuring 215 yards, it is perched on a cliff edge, and failure to carry over the huge chasm to the right has destroyed many a promising scorecard. Even if this hole is negotiated successfully, the very next (15th) is called “Purgatory”. Sinners beware!!
~ ~ Portrush is the only golf course in Ireland to host the British Open (1951), and is the permanent venue for the North of Ireland Amateur Championship every July, and has also hosted the British Seniors Open on many occasions in recent years. In 1895, the club’s first professional, Sandy Herd, defeated the famous British player Harry Vardon in the very first professional event ever staged in Ireland. I used to play in the North of Ireland Championships every July until a couple of years back, when my handicap began to take a bit of a nosedive with my advancing years, and I always looked forward to competing with great anticipation, as the Club and members are both hospitable and very friendly to strangers, and make you feel very welcome. It has bred many famous sons. Fred Daly, Ireland’s only British Open Champion ( Hoylake 1947 ) honed his skills on the Portrush dunes, as did modern day super star Darren Clarke, the well known and much respected European Ryder Cup player, and doyen of the current European Tour.
~ ~ While the course that everyone goes to play is the ‘Dunluce’ links, Portrush also boasts a second eighteen hole course called the ‘Valley’. While not so long or demanding as Royal Portrush itself, it is nevertheless a formidable challenge, and one not to be missed if you are making a golfing pilgrimage to this lovely area of Northern Ireland.
~ ~ A major problem the Club have faced in recent times is coastal erosion, particularly on the exposed point which houses the 5th and 6th holes. This prompted Joe Carr, the famous Irish amateur and past Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews (1993) to plead, “These links are one of the great heritages of golf and must be protected for present and future generations of golfers”. Mr. Carr speaks for golfers everywhere. Royal Portrush is rated at number thirteen in the list of the worlds’ best courses.
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INFORMATION (2002)
Address
Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Road, Portrush, Co. Antrim BT56 8JQ
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~ ~ Portstewart, a marvellous links course, has long been overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbour RoyalPortrush, located only three miles down the coast.
~ ~ I have played this fine course on many occasions in my younger and more illustrious golfing days, when I used to make the annual pilgrimage every July, to play in the North of Ireland Amateur Championships at Portrush. (I reached the last eight once!!)
~ ~ In the old days it could not really hold a candle to the likes of Portrush or Royal County Down, and couldn’t even be called a pure links, as it had a couple of very weak holes and two semi-parkland holes on the back nine.
But that has all changed now.
The opening of seven brand new holes in the dunes immediately behind the first green have changed the course completely. It is now a links in every sense ...
Advantages: Magnificent Links Golf Courses Disadvantages: Bring your waterproofs
would agree rivals its older brother.
Every hole is a feature hole at Ballybunion! The closing 18th hole has a
stretch of sand straddling the fairway, which is so vast the hole is called ‘The Sahara?.
This hazard consists of a curious mixture of sand, ashes, stones and bones,the relics dating back over 5,000 years to Mesolithic times.
Tom Watson, five times winner of the British Open between 1975 and
1983, always starts out his Open campaign at Ballybunion prior to the
Championship each year. He states, ?There appear to be no man-made
influences. It offers some of the finest and most demanding shots into
the greens of any course in the world.?
As with RoyalPortrush, coastal erosion is a constant problem. In 1977 a
fierce Atlantic storm overwhelmed the course, severely damaging many
fairways and greens. A huge world ...
the_mad_cabbie 06.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of General: Ireland
Advantages: Beautiful and loads to do Disadvantages: rains alot
i reccomend. White park bay is also very nice.
STUFF TO DO
In Portrush there are tennis courts, crazy golf and kids playgrounds. There is also a small fun fair called Barrys which is great for all the family. Theres also a cinema, 10 pin bowling and a swimming pool. Coleraine is great for shopping. There are some good places for fishing, and lets not forget the world class golf courses!
The Riverview theatre in Coleraine always has something interesting going on!
PLACES TO STAY
Countless bed and breakfasts in Portrush! White park bay youth hostel is really nice if you are on a budget. If you're not, then the royal court hotel in Portrush is nice.
MISC
The 'superfry' chip shop in Portstewart (near the anchor) is lovely!
Barrys and some other things may be closed during the winter. ...
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