Galgorm Castle

There are championship venues all around Ireland, and Galgorm Castle is certainly up there with the very best of them! 

Founded in 1997, and part of the Galgorm Resort, the course has matured into a stunning parkland layout, with water hazards galore. 

The venue has played host to the Irish Open and the NI Legends Open, while Galgorm Castle is also proud to have LIV Golf’s Tom McKibbin as their touring professional.

Check out our full piece on the Galgorm Resort here. 

Visit Galgorm Castle’s website here. 

Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage. 

The 18-hole Championship Course at Galgorm Castle is one of the newest in Northern Ireland, having only opened in 1997. Simon Gidman was the man behind the design of this now mature parkland course. 

The Championship Course has plenty of tournament pedigree throughout its short history. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open was played at Galgorm Castle in 2020, while the NI Legends Open being hosted at the venue in 2025. 

The course has also seen the European Challenge Tour visit on several occasions, while Galgorm Castle also made history in 2019. It did so by hosting the ISPS HANDA World Invitational – the first ever tri-sanctioned event between the DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.

The Championship Course at Galgorm Castle is a glorious parkland layout, and one that features tree-lined fairways, lots of sand and plenty of water as its hallmarks. The course is bordered by the River Main and River Braid which come into play and include a magnificent oxbow feature and five impressive landscape lakes. From the back tees, the layout stretches to 7,275 yards, but for us mere mortals, the green tees see the course run out at just 6,100 yards. 

It begins with a tricky dog-leg right par 4, with an approach played to a deceptive three-tiered green. At 450 yards, it will require two solid hits to get home in regulation. The 3rd is 460 yards, and moves to the left. Stay right of the fairway bunker that is on the inside corner of the hole. Two more traps, along with a water hazard behind, frame the green. 2 and 4 are both scoring chances, par 4s of 325 yards or less. The former is a slight dog-leg right. Avoid the fairway bunkers and you’ll be in close range of the green. The 4th sees you tee off over water to a small section of fairway, before the approach is then also played over another water hazard. Stay dry, and birdies are available. 

The 5th is the opening par 3 at Galgorm Castle. It is also the longest from the green tees, at more than 200 yards. There is fairway 40 yards shy, though, so you can land it short and it should bounce on to the green. The 6th has one of the tightest fairways on the course but at 450 yards, it also requires you to take driver off the tee. The first of the signature holes on the Championship Course comes at the 7th – the shortest of the par 3s. It is just 131 yards from the green, but the large water hazard sitting to the right of the green will be in your mind. 8 plays around another lake, as a dog-leg left. Water is in play throughout on this 400-yard par 4.  

Around the turn, there are back-to-back par 5s, both of which feature plenty of water hazards. 9 has two different hazards, both of which are on the left side. The 10th pushes past the 600-yard mark in tournament play, but remains around 515 yards from the greens. It moves round to the right, around one hazard, before the approach is then played over a burn which runs across the fairway. 11 is another tough par 4, moving round to the right, around the River Main. The 12th is the first of the par 3s on the back nine. It is 160 yards, and that is all carry to make sure you clear the large bunker that sits in front of the putting surface. 

13 is the Stroke Index 1 at Galgorm Castle, with one of the narrowest fairways on the course. It is only 345 yards, but water lies in wait for anything slightly to the right. The ‘Devil’s Elbow’ follows – a wicked 140-yard par 3 with water on three sides of the putting surface. The tee shot on 15 is played over water, while there is another hazard on the right of the fairway. If you can find the fairway, then the green is comfortably in reach. The 16th is another hole that move from left to right – this time around some thick trees. Two bunkers sit on the outside corner of the fairway, while there are two more large traps by the green. 

The 17th follows in a similar vein to 16, but is 30 yards longer – pushing to 450 yards from the green tees. Just the one fairway trap is in play off the tee, and the same down by the green. The closing hole is also the longest off the green tees. A par 5, those going for it in two will most likely bail out to the right, as there is water to the left side of the green. The water hazard might only be small, but it is right next to the putting surface.

Where is Galgorm Castle located?

Galgorm Castle is located just to the west of the city of Ballymena in Northern Ireland. The town of Cullybackey is just north of the resort, while the Northern Irish capital of Belfast is 30 miles away to the southeast.

Belfast International Airport, which is located to the northwest of the Northern Irish capital, is the closest airport to Galgorm. Belfast International is less than 20 miles from the resort, while Belfast City is around 35 miles away. Train travellers can stop in either Ballymena or Callybuckey, both of which are just a short drive from Galgorm.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?

The trio of courses around the Northern Irish capital – Belvoir Park, Royal Belfast and Malone’s Championship Course – are all within 35 miles of Galgorm. Royal Portrush – home to the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links – along with Portstewart’s Strand Course and both the Mussenden Course and Bann Course at Castlerock are also around the same distance to the north.

What golf facilities does Galgorm Castle offer?  

Along with the Championship Course, Galgorm Castle also has a 6-hole Wee Course. It is a pitch and putt which provides the perfect place for beginners to learn the nuances of the game, along with being a great spot for those playing the Championship to warm up beforehand. As well as the Wee Course, Galgorm also has a full-length driving range with TopTracer technology, along with a short game area and two putting greens.

What are the green fees at Galgorm Castle?

The price of a green fee at Galgorm Castle changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Galgorm Castle, visit their booking website here.