Royal Portrush, Valley Course

The verdict

Most golfers travel to Royal Portrush for the Dunluce Championship Links, the magnificent links that has twice hosted The Open in the modern era. Fewer know that the same club, and the same architect, Harry Colt, gave County Antrim a second links right next door. The Valley Course sits in the low ground between Dunluce and the East Strand beach, tucked so deep into the dunes that on many holes the rest of the world simply disappears.

That seclusion is its charm. At a par 70 of about 6,346 yards the Valley is shorter and gentler than its illustrious neighbour, but it is no pushover: the same firm turf, the same wind off the North Atlantic and the same demand for accuracy between the marram covered banks. For visitors it is the smart play, more available, more affordable, and a genuine Colt links to add alongside a round on Dunluce rather than instead of it.

The holes worth the trip

The Valley earns its name. Where Dunluce climbs and tumbles along the higher ground with its famous sea views, the Valley runs through the sheltered hollows below, the holes hemmed in by tall dunes that block the wind in places and funnel it in others. The effect is intimate and a little disorienting, a links where you play the hole in front of you with no sense of what comes next.

Colt's routing makes clever use of the natural corridors, with tee shots that must find tilted fairways and approaches into greens set against the dune faces. The shorter overall length means the longer hitter can be aggressive, but the premium stays on position: stray into the rough at the base of the banks and the recovery is awkward. The par 3s in particular are gems, asking for precise iron play to small targets ringed by trouble.

For decades the Valley has served as the qualifying and overflow course when the big events come to Portrush, and it carries that pedigree with quiet confidence. It will not dominate a highlight reel the way Dunluce does, but as a round to savour with friends, away from the crowds, it is one of the most enjoyable links in the north.

Where to stay nearby

The seaside town of Portrush is right on the doorstep, with hotels, guesthouses and restaurants within minutes of the first tee, while the nearby towns of Portstewart and Bushmills offer characterful bases along the Causeway Coast. Many golfers anchor a trip here and play out to the great northern links as day rounds.

For a fuller Causeway Coast golf week, base near Portrush and build a tour that takes in both Royal Portrush links, Portstewart's Strand course and Castlerock, with the Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills distillery for the rest days.