How to Play Royal Portrush Golf Club
Playing Royal Portrush Golf Club is one of the great experiences in links golf.
Located on Northern Ireland’s spectacular Causeway Coast, Royal Portrush is home to the famous Dunluce Links, a championship course regarded as one of the world’s great links.
It has also become one of the most sought-after tee times for golfers planning a trip to Ireland.
The good news is that visiting golfers can play Royal Portrush. The challenge is securing the right tee time and combining Portrush with the other great courses of Northern Ireland.
At Concierge Golf Ireland, we plan golf trips around Royal Portrush every year. Here is what you need to know.
Can Visitors Play Royal Portrush?
Yes. Royal Portrush welcomes visiting golfers, with visitor access available on both the Dunluce Links and Valley Links, subject to the club’s visitor availability.
Demand for the Dunluce Links can be extremely strong, particularly during the main golf travel season.
For golfers travelling internationally, we recommend planning well in advance rather than arranging Royal Portrush after flights and accommodation have already been booked.
Royal Portrush itself describes maintaining an appropriate balance between member and visitor tee-time access as one of its strategic objectives.
Which Royal Portrush Course Should You Play?
The Dunluce Links
For an international golf trip, the Dunluce Links is the course most golfers are coming to experience.
This is the championship links associated worldwide with Royal Portrush and major championship golf. The course runs through dramatic natural dunes overlooking the North Atlantic and provides exactly the type of links golf experience golfers travel to Ireland to find.
But Royal Portrush shouldn’t necessarily be considered in isolation. It can become the centrepiece of an exceptional Northern Ireland golf itinerary.
How Do You Get a Tee Time at Royal Portrush?
There are essentially two approaches.
1. Book directly with Royal Portrush
Visiting golfers can check availability directly with the golf club. This can work particularly well for golfers organising their own accommodation, transportation and other golf.
2. Include Royal Portrush within a Northern Ireland golf tour
This is where Concierge Golf Ireland comes in. Rather than treating Royal Portrush as an isolated tee time, we can build the golf trip around it.
Depending upon availability and the length of the trip, that could include:
Royal Portrush – Dunluce Links
Royal County Down – Championship Links
Portstewart – Strand Course
Ardglass Golf Club
Castlerock Golf Club
The advantage is that the golf, accommodation, transportation and logistics are planned as one complete itinerary.
How Far in Advance Should You Book Royal Portrush?
For a premium Ireland golf trip, booking early is best. This is particularly important if your trip also includes other highly sought-after courses.
One mistake we regularly see is golfers concentrating on securing Royal Portrush and assuming they can organise the remainder of Northern Ireland afterwards.
Sometimes the opposite approach is better. We look at availability for the entire trip before deciding how the itinerary should flow. How to play Royal Portrush
That means considering both Royal Portrush Courses alongside Royal County Down or Ballyliffin, Portstewart, Ardglass, accommodation and transportation rather than looking at each component independently.
What Are the Best Golf Courses to Play with Royal Portrush?
Royal Portrush Valley Links
While the Dunluce Links attracts most of the international attention, golfers staying in Portrush should not overlook the Valley Links.
Located alongside its famous neighbour, the Valley offers another genuine links experience at Royal Portrush and can be an excellent addition for golfers who want an extra round without adding significant travel to their itinerary.
The Valley is particularly useful on an arrival day, departure day or as a second round while staying in Portrush. It offers a different challenge from Dunluce while retaining the coastal terrain, firm turf, and links characteristics golfers come to Northern Ireland to experience.
For groups spending several nights on the Causeway Coast, a combination of Royal Portrush Dunluce, Royal Portrush Valley, Portstewart and Castlerock can create an excellent concentration of links golf with relatively little travel time.
It also reminds you that some of the most enjoyable rounds on an Ireland golf trip don’t necessarily have to be at the biggest-name courses.
Portstewart Golf Club
Portstewart’s Strand Course is a natural addition to a Royal Portrush trip.
Its spectacular opening holes run through enormous dunes and it is geographically convenient when staying around Portrush. For golfers spending several nights on the Causeway Coast, both Royal Portrush + Portstewart make enormous sense.
Castlerock Golf Club
Castlerock is another excellent links course that international visitors can overlook when focusing on the bigger names. That is precisely why we like including courses such as Castlerock.
