4 Day Northern Ireland Golf Itinerary
Two of the finest links on earth, an hour or so of driving between them, and two more that would headline anywhere else. This four day route opens at Royal County Down beneath the Mountains of Mourne, then runs north to the Causeway Coast for Royal Portrush, Portstewart and a closing round at Ardglass. Here is the trip, with indicative 2026 green fees, drive times and where to base.
Photograph: Royal County Down Golf Club, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the great Northern Ireland links double, built for the golfer who wants Royal County Down and Royal Portrush in the same short trip without spending it in the car. The two giants sit at opposite ends of a small country, yet the drive between them is only about two and a half hours, and both are a comfortable run from Belfast's airports. Four days gives you the two flagships plus two superb supporting links, Portstewart's Strand and Ardglass, with a single change of base. It suits a serious golf group or a couple for whom the golf is the holiday, and it scales up neatly into a week with Castlerock, the Valley course or a crossing into the Republic for County Louth.
Two things shape the trip: the tee times and the weather. Royal County Down and Royal Portrush both run tight visitor sheets, so the flagship rounds must be locked in early, and the Atlantic dictates the rest. Aim for May to September for the firmest turf and longest light, keep mornings for the calmest wind, and the four days fall into place around two coastal bases.
The 4 day plan
Royal County Down, Championship Links
Open with the course many rank the best in the world, a wild, beautiful links laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1889 beneath the Mountains of Mourne at Newcastle. Blind drives over heather, bearded bunkers and a front nine that runs out along Dundrum Bay make it as stern as it is stunning, and a caddie is money well spent to read the lines. Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are around 450 pounds; book as far ahead as you can and play it from the right tees.
Ardglass Golf Club
Stay in County Down for a second day and play the charming clifftop links at Ardglass, twenty minutes down the coast from Newcastle, whose clubhouse, a fortified manor from the 1400s, is reckoned the oldest in golf. The opening holes hug the rocks above the Irish Sea in thrilling fashion, and at an indicative green fee from around 90 pounds it is a joyous, far cheaper companion to the giants. The perfect, relaxed second round before you head north.
Royal Portrush, Dunluce Links
Transfer to the Causeway Coast and play the 2019 and 2025 Open venue, a Harry Colt design refined by Martin Ebert that runs through huge dunes above the Atlantic. Calamity Corner, the par 3 sixteenth across a deep ravine, and the new closing holes built for the Open make it a thrilling championship test. Indicative 2026 green fees on the Dunluce are around 420 pounds in the April to October season; lock the tee time in early, as demand has soared since the Open returned.
Portstewart Golf Club, Strand Course
Close the trip a few minutes from Portrush at Portstewart, whose Strand course opens with one of the most spectacular front nines anywhere, plunging through giant dunes toward the River Bann. A former host of the Irish Open, it is a worthy partner to its famous neighbour at a friendlier indicative green fee of around 220 pounds. A fine, scenic finish to the week before the short run back to Belfast and home.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Royal County Down Championship | Around 450 pounds | Newcastle base; limited visitor days, book early |
| Ardglass | From around 90 pounds | 20 minutes from Newcastle |
| Royal Portrush Dunluce | Around 420 pounds | About 2.5 hours north; Open venue, book early |
| Portstewart Strand | Around 220 pounds | 10 minutes from Portrush |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and ranking listings; they vary by season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Find a links hotel base.
When to go and where to stay
Play the trip between May and September for firm turf, long daylight and the best chance of dry links weather, accepting peak fees and busy tee sheets, or take the April and late September shoulder for lower prices and fewer crowds. Base the first two nights in or around Newcastle for the County Down rounds, then transfer north and stay in Portrush or Portstewart for the Causeway Coast, where you are minutes from the first tee and within reach of the Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills distillery. A hire car or a driver makes the single long transfer simple and leaves the evenings for the seafood and a dram.
Plan your Northern Ireland golf trip
We hold the Royal County Down and Royal Portrush tee times, match the two coastal bases to the golf, and arrange transfers and caddies so the four days run smoothly. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Northern Ireland itinerary questions
What is the best 4 day golf itinerary in Northern Ireland?
Four days lets you play the two greatest links in Northern Ireland and two superb supporting acts without a long drive. Open in County Down with Royal County Down at Newcastle, then move north to the Causeway Coast for Royal Portrush, Portstewart's Strand and a closing round at Ardglass or Castlerock. The two bases, Newcastle and Portrush, are about two and a half hours apart, so you change hotels once. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a Northern Ireland golf trip cost in green fees?
The two flagship rounds dominate the budget: indicative 2026 visitor green fees are around 450 pounds at Royal County Down and around 420 pounds on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush in the April to October season. Portstewart's Strand and Ardglass are far gentler on the wallet, so a four round trip lands roughly in the region of 1,000 to 1,100 pounds per golfer in green fees. These are indicative figures, so always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Are Royal County Down and Royal Portrush far apart?
No. Royal County Down at Newcastle and Royal Portrush on the north coast sit at opposite ends of Northern Ireland, but the drive between them is only about two and a half hours, and both are within easy reach of Belfast's airports. That is what makes a four day trip so efficient: base two nights near Newcastle for Royal County Down, then transfer north to Portrush for the Causeway Coast links. Always confirm tee times and transfers directly before booking.
When is the best time for a Northern Ireland golf trip?
May to September brings the firmest links turf, the warmest weather and the longest daylight, which is also peak season for fees and tee sheets. The April and late September shoulder is cheaper and quieter, at the cost of shorter days and more changeable weather off the Atlantic. Book the two flagship tee times as far ahead as you can, keep mornings for the calmest wind, and pack for all four seasons whatever the forecast. Always confirm current seasonal rates and availability directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.