Royal Portrush Dunluce Links
The Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush is the only course outside Great Britain on the Open Championship rota, and after hosting in 2019 and again in 2025 it has taken its place among the very greatest links in the world. Harry Colt's routing tumbles through towering dunes on the Causeway Coast of County Antrim, with the ruined Dunluce Castle and the cliffs of the north Antrim shore beyond, and holes such as Calamity Corner that rank among the most famous in the game.
Photo: Royal Portrush Golf Club via Google, contributor World Golf News.
The verdict
Dunluce is Harry Colt's masterpiece and one of the half dozen finest links on earth. There is not a weak hole on it, and several are among the best of their kind anywhere, set in dunes so dramatic that the course needs no artifice to thrill. The 2019 and 2025 Opens confirmed what good judges long suspected, that Portrush belongs in the same conversation as St Andrews, Muirfield and Royal County Down.
For the visiting golfer it is the centrepiece of any Causeway Coast trip and one of the great days in golf. It sits within a short drive of Royal Portrush's Valley links, Portstewart and Castlerock, with the Giant's Causeway, the Bushmills distillery and the north Antrim cliffs alongside, so the golf and the scenery are equally memorable. Book it, build a week around it and savour every hole.
Royal Portrush Dunluce Links at a glance
- Founded
- 1888
- Designer
- Harry Colt, 1932
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,344 yds
- Green fee
- Around £420
Founding, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; Royal Portrush dates to 1888 and the Dunluce Links was reshaped into its classic form by Harry Colt in 1932, with two new holes by Mackenzie and Ebert added before the 2019 Open. It plays par 72 at around 7,344 yards. Indicative 2026 peak season visitor green fee, from April to October, is around 420 pounds. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Calamity Corner, the par 3 16th, is the hole everyone comes to play, around 230 yards across a yawning chasm to a green perched on the edge of a sharp fall to the right, where the bravest line is straight at a flag with disaster all down one side. It is one of the great one shot holes in championship golf, and it has wrecked more than one Open challenge.
The two holes that open the round set the tone, the par 4 first running between out of bounds, and the par 4 second, Giant's Grave, a long two shotter through the dunes. The new fifth and sixth, added by Mackenzie and Ebert in the dunes nearest the sea, fit so seamlessly that few would guess they were not part of Colt's original, and they take the Open course even closer to the coast.
The closing stretch is pure drama. After Calamity comes Purgatory, the 17th, a downhill par 4 that tempts the long hitter, before a demanding home hole back toward the clubhouse. Shane Lowry's victory march in 2019 and Scottie Scheffler's dominant win in 2025 were both sealed across this ground, in front of some of the largest and most passionate galleries the Open has known.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors on set days through the season; the Dunluce is the championship links, the Valley its second course |
| Green fee | Around 420 pounds per round in peak season, from April to October, in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book well ahead, often a year or more, as demand since the 2019 and 2025 Opens is exceptional |
| On the day | A walking links with caddies available; a grand modern clubhouse with views over the course and coast |
| Getting there | At Portrush in County Antrim, about an hour from Belfast and its airports |
| Best months | May to September for the best weather and firmest turf, with the Atlantic wind a constant |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Royal Portrush Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Portrush and the Causeway Coast towns of Portstewart, Portballintrae and Bushmills offer hotels and guest houses within minutes of the first tee, and the Bushmills Inn is a characterful favourite for golf groups. The whole coast is compact, so you can play several great links from a single base.
Belfast is around an hour away for those combining city and coast, while the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick a Rede rope bridge and the Bushmills distillery give non golfers and rest days plenty to do alongside the golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Royal Portrush.
Plan a Causeway Coast trip around Royal Portrush
We secure the sought after Dunluce tee times, build the week around Portstewart, Castlerock and Royal County Down, and sort a coastal base and transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Royal Portrush questions
Who designed Royal Portrush Dunluce Links and how old is it?
Royal Portrush was founded in 1888, and the Dunluce Links was reshaped into its classic form by the great architect Harry Colt in 1932. Two new holes by Mackenzie and Ebert were added in the dunes nearest the sea before the 2019 Open Championship.
What is the par and yardage of the Dunluce Links?
The Dunluce plays as a par 72 of around 7,344 yards from the championship tees. Its defence is the dunescape, the firm fast turf and the wind off the Atlantic, with holes such as the par 3 Calamity Corner among the most demanding in the game.
How much does it cost to play Royal Portrush?
Indicative 2026 peak season green fees, from April to October, are around 420 pounds per round on the Dunluce Links. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Royal Portrush Dunluce Links?
Yes, on set visitor days through the season, though demand since the 2019 and 2025 Opens is very high, so book well ahead, often a year or more in advance. The club's Valley links offers a fine second course on the same site.
Has Royal Portrush hosted the Open Championship?
Yes. Royal Portrush is the only Open venue outside Great Britain. It first hosted in 1951, when Max Faulkner won, returned in 2019 when Shane Lowry triumphed, and hosted again in 2025, when Scottie Scheffler won.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.