One of the most remarkable news photographs of 2007 caused only a ripple in the United States, though it circulated widely in the British and Irish media. It showed the Reverend Ian Paisley, leader of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, and Martin McGuinness, his Sinn Féin counterpart, sharing unguarded laughter as they entered into a power-sharing agreement for their homeland. After decades of the bloody sectarian conflict known as the Troubles, this was an image many thought they would never behold. Tony Blair, in attendance during one of his final days as prime minister, declared, “We can see the chance to shake these heavy chains of history,” and, as a recent trip to the U.S. by McGuinness and the now-retired Paisley would indicate, Northern Ireland is seizing that chance. The optimism in Belfast and Derry today is similar to what one would have encountered in Berlin and Prague in the early 1990s. The construction cranes have arrived and there is money to be made, but the real proof that peace is its own reward is written on the faces of the people.
Only politics could have kept travelers away from what has long been one of the world’s finest golf destinations. Northern Ireland is home to two impossibly great links, Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, not to mention a supporting cast of superb layouts both coastal and inland, while lodging can be found to suit any taste and many budgets. In short, everything you’d want in a golf trip has been here all along—well, maybe not as long as the bizarre rock formation known as the Giant’s Causeway—but there has never been a better time to explore this special place.
Where to Play
Royal County Down Golf Club
Bernard Darwin once wrote that to tee it up at Royal County Down is to experience “the kind of golf that people play in their most ecstatic dreams.” Indeed, it can be transcendent to let your eyes sweep across the course’s awesome dunes, past its monstrous marram-fringed bunkers and on to its gracefully contoured and perfectly scaled green sites, having paused along the way to take in the forbidding granite of Slieve Donard shrouded in sun and fog and the waves of the Irish Sea lapping at the Newcastle beaches. On the other hand, if Darwin had to navigate County Down’s quicksilver greens in the weeks following the 2007 Walker Cup (as I did), he might have likened it to a different kind of dream, the kind where you’re giving a presentation to the board of directors only to discover that you’re naked. Royal County Down is expert at exposing weaknesses, not just with the speed and contour of its putting surfaces but also by demanding blind drives to pinched fairways and approaches to heavily fortified greens.
As exhilarating as it is, though, to belt tee shots over its towering sand hills on the two- and three-shot holes, the course’s par threes are just as strong. It’s a diverse group, ranging in tone from the majestic fourth to the low-key tenth, which continues to reward the low runner through the valley, just as it did in architect Old Tom Morris’s day. Even County Down’s shortest hole, the 145-yard seventh, is amazing. With its crowned green and closely mown fallaway slopes, you miss the center of the green at your peril. From the greenside kidney bunker on the left, an open-faced wedge will need to fly just far enough or you’ll watch in horror as the ball trickles all the way back to your feet.
36 Golf Links Road, Newcastle. Architects: Old Tom Morris, 1889; H. S. Colt, 1925. Yardage: 7,181. Par: 71. Green Fees: $306–$345. Contact: 011-44/2843-722-419, royalcountydown.org.
Royal Portrush Golf Club, Dunluce
For every golfer who holds up Royal County Down as the best course in Northern Ireland, there’s another who defends Royal Portrush. It’s one of those classic nineteenth-hole debates, and for good reason. Both camps can claim unforgettable seaside settings: At Portrush, the views of thirteenth-century Dunluce Castle in one direction and across the water to the mountains of Donegal in the other are positively inspiring. Both courses are stern examinations of driving accuracy—County Down with its blind shots, Portrush with its tight fairways bordered by snarling, ball-eating rough (it’s too much in places; bring an extra sleeve or three). And both go on streaks of truly great holes. Strategic acumen can take the player a long way on the third through fifth holes at Portrush: Kick the ball off the right-hand mound on the short third to keep it on the green; play the uphill, 457-yard fourth as a three-shotter; and, unless the wind is at your back, don’t get greedy on the tee of the gorgeous par-four fifth. But sometimes clever play isn’t enough, and at Calamity, the chasm-crossing 210-yard fourteenth, nothing less than a heroic shot will do.
Royal Portrush may also be one of the most welcoming of the world’s great golf clubs, its unpretentious atmosphere all the more remarkable given that it’s the only Irish course to have hosted the Open Championship. That was back in 1951. May the Open return soon, and may the wind rise to meet it.
Dunluce Road, Portrush. Architect: H. S. Colt, 1929. Yardage: 6,845. Par: 72. Green Fees: $245–$275. Contact: 011-44/2870-822-311, royalportrushgolfclub.com.
Portstewart Golf Club
Legions of everyday golfers believe they could design a great course if only given the opportunity. Armchair architects seldom get the chance, of course, and when they do it usually ends in disaster. A notable exception is Des Giffin, a retired teacher and longtime member of Portstewart Golf Club who in 1986 led a small team into a rugged corner of the property known as Thistly Hollow. Their creation of seven new holes among these towering dunes (numbers two through eight in the current routing) proved a smashing success, raising the course’s profile from simply being well respected in the region to joining Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in a triumvirate of must-play courses in Northern Ireland. But Portstewart’s best hole, the lengthy par-four first, is the same as ever. Playing downhill from a high tee overlooking both the beach and the town, this dogleg-right turns smoothly toward a green that sits in the sheltering embrace of the dunes. It remains one of the most rousing openers in golf.