A great Ireland golf trip doesn’t need to consist exclusively of famous championship courses. Sometimes the courses golfers knew least about before arriving become some of their favourite experiences.
Royal County Down Golf Club (RCD)
For many golfers, the dream Northern Ireland trip includes both Royal Portrush and Royal County Down.
The complication is availability. Both are highly sought after, so securing one doesn’t automatically mean the other will be available during the same trip. This is one reason flexibility with travel dates can make such a difference.
Ardglass Golf Club
Ardglass works particularly well when travelling between the Portrush area and County Down. Its spectacular coastal setting makes it much more than simply a course used to connect two destinations.
That allows us to create an itinerary such as:
Royal Portrush Dunluce & Valley → Portstewart → Ardglass → Royal County Down Golf Club. Rather than spending unnecessary time travelling backwards and forwards.
Ballyliffin Golf Club – Glashedy Links
For golfers prepared to travel a little further, Ballyliffin Golf Club in County Donegal opens up another exceptional option.
Ballyliffin is home to two links courses, with the Glashedy Links providing a championship test among the spectacular dunes of the Inishowen Peninsula.
Its location makes Ballyliffin particularly interesting when planning a golf itinerary around Royal Portrush. Rather than viewing Northern Ireland and Donegal as completely separate golf destinations, they can be incorporated into the same journey.
Where Should You Stay When How to Play Royal Portrush?
For most golf groups, Portrush itself is the obvious base. Staying locally means you aren’t spending your golf trip sitting in a vehicle unnecessarily. You also have restaurants and pubs within easy reach after golf.
For luxury trips, however, we sometimes structure the accommodation differently depending on the complete itinerary.
The question isn’t simply:
“What is the best hotel near Royal Portrush?”
It is:
“Where should we stay to make the entire golf trip work?”
That distinction can make a considerable difference to the experience.
We suggest enjoying The Bushmills Inn, The Salthouse & Dunluce Lodge Portrush.
Do You Need a Car at Royal Portrush?
Not necessarily. For international golf groups, we generally structure Northern Ireland trips using either:
Chauffeured transportation – ideal for groups who want everything taken care of.
or
Self-drive transportation – suitable for golfers who prefer independence and are comfortable driving in Ireland.
A chauffeured golf trip lets everyone in the group enjoy the trip without worrying about driving, directions, luggage, or transportation after dinner.
How Many Days Do You Need for a Royal Portrush Golf Trip?
We recommend approximately five to seven days if Royal Portrush forms part of a wider Northern Ireland golf trip.
A shorter trip can work if you’re concentrating exclusively on the Causeway Coast. However, five to seven days gives considerably more flexibility.
For example:
| Day | Experience |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Ireland / Northern Ireland |
| Day 2 | Portstewart – Strand |
| Day 3 | Royal Portrush – Dunluce |
| Day 4 | Royal Portrush – Valley Course |
| Day 5 | Travel south / Ardglass |
| Day 6 | Royal County Down Golf Club |
| Day 7 | Depart |
Tee-time availability should dictate the exact sequence, rather than forcing the courses into predetermined days.
Can You Combine Royal Portrush With Southwest Ireland?
Absolutely.
For golfers travelling from North America and spending 10–12 days in Ireland, combining Northern Ireland with another region can create an outstanding trip.
For example:
Northern Ireland Golf Courses
- Royal Portrush Dunluce
- Portstewart Golf Club
- Royal County Down Golf Club
- Royal Portrush Valley Course
Southwest Ireland Golf Courses
- Ballybunion, Old Course
- Tralee Golf Links
- Waterville Golf Links
- Lahinch Golf Club
- Old Head Golf Links
But there is a trade-off. The more regions you include, the more travelling you introduce.
For a seven-day golf trip, we generally prefer to focus on one region and play exceptional golf rather than spend valuable vacation time travelling between courses. For example, the Southwest, Northern Ireland, East of Ireland, or Northwest of Ireland.
What Is the Best Time of Year to Play Royal Portrush?
For international golf trips, the principal travel period is generally spring through early autumn.
Each period has advantages.
- May can offer excellent links-golf conditions before the busiest summer period.
