Anyone who's coming from abroad for the 2025 open in N.Ireland here's you bucket list for golf Portstewart the Strand, Castlerock the mussenden course. Ardglass. Royal county down. Royal Belfast. Malone.not so well known but hidden gems Ballycastle. Clandeboye the dufferin and ava courses. For the game of thrones fans gracehill beside the dark hedges from GOT. Also just over the border from Royal Portrush is Donegal with Rosapena. Ballyliffen and the Northwest championship course plus so many more amazing courses. You will not be stuck to get a round or two of golf on some amazing courses
I would also add: Castlerocks Bann even though it’s a 9 hole it is still great. Portstewart Riverside, Moyola, Galgorm. All beautiful courses and enjoyable
Taking away the usual links courses of NI. Lough Erne is by far the best course in NI. Yes there are other really good ones...malone...galgorm etc. But Lough Erne is a standard above. If it wasn't out in the middle of nowhere, it would be able to charge a far far higher premium. Ardglass ive never seen the fascination with it. Played it, and apart from maybe 3 or 4 holes, the rest are just standard. Anyone coming for an itinerary, I would do a causeway coast roadtrip Start in Belfast, do either Malone or Royal Belfast. Move along the coast to Cairndhu GC. If you dont have the money to play Portrush or Portstewart main courses, then play their secondary ones. Carry on to Castlerock whos main course is up there but not as pricey as Portrush/Portstewart. Then finish at Lough Erne. That would give you a good flow. Yes RCD is on most peoples bucket lists. But it's pretty far away from everything. Anyone wanting any other suggestions, just reply and ill give you the rundown
Hi mate, thanks for this info. Quick question, if we wanted to come over and just stay in one place, one hotel and commute to courses each day, looking at about 4 or 5 where would you suggest? That Northern coast looks a good bet but are the courses too far apart? We'd be happy travelling 30 to 45 mins per day, ideally with one course where we are actually staying. Would staying in or around Belfast be possible and enable us to tick the above boxes. Otherwise an initial longer drive from the airport is fine if it means we then reach a location and area with a few quality courses close together. Not too bothered about playing Portrush or RCD (price will put some off), the hidden gems certainly appeal. Links predominantly with a parkland or two thrown in, ideal too. Thanks for any advice you can give.
@@scottphillips9795 Tough one. Cause the bulk of the links are on the coast, it's hard to get somewhere that is close to all and has it's own course. If you weren't bothered with a resort hotel, then any hotel in Coleraine would be a good shout. Close to Ballycastle, Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock. All links courses. Yes there is the main course which will cost a lot of £, but the two Ports and Castlerock have awesome secondary links courses. If you want a resort hotel, closest one is likely Roe Park in Limavady. Has its own course (never played it but looks good enough). Close to the courses above, max 45min drive to Ballycastle. You're only 1hr or so from Ballyliffin, which has awesome links courses. Hotel is lovely albeit needs a revamp (which has just been announced) If the resort hotel is more of a priority, then Hilton templepatrick is v good. Was a member there and the course is great. Only issue is it's at least 1hr+ to any links courses. But it's like 10mins from the airport. Galgorm is also v good but will be alot more expensive and still be far away from links courses (40mins to closest). Belfast stay - plenty of courses but again you're talking 1hr + to the closest links (east coast ones) which would have less of a selection than the North. Staying in Belfast and playing is only great if you're playing close by. But it does have some great course...Malone, Belvoir, Royal Belfast, Hilton Templepatrick (15min drive). Then a larger selection within 20min drive at the surrounding towns etc. If it was me, I'd stay in Coleraine area or that hotel Roe Park. Do the north coast courses. Then on your last day, make the effort to go to Lough Erne and play. Easily the best parkland course I have ever played.
@@Ballroot84 Thanks. Yes watched the latest Golfmates video covering Lough Erne, it's on the 'possibles' list for sure. Thanks for the rest of the advice, will take a look at Coleraine then. Had started to investigate Donegal further - staying in that area and looking to play the likes of Rosapenna, Ballyliffin etc. Bit of a jaunt from the airport but some decent options once there and Donegal gets good press. Thanks again.
