Northern Ireland Golf Guide

With the 2025 Open Championship visiting the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush next week, we thought it would be a good idea to shine a spotlight on the great golf the country has to offer.

Last spring, a handful of staffers took a once in a lifetime trip to Northern Ireland — Eggsplorations, as you may know it — and producer a load journal entries, golf course profiles, podcast episodes, and social reels. We've compiled all of that content below to highlight some of the country's best courses.

Royal Portrush (Dunluce)

Regarded as one of the best championship tests in the world, Royal Portrush certainly possesses one of the most dramatic dunescapes of any Open Championship-rota venue. Set on the Northern Ireland coast, the Dunluce Links is a prime example of Harry Colt’s architecture. The course stands out among most Irish and Scottish links courses for its elaborate green designs and enormous dunes, and it’s one of the most complete golf courses from Nos. 1 to 18 in the entire world. From the spectacular linksland to the clever routing and dynamic greens, there are hardly any flaws with this design.

More on Royal Portrush

‍Eggsplorations: Blown Away by Royal Portrush

‍Podcast: Reflections from Royal Portrush

‍Royal County Down

Like many of the great links golf courses, Royal County Down’s history ties back to the railroad. The genesis of the club came from the train stop in Newcastle, where Royal County Down rounds started and ended during the club’s early days. The course made a long list of changes throughout its first 40 years, and this amalgamation of work through the years has given us one of the most sublime golf experiences in the world.

More on Royal County Down

Eggsplorations: First Impressions of Royal County Down

Podcast: Royal County Down is as good as golf gets

No. 9 at Royal County Down: The story behind one of the greatest golf holes in the world

‍Within Reach: The accessibility of world-class golf in Newcastle and Northern Ireland

Annesley Links at Royal County Down Golf Club

Sitting in the shadow of arguably the greatest golf course in the world, the Annesley Links—or “wee course”—at Royal County Down is a perfect complement to the stern test of the Championship course. The two links are intertwined within the same majestic dunesland, providing tremendous views of the Irish Sea and towering Mourne Mountains. Although short in scorecard yardage, the wee course provides a unique test of accuracy and precision. Annesley asks players different questions than its neighboring big brother, making for a round you must not miss when visiting Royal County Down.

More on Annesley Links

Eggsplorations: Not So ‘Wee’ Courses

‍Podcast: The Greatest Short Course in the World

‍Ardglass Golf Club

Just 20 miles up the coast from the world-famous Royal County Down Golf Club lies the small fishing town of Ardglass. Elevated above the fierce sea on a rocky prominence is the unique and captivating Ardglass Golf Club. This 19th-century golf course has slowly but surely expanded its footprint and grown in popularity over its century-plus history. What makes Ardglass special is the raw beauty of the landscape you traverse. Ardglass is a different type of links golf in the sense that it isn’t the same sandy dunescapes we see at Royal Portrush and Royal County Down. Where it lacks in sand, it makes up for in breathtaking views atop the dramatic and rugged land. The course itself is rooted in old-world design characteristics with simple greens and minimal bunkering because the real test is the battle of the elements and terrain. Ardglass is a place you must experience firsthand to fully comprehend its uniqueness and charm.

More on Ardglass

Eggsplorations: A Wild Trip Around Ardglass

‍Podcast: Of Cliffs and Castles – Ardglass Golf Club

‍Castlerock Golf Club (Mussenden)

When discussing golf in Northern Ireland, the courses mentioned above – Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Portstewart, and Ardglass – come to mind first. If not for those courses, the Mussenden Course at Castlerock Golf Club would probably be held in higher regard. Given its proximity to both Portstewart and Portrush, a design pedigree that includes contributions from Harry Colt, and some stretches of really great golf, Castlerock is worth the journey. It’s a joy to play.

More on Castlerock

Eggsplorations: Welcome to Castlerock

‍Podcast: Captivated at Castlerock

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Derry Debriefs Vol. I: Portstewart and Castlerock
Derry Debriefs Vol. II:  Off to Ireland
‍Derry Debriefs Vol. III: Portsalon

Holywood Golf Club

During our Eggsplorations, the team had a golf-less day. After a Friday night out on the town, the guys came to a begrudging consensus that they would drive the 45 minutes or so from Newcastle to the Belfast-area town of Holywood to check out Rory McIlroy’s home and boyhood golf course. Not everyone was sold. Would it be the best use of a precious half-day? Did we have enough of a plan to make it worthwhile? The group wasn’t moved to tears or anything, but it was a powerful and worthwhile experience. 

More on Holywood

‍Podcast: Rory's Holywood, and Where Golf's Superstars Come From

Portstewart Golf Club

While we don’t have a course profile on Portstewart Golf Club just yet, we did cover the course extensively as part of our Eggsplorations trip, from the wild story about the creation of the front nine to guest interviews with locals. 

More on Portstewart

Podcast: Golf in the Portstewart Dunes

‍Podcast: Legends of the Ports

Northern Ireland Extras

We were lucky enough to welcome Rory McIlroy, the greatest golfer in the history of Northern Ireland, to the Eggsplorations podcast feed for a deep discussion on his roots there, his favorite golf memories growing up, and his favorite courses and earliest memories of Royal Portrush and Royal County Down.

Northern Ireland was the trip of a lifetime for our team, one full of moments where you remember precisely where your feet were and what you saw. As Brendan Porath wrote, “You don’t have to travel to Northern Ireland to create these stop-and-reflect moments. They happen in many places, but I can confirm they happen here in abundance.”

Rounding out our trip to Northern Ireland

‍Eclectic 18: Our favorite holes in Northern Ireland

Roundtable: Debating Royal Portrush vs. Royal County Down, Biggest Surprises, and More

‍Superlatives: Our Favorite Holes, Front and Back Nines, and Best Guinness

Podcast: Big Picture Thoughts and Wrap from Northern Ireland

‍What to Do: Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast, Golf and Non-Golf Edition