Northern Ireland is a country renowned for both its golf courses and golfers. Producing names like Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell to name but a few. With courses having breathtaking cliff edge views and magnificent architecture, Northern Ireland is a destination that should be on every golfer’s to do list. There are so many great golf courses to choose from you can decide if you would like to play in the city, countryside or beside the sea. Picking out of the hundreds could be tricky so here are a few of Northern Irelands best. For more information on travel and golf in Northern Ireland, check out our sister website; Travel Ireland Golf.
Royal County Down Golf Course, Newcastle
Often voted one of the most excellent & pristine golf courses in the UK due to its stunning location alongside Dundrum Bay and the majestic Mourne Mountains, Royal County Down is set within the stunning Murlough Nature Reserve, only 26 miles from Belfast and 50 minutes from Belfast City Airport. With so many blind shots and bearded bunkers, Royal County Down is not for the faint-hearted! It will always leave you wanting more and is certainly a challenge you won’t want to turn down. Split into two courses you have the Championship Links and the shorter but no less thrilling Annesley Course.
The Championship Links – 18 holes, 72 par and 6968 yards.
Designed by Tom Morris in 1889, since then it has earned a fantastic reputation not only for its well-kept fairways but for its challenging though enjoyable holes. With such beautiful views to take in, you will want to keep your distance as straying off your path could be heavy on your scorecard.
The Annesley Links Course – 18 holes, 66 par and 4681 yards.
Annesley Links is one of the oldest courses in Ireland dating back over 100 years and has often been voted one of the best in Europe. Although smaller than the Championship Links Golf course it does not disappoint as it shares the beautiful sea, mountain views. The course is less intimidating, and you will enjoy a more leisurely day’s play. The Annesley can be enjoyed by both beginners and the more advanced side by side.
At the Royal County Down your handicap certificate is required to play and you can hire clubs and trolleys on site at a reasonable price.
Royal Portrush Golf Course, Portrush
The only club in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championships. (1951 & 2019).
Royal Portrush. Set on a beautiful coastline with huge dunes and breathtaking views, including the 15th Century Dunluce Castle. Both courses dynamically change with unpredictable weather coming in from the North Atlantic Sea, providing at times some challenging but rewarding conditions.
The Dunluce Golf course – 18 holes, 72 par and 7317 yards.
Although originally built in 1888 The Dunluce course was later redesigned in 1947 by Harry Shapland Colt. Dunluce is regularly placed within the world’s top 20 courses and is ranked 12th in the world by Links magazine; it is easy to see why when standing on the 5th hole with views of budding surfers and the ruins of Dunluce Castle. The course spans up to and down some vast dunes, challenging the most advanced golfer.
Be sure to take your time to fully appreciate the stunning scenery on offer as you complete the course.
Lough Erne Golf Resort, Enniskillen
Not only does this 5-star complex offer two excellent championship golf courses, the Castle Hume and the Faldo, it also has a great golf academy. Situated in Enniskillen with stunning views of Castle Hume Lough and Lough Erne and voted one of the top golf resorts in Ireland, Lough Erne Golf Resort provides the ultimate 36-hole golf experience.
Take some time to select a course at the golf academy, which provides dedicated PGA professionals who can develop the game of any level of golfer with the use of V1 camera capture and flight-scope technology.
The Faldo course – 18 holes, 72 par and 7167 yards.
Designed by Nick Faldo, 6-time Major winner. The Faldo is the first course Nick designed in Ireland. 11 of the holes have water in play with the 10th hole named the ‘Emerald Isle’ due to three sides surrounded by water. Rory McIlroy has set the course record of 68 and still to this day remains unbeaten. With beautiful greens, a stunning backdrop and superb playing conditions all year round, his is a must visit location for any golfer.
Castle Hume Course – 18 holes, 72 par and 6800 yards.
This fantastic course surrounded by beautiful landscaping, trees and Loughs was first opened in 1992 and has since hosted 10 Ulster PGA championships. The Castle Hume is a testing course for all levels of golfers due to its many bunkers and water features just off the fairways.
Lough Erne Golf Resort is 90 Minutes from Belfast International Airport. Electric/pull trolleys available on site.
Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort, Galgorm
An impressive resort with so much to offer, not only the 18-hole Castle Championship Course but also the 9-hole Riverside Course, the 6-hole pitch and putt ‘Wee Course’ and the Golf Academy. Set within 220 acres of mature Galgorm Estate parkland and bordered by the rivers Main and Braid which come into play alongside the 5 deep landscaped lakes. Galgorm is home to the European Tour Group’s Northern Ireland Open and was awarded the IGTOA’S’ Parkland course of the year’ 2014. Galgorm is continuously ranked within the top three parklands in Northern Ireland.
The Castle Championship Course – 18 holes, 72 par and 7105 yards.
Designed by world-renowned golf architect Simon Gidman and opened in 1997, this championship course is set in the heart of the historic Galgorm Estate and really does create the perfect backdrop to an exciting round of golf.
The Riverside Course – 9 holes, 3 par and 704 yards.
An enjoyable 9-hole course right inside the resort and next to the beautiful river Main. Suitable for all levels of golfer, helping even the most experienced improve their short game. Equipment hire is complimentary for guests giving the perfect excuse for a stop-over. If you only have a short amount of time, this course is ideal as it only takes around 1 – 1.5 hour to complete.
The ‘Wee’ Course – 6 holes, pitch and putt
This little gem is perfect for the whole family. The Wee Course caters to all age groups. Excellent time spent with the family and a great way to get the kids active and outdoors. Again, the equipment is complimentary for guests.
The Golf Academy
Incorporating a 24-bay floodlit driving range, short game area and a putting green. With dedicated PGA staff who can help with your distance and accuracy.
For more information on ant aspect of Golf Travel in Northern Ireland contact us and one of our dedicated advisors will be happy to help