Greens between the sand dunes at Royal County Down

Unofficial golf trip guide · Northern Ireland

Where to stay for a Northern Ireland golf trip

Independent guide · Last checked: 6 Nov 2026

In short

For a Northern Ireland golf trip, split the week between two bases about 2 hours apart: Portrush or Portstewart on the north coast for Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock, then Newcastle, ideally the Slieve Donard hotel, for Royal County Down and Ardglass. Book tee times before rooms: Royal Portrush showed its 2027 visitor times as fully booked in November 2026, and Royal County Down has very few visitor times and takes full, non-refundable payment when you book. May to September is the main season, and most of the 2027 green fees are already out.

Where to stay in Northern Ireland

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ABCDE Portrush1 The Rosses2 Portstewart3 Bushmills4 Slieve Donard5 Newcastle6

ACourse to play

Plan ahead Book Royal County Down and Royal Portrush first, as soon as the clubs open the dates you want (Royal Portrush 2028 by phone from 2 February 2027; Royal County Down has a form on its site to register interest for 2028), then book rooms in each base around those rounds.

Courses you can play in Northern Ireland

  1. Dune grass and the 8th fairway of the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush, with the coast beyond Limited visitor times

    Royal Portrush, Dunluce Links

    Harry Colt's links in the dunes on the edge of Portrush, host of The Open in 1951, 2019 and 2025. Visitors get set times on six days (none on Wednesday), and 2027 was shown as fully booked in November 2026.

    Visitor times on the Dunluce are Monday 11:00 to 14:48, Tuesday and Thursday 09:40 to 12:28 and after 14:00, Friday 09:40 to 11:52, Saturday after 15:00 and Sunday after 13:00, with no visitors on Wednesday. Book by phone (the club does not take bookings by email for 2028). The full green fee is paid when you book and is not refunded if you cancel. Visitors should belong to a recognised golf club and may be asked for a handicap certificate. Walking only.

    Green fee: £475 (2027) · Course site ↗

  2. Limited visitor times

    Royal Portrush, Valley Links

    The second Harry Colt links at Royal Portrush, played from the same clubhouse. A good second round, with visitor times early and from late morning on weekdays, but 2027 visitor times were shown as fully booked in November 2026, so ask the club about cancellations.

    Visitor times on the Valley are Monday to Friday 08:00 to 08:50 and after 11:00, and Sunday after 14:00, with no visitors on Saturday. Book with the club's tee reservations team. Walking only. The club's visitors page showed 2027 visitor times as fully booked (the heading covers both courses) when checked in November 2026.

    Green fee: £225 (2027) · Course site ↗

  3. The clubhouse at Portstewart Golf Club Limited visitor times

    Portstewart Strand

    A links whose front nine runs through huge dunes above Portstewart Strand, starting with a 1st hole played from a high tee towards the sea. It hosted the Irish Open in 2017, and visitors play outside set member times every day.

    Book online through the club's visitor booking page. Members have the Strand at set times every day (for example sunrise to 09:00 and 12:00 to 15:00 on Monday and Tuesday, until 14:30 on Saturday and until 12:00 on Sunday); visitors play outside them. Cancelling 30 days or more ahead refunds half the fee; inside 30 days nothing is refunded. Buggies only on medical grounds, with a member driving.

    Green fee: £375 (2027) · Course site ↗

  4. Open to the public

    Castlerock, Mussenden Links

    The championship links at Castlerock, about 30 minutes west of Portrush, with nine holes changed by Martin Hawtree in the winter of 2017 to 2018. Bookable online, with a 9 hole course (the Bann) alongside.

    Book online through the club's visitor booking page, or contact the office for groups. Caddies, buggies and trolleys can be reserved ahead by email. Payment and cancellation terms are not published on the club's site.

    Green fee: £250 (2026) · Course site ↗

  5. The clubhouse of Royal County Down Golf Club Limited visitor times

    Royal County Down

    The Championship Links in the dunes of Dundrum Bay at Newcastle, with the Mourne Mountains behind, founded in 1889. Visitors play on five days a week (not Wednesday or Saturday), in fourballs, with at least one caddie or forecaddie per group.

    Visitors can play the Championship Links on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Ask for a time with the club's online enquiry form; the club calls its tee time availability 'exceptionally limited'. Full payment is taken when you book, and bookings cannot be refunded or moved (the club refunds only if it cancels play for weather). All play is in fourballs, so smaller groups are paired up, and every group must have at least one caddie or forecaddie. No buggies.

    Green fee: £495 (2027) · Course site ↗

  6. Ardglass Golf Club on the County Down coast Open to the public

    Ardglass

    A clifftop course on the County Down coast, with the sea in play from the 1st tee and a clubhouse in a castle begun by 1405. About 30 minutes from Newcastle and bookable online.

    Book online through the club's visitor booking page, which carries the best rates. In 2027 members have the course on Saturday until 14:00 and Sunday until 11:30; other times are normally open to visitors. Reserve caddies or buggies with the club professional at least 7 days ahead.

    Green fee: £265 (2027) · Course site ↗

How tee times work

Book tee times first and build the week around them. Royal Portrush and Royal County Down give visitors set days and times (no Dunluce visitors on Wednesday, no Royal County Down visitors on Wednesday or Saturday), take the full green fee when you book and do not refund it. Royal Portrush's 2027 visitor times were shown as fully booked in November 2026, so look at 2028 (phone bookings open on 2 February 2027) or ask the club about a stay at The Rosses. Portstewart, Castlerock and Ardglass book online, with members' times blocked out, and Portstewart refunds half if you cancel 30 days or more ahead.