117 Strand Road, Portstewart. Architects: Willie Park, 1893; Des Giffin, 1986. Yardage: 6,895. Par: 72. Green Fees: $160–$190. Contact: 011-44/2870-832-015, portstewartgc.co.uk.
Ardglass Golf Club
With its pro shop, lockers and grillroom housed within the gray stones of a semi-restored fifteenth-century castle, Ardglass Golf Club makes a case for possessing the oldest clubhouse in the world. Its course does not have quite the same pedigree but has a lot going for it nonetheless, starting with a magnificent setting on a clifftop peninsula high above the Irish Sea. Ardglass explodes out of the gate with a dramatic tee shot from the shadow of the castle ramparts across a rocky gap, and its first half-dozen holes, trekking outward, offer constant excitement and king-of-the-world views. The inland holes returning to the clubhouse are less inspiring, though in 2003 the club wisely decided to delay the journey across this ground, adding three new holes, including the scenic par-five ninth and the card-wrecking three-shot eleventh directly beneath it at the water’s edge. Ardglass is fairly straightforward in its demands, and the turf serves up fluffier lies than those generally found on the links detailed above. So the course can be had by a good player in calm conditions, but wind is a nearly constant companion on this exposed coastal ground. Add the quality of the layout to the club’s relaxed atmosphere, and Ardglass becomes the ideal companion to Royal County Down, forty minutes down the road. It’s a perfect place to play into the sunset on a long summer day.
Castle Place, Ardglass. Architects: The membership, 1896. Yardage: 6,268. Par: 70. Green Fees: $74–$105. Contact: 011-44/2844-841-022, ardglassgolfclub.com.
Ballyliffin Golf Club, Old
A Northern Ireland golf trip wouldn’t be complete without a sortie to the most northerly club on the island, even if it means crossing the border into the Republic. Although County Donegal is truly the back of beyond, Ballyliffin’s reputation as a difficult-to-reach destination has dropped considerably in recent years thanks to the addition of the Greencastle–Magilligan ferry route, which cuts the two-hour drive from Portrush (through Derry and then up the Inishowen Peninsula) into a fifteen-minute hop across the mouth of the River Foyle. This development has made the two layouts at Ballyliffin worth considering for a north-coast itinerary. Both occupy coastal country with splendid views of the Atlantic and Donegal’s mountains. The Old Course, preferred by many locals, is defined by the reluctance of its fairways to yield a level lie, its numerous small rolls and ripples compensating for a relative lack of length. The testing second layout, the Glashedy, was designed in 1995 by Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock. The routing forges onto higher ground and features more than its share of solid holes, though it strikes a false note with the American-style drop-shot par-three seventh and generally seems, with its more modern sensibility, to lack the charming quirkiness of its sister course.
Ballyliffin, County Donegal, Ireland. Architects: Eddie Hackett, 1973; Nick Faldo, 2006. Yardage: 6,900. Par: 71. Green Fees: $115–$125. Contact: 011-353/749-378-100, ballyliffingolfclub.com.
Castlerock Golf Club, Mussenden
Many visitors skip over Castlerock’s century-old Mussenden links on their whirlwind tours of Northern Ireland’s Big Three. It’s their loss. Once Castlerock gets going—at the sixth hole, to be precise, when the course enters some major league duneland—it presents the full array of epic links challenges: scything winds, crisp turf and honest, lay-of-the-land holes. With its commanding drive and nearly insuperable uphill approach, the 418-yard seventh, Armchair, is the layout’s finest challenge. And although the early holes play over less dramatic terrain, this portion of the course hosts Castlerock’s most famous hole, the fourth, a dangerous par three dubbed Leg of Mutton that is guarded on the left by a wandering burn and on the right by railway tracks and OB stakes. Mussenden lacks the fascinating green complexes and the vibrant color and texture of Portrush and County Down, but it is a worthy addition to the agenda. As a bonus, the club has a terrific nine-hole track, the Bann. Infrequently used by the members, it is made to order for introducing a young son or daughter to the joys of links golf.
Circular Road, Castlerock. Architects: Ben Sayers, 1908; H. S. Colt, 1925. Yardage: 6,747. Par: 73. Green Fees: $130–$160. Contact: 011-44/2870-849-424, castlerockgc.co.uk.
