Golf courses in Ireland

Ardglass Golf Club is located near Belfast. This more than a century old course, still in excellent condition, offers spectacular views over the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man in good weather, from impressive cliffs. It defends itself with small, firm and fast greens and a few blind shots. Founded in 1896, its number of holes increased to 18 in 1970 and 3 holes were replaced at the end of the 90s. Its clubhouse is a 14th century castle which was the home of the Fitzgerald, Earls of Kildare. Very close to the Royal County Down, it is a good complement.

Voted one of the best golf resorts in Ireland, Lough Erne Resort offers an exceptional 36-hole golf experience. With its two championship courses, including the famous Faldo Course, golfers can also improve their skills at the Golf Academy, under the guidance of Lynn McCool, PGA Chief Professional, or practice on the training ground. accessible all year round.

A true showcase for golf in the North West of Ireland, Lough Erne Resort is the perfect place to stay where you can combine a round of the Faldo Course and Castle Hume with some of Ireland's best links and parks nearby. .
The Faldo Course Championship
Lough Erne Resort Faldo Course is arguably one of the best Parkland-style courses in Ireland. It is a relatively young course which opened in July 2009. It was directed by the famous English champion Nick Faldo. The vast majority of the holes are located along magnificent wild lakes offering spectacular views. The 10th hole is unique with an island green which will offer you a real golfing challenge. it is a course to discover absolutely if you are passing through Northern Ireland.
The Castle Hume Golf Course
It offers a magnificent view, well-groomed fairways and well-designed greens, more than seven thousand trees and thirty bunkers. The course is built on a well-drained limestone ground. Castle Hume has hosted many professional and amateur tournaments. The signature hole called Ely Island is an attractive par-3 of 139 yards, with a precise tee shot essential.

Clandeboye Golf Club is located 20 km from Belfast in the rolling countryside surrounding the former property of Lady Dufferin and Ava, heir to the Guinness family ,. It offers two "inland" courses, for a total of 36 holes.
Dufferin Golf Course
It was designed by the German architect, Baron von Limburger associated with the two Ryder Cup champions, Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss who also created the Brabazon in England at the Belfry near Birmingham. It is the longest and most famous of the two courses on the estate. It offers superb views over the coast and beyond Belfast Lough the mountains of Scotland are clearly visible. All its holes, surrounded by gorse bushes, ferns and numerous trees, require great precision.
Ava golf course
The more sheltered Ava Course overlooks Strangford Lough and its 365 islands to the south, with equally captivating panoramic views over rich farmland to the Morne Mountains, where Slieve Donard is a majestic backdrop to Royal's famous links. County Down. This 18 holes, easier than the Dufferin, is its perfect complement and will offer you a real pleasure of play.

The Castlerock Golf Club has long lived in the shadow of its illustrious neighbors on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast - Portstewart and Royal Portrush - but it would be a mistake to overlook this gem, which embodies all the essential charms of a course. links type golf course. Its strengths are a natural seaside course, firm greens, formidable roughs and a perfect harmony with the captivating landscape that characterizes it.

The Mussenden course of Castlerock and takes its name from the Temple of Mussenden, which is part of the XNUMXth century estate of Frederick Augustus Hervey, the fourth Earl of Bristol and later the Anglican Bishop of Derry. The Bishop built his estate, the centerpiece of which was Downhill Castle, on the vast green promontory that overlooks the Atlantic and descends to Castlerock.

When golfers think of Ireland, Scotland, England or Wales, they tend to think of links courses exclusively. However, the point is that not all of the major courses offered in this part of the world are necessarily Links. The Belvoir Park Golf Club course is one of those lesser known but nevertheless very popular courses.

Only 5 km from Belfast, in a superb park with magnificent trees, this course created in 1927 by the famous architect Harry Colt, is considered one of the best "inland" courses in the country. Undulating, but with moderate relief, it has hosted many prestigious championships such as the Irish Open, the Irish PGA or the Irish Amateur Close Championship.

Malone Golf Club is located 8 km south of Belfast at Ballydrain. Malone Golf Club is a hidden gem and arguably one of Ireland's best Parklands. Designed by John Harris of CKCotton in 1962, then redesigned by Fred Hawtree in 1965, Its greens and fairways unfold around a nine hectare lake in a pleasantly wooded environment. With around forty bunkers, water and trees in play, it offers an excellent challenge for all golfers. In addition, it is always impeccably maintained. It has hosted many championships, such as the Ulster Open, the Irish Close Championship or the Irish Senior Masters.

The Royal Portrush Golf Club is home to one of the world's best and toughest golf courses, Dunluce Links, and hidden gem, Valley Links. The only club in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championship, the Royal Portrush is a members' club that welcomes visitors throughout the year to take on the challenges of its two wonderful golf courses.
Dunluce Links - Championship Course
Dunluce Links is considered one of the toughest and most spectacular courses in the world. It has undergone major changes in preparation for the 148th British Open.

The original architect was the famous Harry Colt, who created a breathtaking golf course by the Atlantic Ocean on the north coast of Northern Ireland, with spectacular views of the hills of Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and on the Isle of Islay, approximately 25 km, in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

This Links owes its name to the ruins of medieval Dunluce Castle, located on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea between Portrush and Portballintrae.

In order to meet the demands of a modern championship course, significant changes were made to the course under the direction of golf architect Martin Ebert of the Mackenzie and Ebert Company.
Valleys Links
The Valley Links, as the name suggests, is located between the East Strand and the heights of Dunluce Links. This is the traditional course of the Royal Portrush Ladies Branch and the Rathmore Golf Club.

This is an exceptional links originally designed by Colt, and which has also undergone major modifications under the supervision of Martin Ebert.

Although this course tends to be overshadowed by The Dunluce Links, The Valleys Links has been acclaimed by critics and golf enthusiasts the world over. They feel that no visit to Royal Portrush is complete without playing those 18 holes as well.