Closures to know about

No full course closures for 2027 were published by these clubs when checked, but Ardglass's 2027 season list covers no December or January dates, so ask the club before planning a winter round there. Portstewart plays the Strand off mats from mid November until April. Royal County Down's 2027 visitor rate runs from 19 April to 15 October, Royal Portrush's from 1 April to 31 October.

A sensible plan

Six nights from a Saturday works well: three nights in Portrush or Portstewart, with Portstewart Strand on Sunday afternoon and the Dunluce on Monday (if you hold a visitor time). On Tuesday play Castlerock in the morning (or the Valley if you hold a time), then drive about 2 hours to Newcastle for three nights. Play Ardglass on Wednesday, when Royal County Down takes no visitors, and Royal County Down on Thursday, then fly home from Belfast City on Friday, about 55 minutes away.

Getting there

Belfast International (BFS) is about 65 minutes from Portrush and about 1 hour from Newcastle, Belfast City (BHD) about 55 minutes from Newcastle, and City of Derry (LDY) about 40 to 45 minutes from Castlerock and Portrush. Dublin (DUB) is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Newcastle if flights there suit you better. You need a car: the north coast and County Down are about 2 hours apart by road.

Practical notes

Walking
Both Royal Portrush courses are walking only; a cart is possible for golfers with a medical condition, with a senior caddie driving, a medical note and a signed disclaimer. Royal County Down cannot take buggies on site. Portstewart allows buggies on the Strand on medical grounds only, with a member driving (2027: 110 including 70 for the driver, medical letter needed when you book). Castlerock lists buggy hire at 50 and Ardglass a two seater buggy at 50 (2026 rates).
Caddies
Royal County Down: every group needs at least one caddie or forecaddie; single caddie 75, forecaddie 110 per group, paid in cash to the caddie (no cash machine at the club). Portstewart 2027: caddie 80, forecaddie 110, 20 if you cancel on the day. Castlerock: single bag 70, forecaddie 110, plus a tip; book ahead, and a stand-down fee applies if you cancel. Ardglass 2026: single bag 75, double bag 130, forecaddie 120, plus a tip; book at least 7 days ahead. Royal Portrush does not publish caddie fees; ask its tee reservations team. Caddies are not guaranteed at Ardglass, and tips are up to you everywhere.
Dress code
Royal Portrush bars blue denim, collarless T shirts, beach shorts and cargo shorts on the links (tailored golf shorts are fine), and asks for a jacket and tie in the Babington Room. Royal County Down bars blue denim, collarless T shirts, cargo shorts, tracksuits, leggings, flip flops and slides, wants caps off indoors and strongly advises soft spikes.
Handicap
Royal Portrush expects visitors to be members of a recognised golf club and may ask for a handicap certificate. Portstewart, Castlerock, Royal County Down and Ardglass publish no handicap limit on their sites.
Stay rules
Royal Portrush and Royal County Down take the full green fee when you book and do not refund it if you cancel (Royal County Down refunds only if the club cancels for weather). Portstewart refunds half with 30 days' notice and nothing inside 30 days. Castlerock and Ardglass publish no payment or cancellation terms. Travel insurance is worth having.
Winter
Portstewart plays the Strand off mats from mid November until April (its 2027 table lists 80 for November to March; it does not say which table applies from January to March 2027). Castlerock's winter rate was 66 from November 2025 to March 2026, with limited weekend times.

When to book

  1. NowBook a room with free cancellation as close to the course as you can.
  2. Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
  3. 5 to 11 June 2027Your trip.

Free guide

The Unofficial Northern Ireland Golf Trip Guide

Every area, every course, how tee times work and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.

Northern Ireland golf trip questions

How do I get a tee time at Royal Portrush?

Royal Portrush showed its 2027 visitor times as fully booked in November 2026. Independent golfers can book 2028 by phone from 09:00 on Tuesday 2 February 2027 (tour operators can ask earlier), and guests at The Rosses, the club's own house, are promised the chance to book the Dunluce, though the club does not say whether that still holds for 2027.

How much does it cost to play Royal County Down?

The Championship Links costs 495 GBP per visitor from 19 April to 15 October 2027, paid in full when you book and not refundable. Each group must take at least one caddie or forecaddie, and the club lists a forecaddie at 110 GBP per group, paid in cash.

Where should I stay for a golf trip to Northern Ireland?

Use two bases: Portrush or Portstewart for Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock, then Newcastle for Royal County Down and Ardglass. The Slieve Donard hotel sits beside Royal County Down, and The Rosses is Royal Portrush's own house on the Dunluce.

How far is Royal Portrush from Royal County Down?

About 91 miles, or roughly 2 hours by car, more if you hit Belfast at rush hour. That is why most trips move base once instead of driving between them.

Which airport is best for a Northern Ireland golf trip?

Belfast International is about 65 minutes from Portrush and about 1 hour from Newcastle. Belfast City suits the County Down end (about 55 minutes to Newcastle), City of Derry suits the north coast, and Dublin is about 1 hour 45 minutes from Newcastle.

Has Royal Portrush hosted The Open?

Yes, three times: in 1951, in 2019, when Shane Lowry won, and in 2025, the 153rd Open.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Photo credits