- June and July provide very long daylight hours.
- August remains prime golf season.
- September is one of our favourite months for golf travel in Ireland.
The important consideration isn’t simply weather. Availability across the entire itinerary can be equally important when learning how to play Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Is Royal Portrush Worth Playing?
For golfers travelling to Ireland specifically to experience championship links golf, both Royal Portrush deserves serious consideration.
However, we emphasise to our clients that an Ireland golf trip shouldn’t be judged on one course. The real experience comes from combining great links golf with Irish hospitality, coastal scenery, local pubs, good restaurants and the characters you meet along the way.
Royal Portrush can be the headline act. The complete Northern Ireland golf experience is the story you take home.
Planning a Royal Portrush Golf Trip
At Concierge Golf Ireland, we build privately planned Ireland golf trips for individuals, couples and groups.
A Royal Portrush itinerary can include:
- Royal Portrush tee-time planning
- Additional golf-course arrangements
- Luxury accommodation
- Chauffeured or self-drive transportation
- Restaurant recommendations and reservations
- Non-golf activities and sightseeing
- Full itinerary planning
- On-the-ground support in Ireland
And because Concierge Golf Ireland is owned and operated by John Dooley, the golf itself remains at the centre of the itinerary.
Planning Royal Portrush and Royal County Down on the Same Golf Trip
One of the biggest challenges when planning a Northern Ireland golf trip is securing Royal Portrush and Royal County Down within the same itinerary.
Both courses are in extremely high demand, and visitor tee times are limited. You may need considerable advance planning to line up availability at both courses with your preferred travel dates, accommodation, and transportation when looking for how to play Royal Portrush.
For this reason, we recommend being as flexible as possible when planning a trip that includes both Royal Portrush and Royal County Down.
What If Royal County Down Is Not Available?
Don’t allow the availability of one golf course to determine whether you experience Northern Ireland.
If you secure Royal Portrush but cannot secure Royal County Down for the same trip, our advice is simple: save Royal County Down for another time and enjoy everything else Northern Ireland has to offer.
You can still create an outstanding links golf trip incorporating courses such as:
Royal Portrush – Dunluce Links
Royal Portrush – Valley Links
Portstewart – Strand Course
Castlerock Golf Club
Ballyliffin – Glashedy Links
And the experience extends far beyond the golf.
Spend your evenings enjoying the pubs, restaurants, live music, coastal towns and warm Northern Irish hospitality that make a golf trip here so memorable. Explore the Causeway Coast, visit local attractions and leave enough time in the itinerary to actually enjoy where you are rather than simply travelling from one famous golf course to another.
Royal County Down is undoubtedly one of the great experiences in world golf, but it does not need to be the deciding factor in whether you take a Northern Ireland golf trip.
Sometimes the better approach is to play the courses that are available, enjoy the culture and craic along the way, and give yourself a very good reason to return to Ireland and play Royal County Down on the next trip.
F.A.Q section for how to play Royal Portrush Golf Club
This is particularly valuable because it captures the exact questions people ask Google and ChatGPT.
Can the public play Royal Portrush?
Yes. Royal Portrush accepts visiting golfers subject to visitor tee-time availability.
Which course should I play at Royal Portrush?
International golf visitors generally target the championship, Dunluce Links.
How far in advance should I book Royal Portrush?
For an international golf vacation, plan as early as practical, particularly if you also want to play Royal County Down and other high-demand courses.
Can I play Royal Portrush and Royal County Down on the same trip?
Yes, subject to tee-time availability. They are frequently combined within Northern Ireland golf itineraries.
What other courses should I play near Royal Portrush?
Portstewart and Castlerock are two natural additions on the Causeway Coast.
How many nights should I stay in Portrush?
Approximately two to three nights can work well when Royal Portrush and other Causeway Coast courses form part of a wider Northern Ireland itinerary.
Should I stay in Belfast or Portrush to play Royal Portrush?
For golfers playing several Causeway Coast courses, staying in or around Portrush generally reduces unnecessary daily travel.
Planning Royal Portrush for 2027 or 2028?
Contact us and request a quote by clicking here. Tell us your preferred dates, number of golfers, trip length, and the courses you would most like to play. From there, we can determine what is realistically available and design the trip around the golf.