Best of the Rest
A trio of parkland courses in Belfast’s leafier precincts is worth exploring if you’re planning to spend some time in and around the city. Royal Belfast Golf Club (royalbelfast.com) and Belvoir Park Golf Club (belvoirparkgolfclub.com) are both venerable Harry Colt designs. The former offers excellent views of Belfast Lough, and the latter borders an expansive forest park, draping the course in sylvan isolation. Twenty minutes south of the city center is Malone Golf Club (malonegolfclub.co.uk), a twenty-seven-hole complex on a lovely piece of land. The layout dates to the 1960s and has a more modern feel than its Belfast cohorts. It is superbly maintained, though the club’s recent program of planting trees to combat the long ball does not do wonders for its look. Up north, take a glance off to the right when you’re on the tee of the Calamity hole; you’ll get a good view of Royal Portrush’s Valley Course, the club’s second eighteen. It’s easier than the Dunluce (what isn’t?), but with an array of solid holes set among the smaller dunes, the Valley can stand toe to toe with “relief” courses anywhere. Finally, in the scenic lake district of County Fermanagh, a Nick Faldo design is scheduled to open next year at the luxurious Lough Erne Golf Resort & Spa (loughernegolfresort.com). Ireland’s booming economy should make Lough Erne a success on the domestic front; less certain is whether Americans will want to go this far out of their way for the kind of plush golf experience they can readily find at home.
Where to Stay
Ardtara Country House
Built in 1855 as the home of a linen mogul, Ardtara’s stolid stone façade belies the warmth to be found within, where restored interiors conjure the essence of the Victorian country house. This eight-bedroom inn is tucked inside eight forested acres, which ensures tranquility. The house operates a gourmet restaurant as well, with both menu and wine list brief yet superb. Ardtara’s comforts are probably best enjoyed by couples, although Bill Murray stayed here on a recent solo pilgrimage to Portrush (forty-five minutes away). Ask for room number two, on the second story at the front of the house. It’s one of the most spacious, and its bay windows offer a fine view of the immaculate lawn and flower garden.
Upperlands, County Londonderry. Rooms: $260–$300. Contact: 011-44/2879-644-490, ardtara.com.
Bushmills Inn
The Bushmills Inn is the place to stay on the Antrim coast. Only ten minutes east of the town of Portrush, it’s perfectly situated for golf, and the Giant’s Causeway (see “Irish Lore,” next page) isn’t much farther in the opposite direction. Postround libations by the peat fire in the hotel’s Gas Bar are sure to be convivial. The guest rooms, some of which are furnished with dark oak four-poster beds, feel authentically Irish, and Bushmills’s Taste of Ulster restaurant more than lives up to its name. Dedicated to locally sourced ingredients, the kitchen prepares the kind of hearty fare that sends weary travelers up to bed feeling restored.
9 Dunluce Road, Bushmills, County Antrim. Rooms: $135–$530. Contact: 011-44/2820-733-000, bushmillsinn.com.
Europa Hotel
The Europa is the perfect symbol of Belfast’s resurgence. Having once held the dubious distinction as the most bombed hotel in Europe (it was targeted by the IRA on no less than eleven occasions and dutifully rebuilt after each attack), today it is a cosmopolitan institution that takes full advantage of its center-city location. A hive of activity, the Europa has its drawbacks, namely a traffic-choked entrance circle and expensive valet parking. But the hotel gets the important stuff right: nice beds, comfortable rooms and a staff accustomed to dealing with traveling golfers. Being an easy-to-find landmark, it’s a good initial base from which to begin your trip. Shake off the jet lag here, then head out to play one of Belfast’s parkland courses, all less than half an hour away.
Great Victoria Street, Belfast. Rooms: $270–$440. Contact: 011-44/2890-271-066, hastingshotels.com.
McGrory’s of Culdaff
The rooms at this little family-owned hotel may be a bit on the spartan side, but County Donegal is so remote that one can’t really expect the Four Seasons, and guests do get the sense that it’s come a long way since opening in 1924. The heart of McGrory’s is its cheerful pub, which is a great place to catch some live music or a soccer match on TV or just to banter with the locals. The restaurant on the other side of the lobby serves more-than-adequate lobster, steak and Inishowen lamb, and the service throughout the hotel is warm and thoroughly genuine. Ballyliffin Golf Club is just fifteen minutes away, so if you make the side trip to play there, this is the place to stay.
Culdaff, Inishowen, County Donegal, Ireland. Rooms: $92–$100. Contact: 011-353/749-379-104, mcgrorys.ie.
Slieve Donard Hotel
Few accommodations are as closely associated with world-class golf as the Slieve Donard, a grand old Victorian railway hotel in the vein of Scotland’s Gleneagles. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from the first tee of Royal County Down, and the spired red-brick structure can be seen, framed by the Mourne Mountains, from various points on the course. Many of the hotel’s recently refurbished rooms offer wonderful views of Newcastle’s crescent strand (which is just steps away). But perhaps the best place to contemplate the scenery is the sybaritic spa, a stylish and expansive facility designed by ESPA that sets the standard in the British Isles. The Slieve Donard is universally popular, and weddings and conferences can put the squeeze on availability, so be sure to book well in advance, especially if you’re planning a summer visit.
Downs Road, Newcastle, County Down. Rooms: $345–$910. Contact: 011-44/2843-721-066, hastingshotels.com.
