Galgorm is Northern Ireland’s pre-eminent golf resort if you are looking for a venue that offers a panoply of wider activities that will collectively appeal to all members of the family.
You do not to be on site for very long to realise that Galgorm is an escape and a playground for pretty much the whole of the country.
The resort is situated in Ballymena – and that makes it pretty much equidistant from Belfast, Derry and the Antrim coast. The run down to Belfast is particularly straightforward, no more than 40 minutes, so you can see why it is so popular with the locals for pretty much any occasion – from a romantic weekend away to a hen do or a golf break.
Built around the main house, Galgorm has grown and grown in recent years and now offers an array of accommodation options to suit your needs – from shepherd’s huts to log cabins and cottage suites.
With its Thermal Spa Village, emphasis on leisure and choice of family-friendly restaurants, there is even a hint of Center Parcs about the resort, though in truth Galgorm is much more intimate and upmarket.
Just down the road towards Ballymena, and owned by the resort, is the golf course at Galgorm Castle.
Now almost 30 years old, it was designed by Simon Gidman and can stretch to over 7,200 yards. That is significant because Galgorm Castle loves to host professional golf and indeed did so most recently when the Legends Tour’s NI Legends Open came to town earlier this summer.
Past winners here include none other than the Champion Golfer of the Year, Ryan Fox, who was successful on the Challenge Tour event, while Tom McKibbin has close ties and is to this day sponsored by Galgorm Castle.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open was played at Galgorm Castle in 2020, while the European Challenge Tour has visited on several occasions. Galgorm Castle made history in 2019 by hosting the ISPS Handa World Invitational – the first ever tri-sanctioned event between the DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.
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The vibe at the golf club is relaxed and the surrounding facilities are exceptional. The Toptracer driving range is accessed via the pro shop while The Barn is a purpose-built clubhouse bar with a golf simulator, pool table, dartboard and live sport. It is all ideal.
Most recently, padel courts have been added.
The tone is set by Director of Golf Ross Oliver, who ensures that Galgorm is nimble and alive to creating a suite of facilities that suit the modern golfer.
Out on the course, the key hazard here is very much water. That is because one river is not enough for Galgorm Caste – there are two in play in the shape of the River Maine and, fittingly enough, the Braid River.
There are certainly more holes where it is – very – possible to find water than where it is not.
The opening hole is a tricky dogleg right par 4. Unless you have a fade, the second shot is longer than you might like to a green that is slightly below you. The greens here are rapid and it is wise to have a putt beforehand to adjust accordingly.
The 2nd is a short par 4, again doglegging right, and then the short par-5 3rd pivots sharply left. On the 4th, the green is fronted by water while the par-4 6th is another tee shot that is much more comfortable for faders.
The 7th is the shortest of the par 3s – only 130 yards or so – but the pond in front of and to the right of the green can make it look further.
The challenging 8th turns left at driving distance and five is a decent score here for most of us. There is then the chance to attack at back-to-back par 5s and it is a chance you are going to want to take advantage of because the toughest stretch of the course is now upon us.
The 11th and the 13th are both flanked by water pretty much all the way, meaning that disaster is only ever one bad swing away.
Nor is there any respite at Devil’s Elbow, the par-3 14th with water on three sides of the putting surface.
From then on, there is a chance of making up for any blemishes, especially at the the closing hole, a par 5. Then again with more water to negotiate, perhaps we should gladly settle for a closing par.
All told, Galgorm Castle is a sporty parkland course with excellent greens where you are likely to make a few birdies and a few blobs.
After a day on the course, Galgorm’s Thermal Spa Village is the perfect place to relax. Walled gardens and relaxing river houses add to the facilities, which also include indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, salt caves and even a snow cabin.
You can treat yourself to a wide range of massages and treatments including hot stone massages, mud rasuls and even detox therapy.
Add a location adjacent to the River Mann, and you have something truly memorable.
The hotel is home to 125 bedrooms, coming in the form of Deluxe Rooms, Superior Rooms and Suites, all of which are individually decorated with a touch of quality. Away from the hotel, the resort offers cottages, log cabins, lodges and even residences, perfect for larger groups.
Guests are able to enjoy an overnight stay in a luxurious Resort Guestroom as part of their Tee it Up package. The stay is complete with a complimentary mini bar and everything you need to ensure a relaxing stay – followed by a round on the Championship Course. It also includes breakfast and access to the Thermal Spa Village, Irish spa experience, with prices starting from £360 per person.
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We stayed in a log cabin, complete with its own hot tub, which was ideal for our family.
In the evening, we were collected by an elongated and luxury Galgorm golf buggy, which whizzed us across to the resort’s Italian restaurant, Fratelli.
Relaxed and buzzy in terms of vibe, this works as well for an early-doors family meal as it does for a group of adults celebrating a special occasion or a couple sharing a bottle of wine.
On our second night, we intended to order in while enjoying our hot tub but in the end we couldn’t resist the offer of a hotel transfer back to the golf club to eat in the Castle Kitchen & Bar. Again, Galgorm really hits the spot for those of us who like to relax on our holidays without compromising on the quality of food and drink on offer. The emphasis here is on prime meat cuts and steaks, chargrilled to your specifications.
A final word on the dining options must go to the breakfast, which was served in the main hotel’s Conservatory, and is both sophisticated and comprehensive in its offerings.
As well as constantly expanding and improving its offerings as a resort, Galgorm’s owners are also looking further afield to develop their portfolio, which currently also includes Roe Valley, in Limavady.
Earlier this year, they announced plans to invest more than £30 million to create a new links course at Bellarena, on the north-west coast. This is half an hour west of Portrush, and will be the first championship links course to be built in Northern Ireland for over a century. It would effectively create a continuous coast of wonderful golf that also takes in the likes of Portstewart, Castlerock and then beyond to Ballyliffin and Portsalon.
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Within half an hour of Derry city and its airport, if the new course is the real deal – and there is every reason to think it will be – it will be a game-changer for the whole region.
Galgorm Collection Managing Director, Colin Johnston, said: “Our exciting plans to develop a new 18-hole links golf course at Bellarena on Northern Ireland’s stunning north west coast will deliver a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drive a new era of golfing and tourism success that will amplify our outstanding and award-winning credentials while also creating hundreds of jobs.
“Preparatory work is already well under way that could pave the way for development from next year before we welcome our first guests in 2029,” said Johnston.
With the Open Championship now a regular and hugely welcome visitor to the country, these are certainly exciting times for Northern Irish golf. Long may it continue.
NOW HAVE YOUR SAY
Have you stayed or played at Galgorm Golf Resort? Have you played golf in Northern Ireland at all? If so, where and how did you find it? Let us know in the comments or by getting in touch with us on X!
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