Photo: M O / Google
Two of the greatest links on earth, a Causeway Coast strung with championship courses and a warm welcome at every turn. For its size, nowhere packs in golf like Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland is small enough to drive across in a couple of hours, yet it holds two courses that trade places at the top of the world rankings, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, plus a Causeway Coast run of links that any country would build a trip around. The concentration is extraordinary.
It suits the serious links golfer above all, but the welcome is famously warm and the scenery, from the Mountains of Mourne to the Giant's Causeway, makes it a fine trip for couples and mixed groups too. Pair it with the Republic and you have the finest links tour in the game.
Two world top ten links anchor any trip, with the Causeway Coast and the County Down shore adding a depth of championship golf far beyond the country's size. These are the rounds to plan around.
Often ranked the number one course in the world, an Old Tom Morris links of blind shots, bearded bunkers and gorse beneath the Mountains of Mourne. Many consider it the most beautiful and the most demanding links anywhere.
Host of The Open in 2019 and again in 2025, a Harry Colt masterpiece on the Causeway Coast with the famous Calamity Corner par 3 and a thrilling, exposed run of holes above the Atlantic.
One of the great opening stretches in golf, plunging through towering dunes along the River Bann estuary. A championship links a few miles from Portrush and a frequent host of professional events.
A classic, underrated links on the Causeway Coast with the railway running alongside and a fine set of par 3s. The natural third round of a north coast trip.
A clifftop links on the County Down coast with some of the most dramatic seaside holes in Ireland and a clubhouse dating to the fifteenth century. A characterful pairing with Royal County Down.
Northern Ireland plays best from May to September, when the links are firm and the long northern evenings give you golf late into the day. The two championship courses command premium fees and limited visitor times, so book them first; the supporting links are far gentler on the wallet.
| Course | Type | Indicative green fee |
|---|---|---|
| Royal County Down | Championship links | £420 to £450 |
| Royal Portrush, Dunluce | Championship links | £395 to £420 |
| Portstewart, Strand | Championship links | £180 to £230 |
| Castlerock, Mussenden | Links | £120 to £160 |
| Ardglass | Links | £90 to £130 |
Package guide. A four to seven night Northern Ireland links trip with three to five rounds, including the two championship courses, a good hotel and a hire car commonly runs from around $3,500 to $6,000 per golfer for 2026, before flights, with the marquee green fees the largest single cost. These are third party ranges, not our prices, and you should always confirm directly before booking.
Booking individual rounds? Compare live tee times through our partner: [TEE_TIME_AFFILIATE_LINK]. Hotels near the links: [HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK].
A two base trip that pairs the Causeway Coast links in the north with Royal County Down in the south, an easy drive apart with the scenery to match.
Fly into Belfast or Dublin, collect the hire car and drive to the Causeway Coast, settling in near Portrush for dinner.
The Open links to open the trip, Calamity Corner and all, then an afternoon at the Giant's Causeway.
The towering dunes of the Strand front nine a few miles along the coast, with a relaxed evening in the harbour town.
A morning at the Mussenden Links before the scenic drive to Newcastle and the foot of the Mournes.
The world number one to finish, beneath the mountains and beside the bay, before the drive back for the evening flight.
Belfast has two airports with good links to Britain and beyond, and Dublin is a straightforward two hour drive to the south, often with better long haul connections. A hire car is essential, as the courses spread from the Causeway Coast in the north to the County Down shore in the south.
Royal County Down and Royal Portrush release limited visitor tee times and fill a year or more ahead for the summer, so secure those first and build the rest of the trip around them. May, June and September pair the firmest links with the best chance of dry, settled weather.
Royal County Down at Newcastle and Royal Portrush on the Causeway Coast are two of the finest links in the world and trade places at the top of the global rankings. Portstewart, Castlerock and Ardglass complete a superb championship lineup.
May to September is the prime season, when the links are firm and the long northern evenings stretch play late into the day. May, June and September offer the best balance of conditions and quieter tee sheets than high summer.
The two championship courses command indicative high season fees of around 395 to 450 pounds, while the supporting links such as Portstewart, Castlerock and Ardglass run from roughly 90 to 230 pounds. Always confirm directly before booking.
Fly into Belfast, or into Dublin for wider long haul connections and a two hour drive north. A hire car is essential, as the courses spread from the Causeway Coast to the County Down shore, an easy and scenic drive apart.
Yes, and many do. Pairing the Causeway Coast and County Down links with the great courses of the Republic, such as those in the southwest, makes for the finest links tour in golf. A hire car ties the two together.
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