September 2025 – Played Royal Portrush (Dunluce) as part of a three-round/Ireland road trip along with Royal County Down and Ardglass. Portrush had just hosted the Open Championship and they were still working on repairing the range and on some other areas where there had been hospitality tents, et al. The course, though, was in great shape. Greens were speedy and the gorse and thick fescue were ball-gobbling threats on every hole.
I created the blog part of this site to be a little different than the other review sites and blogs in two ways: First, I talk a lot more about the non-golfing part of a destination or course (plus whatever non-golf related nonsense is in my head while golfing a course or writing the blog) and second, to give a hole-by-hole review from a bogey golfer not some scratch golfer who hits 300-yard drives and pin-point irons into greens.
I blather on about our non-golf experience in my Ardglass review and we weren’t able to stop at the world-famous Harbour Bar here as the thoughts of driving our big van through the narrow Irish roads after a few pops and in the dark was just too scary so we hightailed it out after our round – back to Belfast. However, true to my original concept of this blog, I will try and talk about the non-golf course attributes (IE booze, access, etc.) and will take the hole-by-hole review from the Portrush website and add my own advice/lowlights of when I played. I’ve been noticing that the last few write-ups (and beyond) I’ve gone more into my sucky scores on a course – here I will just talk about what another sucky golfer who reads it should expect.
Let me start out by saying I played Portrush like crap. After a strong round at Ardglass the day before, the wheels completely came off. I did play sub 6,000-yard tees at Ardglass but the green tees at Portrush only measured 6,300 yards (the blacks 5,950) so these are in theory the right tees for a 16 handicap to play. I just couldn’t get my short game together getting on these greens and I absolutely couldn’t get anything out of the sand (which was aplenty here). Let me also say that this is one of those courses that even while playing like crap, you can enjoy the hell out of it (especially as we had just watched the pros play here at the Open).
We got teamed up with a couple of guys from Singapore and their wives walked the course with us. We would play with them again at Royal County Down the next day. Great guys, will keep in touch, and if I ever go to Singapore, will hook up for a round.
All the other golf blogs and review sites all have Portrush in the tippety top of their rankings and I do too. Of course, my rankings include more than just the architectural aspects and resistance to scoring factors as those reviews do.
The clubhouse was what you would expect of a championship European course (IE Carnoustie) not a classic old European style clubhouse (IE RCD). They have all the requisite plaques on the wall and trophies in the case and it’s not stuffy at all. The Pro Shop had a lot of Open stuff so regular Portrush garb was sparse. What I liked about the Irish courses vs. Scottish courses was a much more American view toward drinking and drinking on the course. I talked in Ardglass about the cottage and they had a cabin here too with Guinness and other treats. Taking a screwy out on the course was no problem and was able to reload at the halfway hut (a lot of courses only have beers and seltzers but not here or Ardglass).
We had forecaddies through our Singapore friends and they helped with reads and finding wayward balls. Even still, I probably lost about a half dozen. Anyway, I’ll go into the course now but as an overall review, I put Portrush Dunluce just outside my top ten and right between Cabot Cliffs and Merion. The views are great, great course and conditioning, No homes (except the mobile home “camp” off of the first hole), and the overall vibe was really laid back for a top ranked course that just hosted its second Open.
You see above that the 5th, 6th and 7th holes are the only true ocean-front holes and the imposing dune-scape blocks ocean views from a lot of inland holes. However, the open views and sneaky elevation changes make for a beautiful, challenging and visually compelling track.
1. Hughies (362 yards – par four): You tee off right in front of the caddie shack/range house and across from the clubhouse. Pretty wide open look and to the right you see the brown area that was filled with hospitality tents for the Open. Pro Tip from the Portrush website: Unless against the wind, take a 3 wood or long iron for your opening tee shot. Crappy Golfer Tip: Well, we were against the wind and the openness of the hole eliminated the first tee jitters so I hit my driver. Green was nasty and the pin was up and to the left and had a roll off in front and to either side. As noted the sand here was soft and once I got caught in the DEEP front left bunker, I was there to stay until my Callaway found its way into my pocket. Don’t go in there. Below you see my approach and the bunker of whence I spoke.
