Back
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - I've just checked into the newly refurbished Portrush Adelphi, a Marine & Lawn Hotel, in this tiny golf mecca hugging the Irish coast.
With the sun shining brighter than I've ever seen this far north, the call to play golf feels too strong to ignore. The problem is we're playing Portstewart tomorrow and Royal Portrush's Valley and Dunluce links aren't options in the midst of prepping for The Open Championship in July. My golf partner and I make a radical decision: We're hoofing it.
We throw the golf bags on our shoulders for a beautiful city and beach walk to the Ballyreagh Golf Course, a nine-hole short course owned by the local council. In essence, it's a muni. Sure, the conditions are rough and the ground rock hard, but what American muni besides Torrey Pines delivers coastal views like this? The mile walk each way, fresh sea air and 10 pounds for a round and pull trolley were more than worth it.
Everything in Portrush seems geared toward golfers. Whether it's the restaurants, hotels, pubs or links - they all welcome golfers. We got lucky with the weather, which isn't always the case.
Every golfer watching The Open in 2025 likely came away dreaming of visiting Portrush some day. My quick two-day visit in May might help you plan a golf trip to this special spot in the golf world.
Staying at the Portrush Adelphi, a Marine & Lawn Hotel
With lodging limited in the area, it's wonderful that the Portrush Adelphi has been completely refreshed by Marine & Lawn, a division of Adventurous Journeys ("AJ") Capital Partners. The intimate boutique hotel has renovated all of its 34 guest rooms, public areas and dining spaces, debuting earlier this year. The Red Sail Room is a brand-new Italian restaurant rooted in local flavor and warm local hospitality. The blue and green color tones throughout follow the "land and sea" themes of Marin & Lawn. My fourth-floor room featured several sitting areas and a fun, yet funky, flow that felt like a college apartment.
Starting rates begin at £245 subject to seasonality & availability per room per night, including full Irish breakfast and VAT. All rooms are pet-friendly.
The property's downtown location makes it an easy walk to the beach or the legendary Harbour Bar, one of golf's greatest pubs. We wandered down to the pub both nights, just as any golfer should.
Portrush isn't just a golf destination, either. There's other local landmarks worth seeing that I've toured in the past. They're all fantastic - the stunning Giant’s Causeway; the ruins of Dunluce Castle; the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and Bushmills Distillery, the world’s oldest licensed distillery. Couples, families and non-golfers will likely fall in love with Portrush, too.
Playing golf near Portrush
The crown jewel of Portrush is obviously the Dunluce links, host of three Opens (2025, 2019 and 1951). Gaining access is nearly impossible these days, so make sure you're planning your trip a year in advance to secure a tee time. The Valley links was already a personal favorite, so I can't wait to see the changes once it reopens now that the pros have left town. Several new holes that are part of a redesign will likely elevate its status.
Portstewart's Strand Course is another trophy links with a championship pedigree. Jon Rahm won the 2017 Irish Open there. He holed a 7 iron for eagle on the par-5 fourth hole during the final round. The club has laid down a plaque to celebrate the shot.
The Strand starts out in the biggest dunes before giving way to softer terrain on the back nine. The club has invested wisely to tweak multiple holes over the past three years to make the round as fair and enjoyable as possible. It's really improved since I first played it 15 years ago. The par-4 8th hole requires aiming posts and a bell to help you navigate safe passage.
Although the food in the Portstewart clubhouse is nice, the better spot is dining on the beach at Harry's Shack across the street.
Bushfoot Golf Club near Bushmills (dine here if you can!) gets solid reviews as another fun nine-holer on GolfPass. If you're looking for nine truly spectacular holes, though, I'd head the opposite direction to the Bann Nine at Castlerock. It's the best nine-holer I've ever played, and the 18-hole Mussenden is worth your time, too.
Big links. Small links. Old links. Modernized links. Pricey links. Affordable links. Now that Portrush is officially on the Open rota, it's not a stretch to call this tiny slice of coastline the "Saint Andrews of Ireland". More majors are coming, so more golfers will soon follow.
What are your favorite memories of visiting Portrush? Share them in the comments below.
Comments (0)