@scottphillips9795 yeh Donegal is amazing. The two issues are accomodation and the area itself. Hotels tend to be a little pricey, so air BnB maybe a better option. Ballyliffin may be the best shout. Area...you'll do a lot of driving and the roads...let's just say make sure your transport has great suspension 😂
Anyone who's coming from abroad for the 2025 open in N.Ireland here's you bucket list for golf Portstewart the Strand, Castlerock the mussenden course. Ardglass. Royal county down. Royal Belfast. Malone.not so well known but hidden gems Ballycastle. Clandeboye the dufferin and ava courses. For the game of thrones fans gracehill beside the dark hedges from GOT. Also just over the border from Royal Portrush is Donegal with Rosapena. Ballyliffen and the Northwest championship course plus so many more amazing courses. You will not be stuck to get a round or two of golf on some amazing courses
Fantastic itinerary! 😍
I would also add: Castlerocks Bann even though it’s a 9 hole it is still great. Portstewart Riverside, Moyola, Galgorm.
All beautiful courses and enjoyable
Royal portrush
Taking away the usual links courses of NI. Lough Erne is by far the best course in NI. Yes there are other really good ones...malone...galgorm etc. But Lough Erne is a standard above. If it wasn't out in the middle of nowhere, it would be able to charge a far far higher premium.
Ardglass ive never seen the fascination with it. Played it, and apart from maybe 3 or 4 holes, the rest are just standard.
Anyone coming for an itinerary, I would do a causeway coast roadtrip
Start in Belfast, do either Malone or Royal Belfast. Move along the coast to Cairndhu GC. If you dont have the money to play Portrush or Portstewart main courses, then play their secondary ones. Carry on to Castlerock whos main course is up there but not as pricey as Portrush/Portstewart. Then finish at Lough Erne.
That would give you a good flow. Yes RCD is on most peoples bucket lists. But it's pretty far away from everything.
Anyone wanting any other suggestions, just reply and ill give you the rundown
Love this itinerary!!
Hi mate, thanks for this info. Quick question, if we wanted to come over and just stay in one place, one hotel and commute to courses each day, looking at about 4 or 5 where would you suggest? That Northern coast looks a good bet but are the courses too far apart? We'd be happy travelling 30 to 45 mins per day, ideally with one course where we are actually staying. Would staying in or around Belfast be possible and enable us to tick the above boxes. Otherwise an initial longer drive from the airport is fine if it means we then reach a location and area with a few quality courses close together. Not too bothered about playing Portrush or RCD (price will put some off), the hidden gems certainly appeal. Links predominantly with a parkland or two thrown in, ideal too. Thanks for any advice you can give.
@@scottphillips9795
Tough one. Cause the bulk of the links are on the coast, it's hard to get somewhere that is close to all and has it's own course. If you weren't bothered with a resort hotel, then any hotel in Coleraine would be a good shout. Close to Ballycastle, Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock. All links courses. Yes there is the main course which will cost a lot of £, but the two Ports and Castlerock have awesome secondary links courses.
If you want a resort hotel, closest one is likely Roe Park in Limavady. Has its own course (never played it but looks good enough). Close to the courses above, max 45min drive to Ballycastle. You're only 1hr or so from Ballyliffin, which has awesome links courses. Hotel is lovely albeit needs a revamp (which has just been announced)
If the resort hotel is more of a priority, then Hilton templepatrick is v good. Was a member there and the course is great. Only issue is it's at least 1hr+ to any links courses. But it's like 10mins from the airport. Galgorm is also v good but will be alot more expensive and still be far away from links courses (40mins to closest).
Belfast stay - plenty of courses but again you're talking 1hr + to the closest links (east coast ones) which would have less of a selection than the North. Staying in Belfast and playing is only great if you're playing close by. But it does have some great course...Malone, Belvoir, Royal Belfast, Hilton Templepatrick (15min drive). Then a larger selection within 20min drive at the surrounding towns etc.
If it was me, I'd stay in Coleraine area or that hotel Roe Park. Do the north coast courses. Then on your last day, make the effort to go to Lough Erne and play. Easily the best parkland course I have ever played.
@@Ballroot84 Thanks. Yes watched the latest Golfmates video covering Lough Erne, it's on the 'possibles' list for sure. Thanks for the rest of the advice, will take a look at Coleraine then. Had started to investigate Donegal further - staying in that area and looking to play the likes of Rosapenna, Ballyliffin etc. Bit of a jaunt from the airport but some decent options once there and Donegal gets good press. Thanks again.
@scottphillips9795 yeh Donegal is amazing. The two issues are accomodation and the area itself. Hotels tend to be a little pricey, so air BnB maybe a better option. Ballyliffin may be the best shout.
Area...you'll do a lot of driving and the roads...let's just say make sure your transport has great suspension 😂