2. Giant’s Grave (515 yards – par five): From my weak drive to show the bunker regular golfers have to deal with if they go a little left. You see the first cut wasn’t horrible but any further out and it was a lost ball (even if it was no more than a foot in the fescue). Pro Tip: The longer hitter will have to decide whether or not to take on the cross bunkers with the second shot. Crappy Golfer Tip. The cross bunkers shouldn’t be any issue as your second shot should be well short of them. The long iron into the green for a GIR will be your challenge oh crappy golfer just avoid the front right bunker.
You see the cross bunkers and beyond that the nasty looking bunker to the right of the green. This is where a good drive would put you and the cross bunkers do indeed impact your second shot here.
3. Islay (145 yards – par three): First par three and the 17th handicap hole. Your first glimpse of the ocean from here. Pro Tip: Everything tends to break in from the right side of the green. Crappy Golfer Tip: If you’re into the wind like we were, don’t pretend you’re good and drop down a club or two to attack a tough pin. Middle of the green or short is the better miss for people who tend to miss.
4. Fred Daly’s (435 yards – par four): The number one handicap. The real nice hotel along this hole (from what I heard) is owned by one of the Mannings and they had a bunch of friends there for the Open. Pro Tip: A real Par 4 1/2! Drive to the right of the big bunker to give you every chance of getting there in two. Crappy Golfer Tip: Who are you trying to kid, there is no way in God’s green earth you are getting there in two so play it like a par five and stay left!
The approach on four. These bunkers are called a “Principal’s Nose” and they are smack where a bogey golfer is likely to put his/her second shot. By the way most give Old Tom Morris design credit for Portrush but only one hole of his original routing remained and I think it was this hole. Harry Colt completely redid it in the 30’s and his routing more or less remains except some adjusting for the finishing holes for the 2019 Open.
5. White Rocks (363 yards – par four): The most beautiful and strategic hole at Portrush. Dogleg right and an ocean vista on the approach. You see the gorse and heavy fescue that abut the fairway on either side. What you can’t see is the white marker on the dune protecting the dogleg. Pro Tip: A longish carry over the mounds to the right of the white stone will be rewarded with a much shorter approach to the green. Crappy Golfer Tip. If you’re a slicer (and 70-90% of bogey golfers likely are – it’s true I looked it up), aim left of the mound and hope like hell you carry the shit.
From the fifth green – pretty spectacular right?
6. Harry Colt’s (170 yards – par three): For the first time, we got the wind at our back but big multi-tiered green with a pretty severe false front. Pro Tip: Usually requires a well struck long iron or fairway wood. Crappy Golfer Tip: OK you don’t know how to strike a long iron well so go with the hybrid and hope your off-center hit has enough gusto to clear the false front.
7. Curran Point (532 yards – par five): “Fescue to the left of me, big bunker to the right, here I am stuck in the middle with you.” Pro Tip: A real three-shotter. Drive left of the big bunker and you’ll be in good shape. Crappy Golfer Tip: Three shotter my ass. Just go ahead and put down a 7 or 8 because this hole is fraught with trouble.
Here’s the left-side of the eighth green I took while walking up the seventh. You’ll understand why I say for the next hole…
8. Dunluce (366 yards – par four): Left = death Pro Tip: Left should be avoided at all costs! The safe line from the tee is to the right of the bunkers. Crappy Golfer Tip: See even for the pros, left is to be avoided. Tough stretch of holes but the good news for crappy drinking golfers is the halfway hut is but another nine or ten swings away.
Approach on eight. It looks so easy from the fairway doesn’t it?
