Royal Portrush Golf Club, Dunluce and Valley Courses, Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

The only Irish golf course ever to host the Open Championship is Royal Portrush on the Antrim Coast, having done so in 1951. Arguably the most well-known course in the north, it sits in the shadow of the famous Dunluce Castle ruins, which can be seen clearly from the glorious and precarious green position on the par-4 5th. Much effort and expense has been made in the effort to keep this green from sliding into the sea, and thankfully the club has thus far been successful. The most famous hole though at Portrush is the aptly named “Calamity,” the par-3 14th, well over 200 yards to a green perched on the edge of a precipice, with anything short and right bounding miles down below, a sure double bogey or worse. Perhaps our favorite feature is “The Tavern” next to the 10th tee, the world’s greatest halfway house, a fully-stocked bar complete with attendant, waiting to either strengthen you for the back nine, or ease your pain! It is not always open, alas, but if the Union Jack is flying, you may be without your caddies for a hole or two! The real secret at Portrush is the club’s other course, The Valley, rated by many in the top 5 in Northern Ireland, but played sparingly by visitors. It can be added to a day ticket for just a few additional quid, surely one of the best values in golf! The Antrim Coast is one of the most atmospheric in the British Isles, with the courses, Giant's Causeway, and Bushmills Distillery, and don't forget to stop in at The Bushmills Inn!