Top 10 courses in Northern Ireland – where does the Open host fit in?

Is Open venue Royal Portrush leading the best golf courses in Northern Ireland? And does a parkland threaten the top 5, or is the upper end of the ranking seaside-only stuff?

All these questions are answered in our countdown of the top 10 best golf courses in Northern Ireland…

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 10. Royal County Down (Annesley)

The second course at Royal County Down has also – in the same way as the Valley at Portrush has – been improved in the past few years by Martin Ebert.

It weaves through the No.1 course and has been enhanced by three completely new holes which take the layout as close to the sea as any of the club’s 36 holes. The views from all three are magnificent.

They are routed around the huge dune that is a significant landmark behind the main course’s 3rd green. Although much shorter, it enjoys much the same character and ambience as the main track here.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 9. Belvoir Park

One of Northern Ireland‘s premier parklands, this is an entry from Harry Colt and happily it retains much of that original character.

Mature trees and gentle changes in elevation show off the beauty of this elegant course, while the stunning clubhouse and balcony overlook several holes and views to the Belfast Hills.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 8. Malone

The Drumbridge and Ballydrain nines form the basis of this entry (there is another perfectly good loop too) from Belfast.

One of Antrim and indeed Ireland’s top parklands, it was designed by CK Cotton and extends to a meaty 6,600 yards despite its history.

Upgrades to some greens and changes to the signature par-3 15th have maintained Malone’s reputation as a fine venue.

The Drumbridge loop plays down towards the Lagan, and includes the 7th – the hardest hole on the course – while the Ballydrain is dominated by a lake with fine par 3s.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 7. Ardglass

This is a clifftop course rather than a links, situated in County Down countryside but within easy reach of Belfast.

“It’s a beautiful course. Walking down the 18th in the middle of this historic village reminds me of walking up the 18th at St Andrews,” said former Open champion Ian Baker–Finch of it.

Seven holes were laid out in 1896 with a further two added within two years but it was over 70 years later that it became full size before, in 1998, three new holes were designed by David Jones on additional land overlooking Coney Island.

As at Portstewart, the first blow of the day sets the tone, hit from a tee lodged between the wall of the historic clubhouse and the beach, asking you to clear rocks that fill the inside of this dog–leg left.

The course then hugs the coastline for nearly half its routing – the Irish Sea is visible from all 18 holes.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 6. Royal Portrush (Valley)

You might think that the Dunluce stealing prime ground from Portrush‘s second course would leave the Valley diminished. Well, not so.

While Ebert was annexing land for the Open venue, he also spent time on the Valley, creating two excellent new holes and revising others.

It still mostly sits between dunes along the Atlantic shore and the higher ground on which the Dunluce is laid out.

Colt also designed this course – the home to the Rathmore club (where Graeme McDowell started playing the game) – and there are plenty of classic bumpy links fairways and cool green complexes defended by pot bunkers.

So who makes it to the top 5? Our rundown of the best golf courses in Northern Ireland continues on the next page…

Our rundown of the best golf courses in Northern Ireland continues, starting with an outstanding links…

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 5. Castlerock (Mussenden)

Across the River Bann from Portstewart is this super links, which began as a nine–holer in 1901 but was extended by Ben Sayers seven years later and revised in 1925 by Colt.

When you emerge from holes among towering dunes you are greeted with views of Donegal and, on a clear day, Scotland and the Isle of Islay.

The Mussenden (Castlerock also has the nine–hole Bann) is defined by long par 3s – witness the 4th, ‘Leg o‘Mutton‘, which is a 200-yard hole with a railway line to the right, a burn (and OB) to the left and a raised green – and reachable par 5s.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 4. Portstewart (Strand)

As thrilling an opening tee shot as you could wish to find provides the start of a brilliant front nine among relentless dunes.

The back nine – on much flatter land with the River Ban hemming it in as the Atlantic does to the front nine – doesn’t quite maintain the pace, otherwise it would be a fixture in GB&I Top 100 rankings.

Founded in 1894, it was redesigned by Willie Park Junior in the 1920s but it was local schoolteacher Des Giffin who had the biggest hand in the Strand when he was gifted prime extra land the club acquired in 1981.

From the first elevated tee shot on the dog–leg opener this is thrill–a–minute stuff.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 3. Lough Erne

Ireland is rightly famed for its links but this parkland is so good that it warrants an elevated position in our countdown.

It is my favourite design by Sir Nick Faldo, offering some fun holes as well as the six-time major champion’s trademark demanding ones. 

Only Adare Manor can battle with Lough Erne for the title of Ireland‘s top parkland.

The lakeside setting adds to the appeal and it‘s worth pointing out it has a luxury hotel that makes it a brilliant golf resort.

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 2. Royal Portrush (Dunluce)

The host of the 2019 Open has always pushed for the No.1 spot and many have maintained this Colt masterpiece had the edge.

Even more may be of that opinion now that Ebert has replaced the flatter, less explosive closing duo by inserting two new holes among dunes into the front nine.

Formed in 1888 as a nine–hole course, it was extended a year later and hosted the Irish Open just after the turn of the century.

But it was not until Colt revamped the Dunluce that its reputation soared to the point it hosted The Open in 1951.

This is a thoroughbred links with no weaknesses, a brilliant all–rounder with a myriad memorable holes of uncommon variety. Pretty much as good a No.2 as a country can have.

So who’s in at No. 1 of our best golf courses in Northern Ireland? Find out on the next page…

And so concludes our rundown of the top 10 golf courses in Northern Ireland with this beauty…

Best golf courses in Northern Ireland: 1. County Down (Championship)

Not just the No. 1 in Northern Ireland but tops the list in the whole of the British Isles in my view.

What Royal County Down does better than anywhere I’ve ever played is to seamlessly marry the spectacular with the exacting.

Design aficionados may cite Muirfield as a more complete – and fair – examination, and Turnberry and Old Head might be more scenic, but nowhere is as good in both categories as RCD.

Its blind shots are disliked by some and others quibble with marram–edged bunkers that snaffle balls and can ruin a tidy scorecard in seconds – while nervous chippers and putters will find RCD an unremitting examination on and around the greens.

Few courses, indeed, demand that you grind over every single shot like RCD does.

The setting in Murlough Nature Reserve is majestic, whether you have the Mountains of Mourne providing the backdrop or whether it is the shores of Dundrum Bay.

Even when it turns inland, the undulating linksland, dunes, the heather and gorse illuminate the scene.

Which is your favourite course in Northern Ireland? Or which would you like to play? Let us know in the comments below, or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.