Most visitors tend to come to Northern Ireland for a week and that's certainly sufficient to see & play the key areas of this fertile golfing region. Belfast International airport has great flight connections from London Heathrow and there's a direct service to the USA through Newark with Continental. With Dublin Airport only two hours' drive from Belfast city centre, this is another feasible solution and Dublin is served directly by a broader choice of international long haul flights.
Night 1: Merchant Luxury
Belfast, a wonderful city steeped in a history which has seen darkness and yet now has a very positive and bright outlook. The yellow cranes that built & launched the Titanic amid a fanfare of flag waving and cheers are definitely worth taking a look at. There's also an exciting new Titanic tourism centre being opened to the public some time in 2012 to mark the centenary of the launch of the great ship. Of course, after possibly a long distance journey, a night of luxury and comfort is called for and the Merchant Hotel, a stunning 5 star hotel in the heart of the city provides the tonic. The rates are reasonable given the quality of accommodation on offer with a great selection of restaurant & bars and superb staff.
Second Day: First Day of Golf
A short 48 kilometre drive from Belfast, Royal County Down is to be found on the east coast, in the small town of Newcastle. Located at the bottom of Slieve Donard Mountain and by the coast, looking out towards Scotland, this truly magnificent piece of haven of golf has to be seen to be believed. Its distinctive topography with numerous whispy faced sand traps and most of all its unique and dramatic yellow and orange gorse create an unrivalled golf experience, unlike any other. In order to play at this wonderful golf course, you need to book in advance and can do so by contacting the secretary's office. Green Fees and golf reservations can be found at the Royal County Down Golf Club website. During the summer months' Ireland benefits from extended day light hours and you'll be able to play comfortably up to 10pm on a long June/July evening. Visitors are welcome to play on all day Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday mornings, all day Fridays and Sunday evenings.
Night 2 & 3: Stay at the historic Slieve Donard
Situated next door to Royal County Down is the Slieve Donard hotel. It's a fine 4 star hotel and is situated on sizable area of land. The hotel has a long and distinguished history and it celebrated its 110th year as a hotel in 2007.
Third Day: Second day of Golf - Ardglass Golf Club
Ardglass Golf Course in Northern Ireland is a "wee beauty" as the locals are known to say. Its features are unique and the view from the course is really enjoyable. The club and those involved with the club make you feel welcomed and this is especially true of out of towners! They are renowned for making you feel as if you're one of their own. It's a wonderful club and we really recommend it as a place to tee off. The price of tee times at Ardglass varies from between £43 to £62.
Fourth Day: Play at Royal Portrush Dunluce Links
A 90 mile journey north which takes approximately 2.5hrs bring us to another of the renowned and highly esteemed golf courses that dot the coastline of Northern Ireland and that's Royal Portrush. As befits a golf course of such quality, Royal Portrush has hosted many major events over the years. The Irish Amateur Championships were inaugurated here in 1892, while the first professional event on Irish soil was also hosted at Portrush in 1895. It wasn't until July 1951 though, that Royal Portrush made real headlines on the world stage, when it became the first (and last) Irish golf course to host the British Open Golf Championship, an event won by Max Faulkner with an aggregate score of 285 over four rounds. At present, Royal Portrush offers two fine links courses and while the Dunluce Course will always be regarded as the championship links, the slightly shorter Valley Course also represents a serious test of links golf prowess. Tee times for the more in demand Dunluce Course come in at between 75 - 150 depending on the time of the day/week you play. The Valley Course provides a much less costly alternative and the price of tee times range from 37 to 45 a round.
Night 4 & 5: Bushmills Inn
Situated in the village that is home to the world's oldest distillery, the quaint Bushmills Inn lies between the Giant's Causeway and Royal Portrush Golf Club. Since reopening in 1987, the Inn has come to symbolises the true spirit of Ulster hospitality and has been outstandingly successful in recreating its origins as an old Coaching Inn. The welcoming glow of four turf fires, oil lamps and stripped pine are just a few of the elements that give this historic inn its distinctive character. In the smokey bar, live music plays each night and the bartenders can give you ample advice on what whisky tipple is recommended.
A nice walk from Bushmills Inn is the Giants Causeway. It's nature made geo-formed rock formation on the coastline which is remarkable to view. Not only that, the walk to the rocks themselves is beautiful. If you don't fancy the walk, there's a small train that leaves from Bushmills and brings you to the bus stop from where you can bus it down to the rocks.
Fifth day: Play Portstewart Golf Club
Situated on Ulster's magnificent Causeway Coast, Portstewart Golf Club is one of the very few 54 hole complexes in Europe. The Strand Course is the golf course visitors wants to play and why not! Measuring 6,779 yards from the championship stakes, the Strand Course at Portstewart, which is set in classic links country amidst towering sand dunes, is a stern test but fair links layout and offers magnificent views of the Donegal Hills, Atlantic Ocean, Strand Beach and River Bann. And in days when development of new courses can run into millions of pounds, it is to the credit of Portstewart Golf Club, that their own staff has largely created the layout at the Strand Course.
Tee times on the Strand Course in peak season start from 80 up to 95 at the weekends.
Sixth day: Play Castlerock
Located close to Portstewart and Royal Portrush, Castlerock Golf Club is a classic links course set amid towering dunes and is a more than worthy neighbour to both these great Irish links. Comprising a mixture of inland and links holes, a game of golf at Castlerock will challenge every department of a your game and the opening hole aptly reflects the incredible experience of playing here. Measuring only 348 yards, with the prevailing wind trying to encourage your ball into the out of bounds on the right and a plateau green waiting to receive your approach, a par four here is a good return. The 200 yard par three 4th hole, called "Leg o' Mutton", is probably the signature hole at Castlerock and requires a tee shot struck over a river, with a railway track lurking to the right.
Tee times at Castlerock in peak season range between 65 to 80
Driving back to Belfast should take no longer than 2 hours.
Night 6: Back to the Merchant Hotel in Belfast to sign off in style
After departing Castlerock, the drive back to Belfast for the final night is a 1.5 hour drive, another night at the splendid Merchant hotel would be our recommendation to round off in style. There are of course other superb hotels in Belfast and it's a good opportunity to sample them on the final night of what has hopefully an enthralling week of Golf in Northern Ireland.
Seventh Day: Departure Day so fly home
Adare Golf Course, located just 25 miles from Shannon Airport in southwest Ireland, this is a great place to play a round of golf on a wonderful Irish course. Plus you will probably stay at the adjacent Adare Manor, just a short walk from the course. This 18-hole Championship Course opened in 1995 and the last major golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Senior is considered one of his finest creations.
