Planning to play a little golf in Ireland before or after attending the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July? Do yourself a great favor and experience real Irish golf on three under-the-radar courses in Northern Ireland. They’re all within easy driving distance of either Dublin or Belfast airports.
The place to start is Ballycastle Golf Club, which you can see across the water from Portrush just 30 minutes down the coast. Take your time on the drive, though, because you’ll be passing the Giant’s Causeway and/or Bushmills Distillery on the way, and either one is worth a stop.
Ballycastle Golf Club sits just yards from the shoreline on a spectacular stretch of the coast. Founded in 1890, the course offers multiple experiences from lush parkland holes wrapped around the ruins of Bonamargy Friary (dating back to the 15th century) to wild links carved from the seaside hills with commanding views of the North Channel of the Irish Sea. There are numerous memorable holes on the course, but none more fun than “The Pitch,” as the 17th hole is known. It is 180 yards of par-3 excitement played to a green some 100 feet below the tee box.
A fine place to spend the night is the nearby Salthouse Hotel, a small upscale modern facility with just 24 luxurious rooms and boasting a fantastic spa and restaurant.
Your next stop is Cairndhu Golf Club in Ballygally, an hour away. The parkland course is set on a coastal headland with excellent views of the Mull of Kintyre and sea vistas extending to Scotland’s islands across the sea. The course is more than a bit hilly, so be sure to take a buggy (or cart, as we say on this side of the pond).
The highlight of the itinerary is about 90 minutes away, which is easily broken up by an overnight in Belfast. Your ultimate destination is Ardglass Golf Club, one of the most thrilling golf experiences you’ll ever have. The course combines both parkland and links holes routed over high ground with views of the Irish Sea from every hole. The routing is replete with rocky ledges, impenetrable gorse, and unrelenting wind that make every shot an adventure.
In addition to a wonderful golf course, this spot is noted for its clubhouse, which is billed as the world’s oldest. It dates to 1405 when it was built as a fortified castle-like warehouse.
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