Northern Ireland Golf Course Renovations to Watch in 2026
Northern Ireland's golf coast spent the last few years rebuilding for a moment in the global spotlight, and 2026 is the season to enjoy the results. The headline is Royal Portrush, where the second Valley Course has been transformed alongside the Open Championship preparations. Here is what changed and why it matters for your trip.
The headline: Royal Portrush's Valley Course transformed
The biggest project on the Causeway coast has been at Royal Portrush, where the architects Mackenzie and Ebert reworked not only the famous Dunluce Links but the club's second course, the Valley. Plans approved by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council in late 2023 cleared the way for new holes, greens and tees, fairway realignments and a substantial reworking of infrastructure and spectator areas ahead of the 2025 Open Championship.
On the Valley itself, three new holes were formed, with the last of them giving views to the beach and the sea that the old layout never enjoyed. The stated aim was to lift the club's second course toward world class status and to lengthen the appeal for golf tourists outside Open week. The Valley continues to rank among the top forty courses in Ireland, and the changes give it fresh reason to be played in its own right.
The 2025 Open and its legacy
Royal Portrush hosted the Open Championship in July 2025, its second staging in six years after the celebrated 2019 return. That spotlight is the context for all the recent work, and the legacy for the visiting golfer is a links coast presenting at its absolute best, with the Dunluce sharpened by Mackenzie and Ebert and the Valley reborn alongside it.
For a 2026 trip this is close to ideal timing. The crowds and grandstands are gone, the course conditioning built up for a major lingers, and the new Valley holes are settling in. A round on the Dunluce has always been a bucket list outing; the upgraded Valley now gives the club a genuine second act worth a separate tee time.
The rest of the coast
Portrush does not travel alone. The Causeway coast packs in Portstewart Strand and Castlerock within a short drive, while an hour or so south the Mourne Mountains rise behind Royal County Down at Newcastle, regularly rated the best course in Ireland and one of the finest links in the world. None of these neighbours is being rebuilt in 2026, but they are the reason a Northern Irish trip is one of the densest great links runs anywhere.
Royal County Down's Old Tom Morris links and its companion Annesley course remain the southern anchor, so a classic itinerary threads the two royals together with the Portstewart and Castlerock links in between.
What it means for your trip
The practical takeaways for 2026 are straightforward. Make Royal Portrush the centrepiece, and this time give the Valley its own tee time rather than treating it as the warm up, because the new holes have changed what the second course offers. Pair it with Portstewart Strand and Castlerock on the Causeway coast, then run south to Royal County Down for the other half of the trip.
As always with course changes, confirm before you commit. Visitor access at the royals is in high demand and booking windows are tight, especially in the wake of an Open year, and green fees are quoted seasonally, so treat any figure as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking.
Our take
Northern Ireland has one of the great concentrations of links golf on earth, and the Portrush work has only strengthened it. The transformed Valley Course turns a one round destination into a two course day, the Dunluce is in superb shape after its Open preparations, and the supporting cast from Portstewart to Royal County Down is as strong as ever. Our advice is to lean into the post Open timing, give Portrush two rounds rather than one, and build the rest of the trip around the short drives that make this coast so efficient to play.
Plan your Northern Ireland golf trip
From the transformed Valley Course at Royal Portrush to Royal County Down beneath the Mournes, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
What changed on Royal Portrush's Valley Course?
Mackenzie and Ebert reworked the Valley with new holes, greens and tees and fairway realignments, approved by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council in late 2023. Three new holes were formed, the last giving views to the beach and sea, as part of lifting the second course toward world class status ahead of the 2025 Open.
When did Royal Portrush last host the Open?
Royal Portrush hosted the Open Championship in July 2025, its second staging in six years after the 2019 return. The recent course work was carried out in preparation for that event.
What other links pair well with Portrush?
Portstewart Strand and Castlerock sit close by on the Causeway coast, while Royal County Down at Newcastle, about an hour and a half south, is regularly rated the best course in Ireland and anchors the southern half of a trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Renovation and opening details verified June 2026 from club, architect and golf media sources; projects and dates change, so always confirm directly. Last reviewed June 2026.