Royal Portrush (Valley Links)

The Valley Links is known as Royal Portrush’s secondary course, but this layout is well worth its own place on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland list. 

 

Originally designed by Harry Colt, with work from MacKenzie & Ebert at the start of the 21st Century, the Valley Links is a beautiful links course on the northern coastline of Northern Ireland.  

 

The Dunluce Links is the other course at Royal Portrush, and it has played host to the Open Championship on multiple occasions.  

 

  

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The Royal Portrush Golf Club was founded in 1888 as the County Club. It became the Royal County Club four years later.  

 

Harry Colt, who also designed the Dunluce Links, was the man behind the layout and the design of the Valley Links.  

 

In preparation for the 2019 Open Championship, MacKenzie & Ebert used land from the Valley Links to improve the Dunluce Links. You might think that this made the Valley Links worse. 

 

However, their work on the Valley Links included adding two new holes, and the course is a brilliant sister venue to the Dunluce. 
 

The Valley Links may well be seen as being in the shadow of the Open Championship-hosting Dunluce Links. However, the Valley Links at Royal Portrush is also a sublime golf course. It is shorter than its bigger brother, playing around 6,400 yards and as a Par 71. Incredibly, despite being a links course, the Valley only features 18 bunkers across its 18 holes.  

 

The course begins with a pair of short par 4s, the 2nd being a dog-leg left. The 3rd is the opening par 3 on the Valley Links, playing slightly downhill and shorter than its carded 145 yard distance. The 4th is the first par 5, and at 540 yards from the tips, it is the longest hole on the course.

 

It is followed by the long par 4 5th, which has a fairway that gets narrower the further you hit your tee shot. 6 and 7 are also par 4s, with the latter being drivable for the longer hitters at 310 yards. However, the green is narrow and surrounded by mounds and fescue, making the lay up the safe play. 

 

The 8th is a par 5 which features a fairway split into two, with the front nine coming to a close with another par 3. Only 155 yards, there are two bunkers short of the green that must be avoided if you are to par or birdie the 9th. 

 

10 and 11 run parallel to each other. The 10th is a long par 4, while the 11th is a short par 5 at only 485 yards. With a wide fairway and a solitary fairway bunker, 11 is a birdie chance. There are three par 3s on the back – 13, 15 and 17.

 

They get progressively longer the further you get through your round, with the penultimate hole being the longest par 3 on the Valley Links at 195 yards from the tips. It does play downhill and there are no bunkers, but the length of the hole could cause problems. The closing hole is a slight dog-leg right and at just 335 yards, it is another birdie opportunity.
 

Where is Royal Portrush located?
Royal Portrush is situated on the northern coastline of Northern Ireland, looking out over the Irish Sea. It is located in the town of Portrush, which is just down the road from Portstewart. Coleraine is the nearest big town, around seven miles from Portrush, while the Northern Irish capital of Belfast is 60 miles to the south.

Portrush has its own train station, which is about a mile from the entrance to the golf club. It is the final stop on a train service from Coleraine, which only makes a handful of stops on its journey. For international travellers to the region, the Northern Irish capital has two airports that can be flown into - Belfast International and Belfast City. Both operate flights to a wide range of destinations, including the United Kingdom and United States. 

How many courses are at Royal Portrush?
Royal Portrush is home to two cracking links courses - the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?
Along with the two venues at Royal Portrush, the northern tip of Northern Ireland is also home to two layouts at Castlerock - the Mussenden and the Bann. Castlerock is just ten miles to the west of Portrush along the coastline. Portstewart's Strand Course is even closer, just a few miles down the road from Portrush.

What golf facilities does Royal Portrush offer?  
Away from the Dunluce and Valley Links, Royal Portrush is also home to two 6-hole layouts. The Skerries and the Short Course both offer up the perfect opportunity to hone in your approach game before taking to either of the main courses.

There is also a fantastic driving range with both grass and matted tees for practice in all weathers, along with a stunning short game area and putting green.
 

What are the green fees at Royal Portrush?
The price of a green fee at Royal Portrush 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 Royal Portrush, visit their website here.

Visit Royal Portrush's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.