Royal Portrush sits on a triangle of giant sand hills above the coast, with two championship links — the Dunluce and the Valley — running along the cliff tops. It’s the only club outside Great Britain to have hosted The Open, doing so three times: 1951, 2019, and 2025 (see The Open at Royal Portrush for that history). Past and present members include Fred Daly, Graeme McDowell, and current home professional Darren Clarke.
History
Founded in May 1888 as the County Club, the course doubled from 9 to 18 holes within a year. Old Tom Morris — by then a four-time Open champion at 69 years old — redesigned the layout in 1890. The club took its royal name in 1895 under the patronage of the future King Edward VII.
The modern Dunluce and Valley links date to a 1929 redesign by Harry S. Colt, commissioned ahead of the 1930 Irish Open. Ahead of the 2019 Open, Martin Ebert reworked the course further — two new holes (7 and 8) replaced the old 17th and 18th, adding roughly 200 yards and dropping the overall par by one, to 72.
The Dunluce Links
7,337 yards, par 71. The standout feature is how naturally the course sits in the dunes — even the bunkers were shaped from existing hollows.
| Hole | Name | Yards | Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hughie’s | 416 | 4 |
| 2 | Giant’s Grave | 572 | 5 |
| 3 | Islay | 174 | 3 |
| 4 | Fred Daly’s | 479 | 4 |
| 5 | White Rocks | 382 | 4 |
| 6 | Harry Colt’s | 189 | 3 |
| 7 | Curran Point | 590 | 5 |
| 8 | Dunluce | 430 | 4 |
| 9 | Tavern | 431 | 4 |
| 10 | Himalayas | 456 | 4 |
| 11 | P.G. Stevenson | 475 | 4 |
| 12 | Dhu Varren | 530 | 5 |
| 13 | Feather Bed | 191 | 3 |
| 14 | Causeway | 470 | 4 |
| 15 | Skerries | 418 | 4 |
| 16 | Calamity Corner | 263 | 3 |
| 17 | Purgatory | 405 | 4 |
| 18 | Babington’s | 474 | 4 |
Calamity Corner (16) is the most famous hole — a short but brutal par 3 across a chasm to a green ringed by mounds. Dunluce (8) has a clear view of Dunluce Castle.
The Valley Links
6,346 yards, par 71 — the second course, home to Rathmore Golf Club, gentler than the Dunluce but still a real test, especially after the 2019 changes to holes 15, 17, and 18.
Getting there
Entrance on Dunluce Road, a short walk from Portrush town. By car from Belfast: M2 to Ballyclare, A26 to Ballymoney and Coleraine, then A29 into Portrush — about 1hr 15, 60 miles. From Derry~Londonderry: A2 and A37 via Coleraine, under an hour, 37 miles. Public transport runs around 2 hours from either city.
Cost and rules
1 April–31 October: £420pp for a round on the Dunluce, £200pp on the Valley — green fees are payable in full on booking and non-refundable. Rates outside this window are lower; check the official visitor rates for current pricing. Caddies (Trainee £60, Senior £70, Elite £80, Fore-Caddie per group £110, all plus gratuity), manual trolleys (£5), and electric GPS trolleys (£20) are available separately.
To play, you generally need a Letter of Introduction from another club and a handicap certificate (max 18 for men, 24 for ladies). Dress code is strict — no logo/slogan clothing, collared shirts for men, no mobile phones or tablets on the course. There’s a shop on site if you need compliant kit.
