Photo: Joseph Malone · Unsplash License
Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland
Royal Portrush (Dunluce Links)
Harry Colt's 1929 Causeway Coast links — host of The Open Championship in 1951 and 2019, home to the famous Calamity Corner par 3, and the only Open venue in Ireland.
Course overview
Royal Portrush Golf Club's Dunluce Links was redesigned to its current championship routing by Harry S. Colt in 1929 on the Causeway Coast of County Antrim. The course hosted The Open Championship in 1951 and returned in 2019 — the first Open in Northern Ireland for 68 years — with Shane Lowry winning in front of a record home crowd. The White Rocks beach and Atlantic Ocean are visible throughout the round, and the clifftop routing creates a sustained examination of driving accuracy and iron control in conditions that can change dramatically with the coastal wind.
The essentials
- Architect
- Harry S. Colt
- Established
- 1929
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,709 m
- Handicap
- HCP 0–22
- Location
- County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Character & atmosphere
A clifftop links fully exposed to the Atlantic where Colt's routing uses natural dune ridges and coastal bluffs to create a test of driving accuracy and iron precision — the closing sequence from the 14th onward is among the most demanding in championship golf.
Highlights
Why play here
- Designed by Harry S. Colt, opened in 1929.
- Sea views feature throughout the round.
- One of our highest-rated courses for scenery.
- A championship-calibre test that has hosted professional golf.
Signature Hole
16
Calamity Corner
A par 3 played across a deep gully above the Causeway Coast — one of the most dramatic short holes in links golf, where the carry must clear the ravine to a narrow green with no margin for error. A missed tee shot is followed by a near-certain dropped shot.
GolfTrip Score breakdown
Editorial scoring framework — not an official course rating.
Facilities
Practical guidance
Plan your visit
How to get there
Belfast International is the most convenient airport for the north Antrim coast. The drive to Portrush via the M2 and A26 takes around an hour. Car hire gives the most flexibility for exploring the Causeway Coast.
Where to stay
Portrush is the natural base for a Northern Ireland golf trip, positioned immediately adjacent to Royal Portrush — with both the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links on site — and within easy reach of the full Causeway Coast links corridor. The town has a traditional seaside resort character that suits the golf setting.
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Northern Ireland
Explore Causeway Coast
Northern Ireland's dramatic north Antrim coast, home to Royal Portrush.