9. Darren Clarke’s (409 yards – par four): So I know Darren Clarke is from North Ireland but I was left to wonder why did they name this particular hole after him? I actually looked it up but I think they just named a hole after him to honor him and it just happened to be this one. Used to be called Tavern, I call it “Another Fucking Triple” (#3 handicap). Pro Tip: Drive to the left of the first bunker to give you every chance of reaching the green in two. Crappy Golfer Tip: Hmmm should I do a Guinness, a few Rock Shores or a Screwy at the turn?
The halfway hut of whence I spoke.
10. Himalayas (345 yards – par four): Named I suppose for the mountainy looking mounding. Pro Tip: Unless against the wind, a 3 wood or long iron over or just left of the white stone will put you into ideal position. Crappy Golfer Tip: Now that you have your drink, this is a bunker-less hole that gets more and more narrow the closer you get to the green. Into the prevailing wind. Take advantage though as it is shorter and manageable and it gets tough again soon.
11. P.G. Stevenson’s (437 yards – par five): Short par five with wind at your back. Crank it up! Pro Tip: A well struck drive in the fairway can bring the green into view. Crappy Golfer Tip: Did I say crank it up before? Don’t. Remember don’t try and kill the ball, it’s already dead.
From the approach on 11. Another Crappy Golfer Tip: No need to load up at the halfway hut after nine, you’re right back there after eleven.
12. Dhu Varren (475 yards – par five): Second par five in a row. This would be an awesome photo if I didn’t have the road in the shot. Who or what the fuck does Dhu Varren mean? It’s Gaelic. Dhu means Black but Varren doesn’t have any meaning. So it’s like my score at Royal Portrush black and meaningless. Pro Tip: Keep your drive down the left side of the fairway to avoid the bunkers on the right. Crappy Golfer Tip: My only par on the course so if I can do it, you should be able to as well.
13. Feather Bed (155 yards – par three): Back into the prevailing wind but a decent sized green. Easiest hole on the course. Pro Tip: Everything tends to break from front right to back left on this green. Crappy Golfer Tip: Yeah what he said.
14. Causeway (366 yards – par four): I think the green tees here were even worse than the whites even though they are 20 yards shorter. Whatever, it’s the number two handicap and is generally into the wind. Pro Tip: Avoid the big bunker to the left of the green at all costs. Crappy Golfer Tip: Don’t even take on that bunker. Put the ball in your pocket and run – don’t walk – to the next tee and stop at the halfway hut one last time. A bit of a walk but since the others in your group will be chipping and putting, it should be a breeze.
15. Skerries (362 yards – par four): Not sure why THEY called it Skerries but I called it Scurries as I had to scurry to the halfway hut and back before teeing off here. Pro Tip: Drive up the right hand side of the fairway for the best view of the green. Crappy Golfer Tip: Kind of cross wind pushing the ball left. Should fight the slice a little so you should be able to at least bogey this one.
Skerries from the fairway where my drive was (see it to the right) so you could be here too.
16. Calamity Corner (193 yards – par three): I called this hole, “Holy Fuck”. Wind at your back but right is death. Every one of us were down there and only my buddy Mike would find his ball and almost made an unbelievable chip and putt par. Pro Tip: One of the most famous holes in golf! Take plenty of club and hit for the back left of the green. Crappy Golfer Tip: Leave your pride in your golf bag and pull out the driver and aim left. Don’t go down the chasm like my buddy did to look for your ball, just take a favorable drop and hope for the bogey.
17. Purgatory (333 yards – par four): Shortest four on the course and downhill with the wind. The 13th green is right on the back side of our green. Pro Tip: Aim for the big black and white pole behind the green. Crappy Golfer Tip: Just make sure you’re aiming for your green and not the 13th.
18. Babington’s (390 yards – par four): A slight bender to the right with the clubhouse in the distance. Pro Tip: Drive left of the two bunkers for the best line into the green. Crappy Golfer Tip: Who cares what you score here or in total. Take it all in as you just played one of the top courses in the world. Cool shot below of the hole right before the storm hit in round two of the Open.
Golf Scrapbook 