Royal Portrush Golf Club
Encyclopedia
Royal Portrush Golf Club is a private golf club in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It is the only golf
club outside of the UK Mainland which has hosted The Open Championship
, the oldest of golf's major championships
. The club has two links
course
s, the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links.
The Dunluce Links course is considered to be one of the best courses in the world. It was ranked at number 4 by Golf World in their list of "The 100 greatest courses in the British Isles" in November 1996. Golf Magazine ranked it at number 12 in their list of the Top 100 Courses in the World, and in 2005 Golf Digest
ranked it as the third best course outside the United States.
in the west, the Isle of Islay and Southern Hebrides
in the north, with the Giant's Causeway
and the Skerries
in the east. The course is overlooked by the ruins of the 13th century Dunluce Castle
which gives its name to Dunluce course.
The Royal Portrush Golf Club was founded in 1888 as "The County Club". It became "The Royal County Club" in 1892 under the patronage of the Duke of York
and assumed its present name in 1895 under the patronage of the Prince of Wales
. In 1947 club member Fred Daly
became the first Irishman to win The Open Championship, and four years later the club hosted the championship itself, the first and last time the event was held in Northern Ireland. The club has also hosted the Senior British Open Championship
between 1995 and 1999 and again in 2004. The club was also host to the 2010 Palmer Cup
. Daly's feat was repeated by club member Darren Clarke
in 2011
.
The second course at Royal Portrush is the Valley Links, and is used mostly by members of the 'town' club Rathmore and the ladies and juniors of Royal Portrush. It is shorter and considered less demanding than the Dunluce Links. Rathmore clubhouse and the ladies clubhouse are situated adjacent to the first tee. A nine hole pitch and putt course, named Korea, starts from the same location. There is also a driving range at the club.
after which the course was named. The fourteenth hole, named Calamity Corner, but locally known as just "Calamity" is a long 210 yard, uphill par three. It is played to a green over a huge ravine short and right, with mounds and hollows to the back and left of the green.
was staged at Royal Portrush only once, in 1951.
Following the recent successes of Darren Clarke
, Graeme McDowell
and Rory McIlroy
, the R&A has indicated that the Open Championship could return to Royal Portrush in the future.
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is the only golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
club outside of the UK Mainland which has hosted The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, the oldest of golf's major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
. The club has two links
Links (golf)
A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect...
course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links.
The Dunluce Links course is considered to be one of the best courses in the world. It was ranked at number 4 by Golf World in their list of "The 100 greatest courses in the British Isles" in November 1996. Golf Magazine ranked it at number 12 in their list of the Top 100 Courses in the World, and in 2005 Golf Digest
Golf Digest
Golf Digest is a monthly golf magazine published by Condé Nast Publications in the United States. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. Condé Nast Publications also publishes the more specialized , and Golf World Business. The...
ranked it as the third best course outside the United States.
Situation and history
Situated on the North Antrim Causeway Coast, Royal Portrush occupies a triangle of giant sand hills with views of the hills of DonegalDonegal
Donegal or Donegal Town is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. Its name, which was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall, translates from Irish as "stronghold of the foreigners" ....
in the west, the Isle of Islay and Southern Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
in the north, with the Giant's Causeway
Giant's Causeway
The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles northeast of the town of Bushmills...
and the Skerries
Skerries
Skerries is the plural of skerry, meaning a small rocky island.Skerries may refer to a number of geographical locations:-Ireland:*Skerries, Dublin, a seaside town in Ireland*The Skerries, Northern Ireland...
in the east. The course is overlooked by the ruins of the 13th century Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim , and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland...
which gives its name to Dunluce course.
The Royal Portrush Golf Club was founded in 1888 as "The County Club". It became "The Royal County Club" in 1892 under the patronage of the Duke of York
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and assumed its present name in 1895 under the patronage of the Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
. In 1947 club member Fred Daly
Fred Daly (golfer)
Frederick Daly was a Northern Irish professional golfer who was best known for winning The Open Championship of 1947 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.Daly was born in Portrush, County Antrim...
became the first Irishman to win The Open Championship, and four years later the club hosted the championship itself, the first and last time the event was held in Northern Ireland. The club has also hosted the Senior British Open Championship
Senior British Open Championship
The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open is a professional golf tournament for men aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour...
between 1995 and 1999 and again in 2004. The club was also host to the 2010 Palmer Cup
Palmer Cup
The Palmer Cup is an annual eight man team golf competition between American college golfers and European college/university golfers. It is named after Arnold Palmer. The teams are selected on the basis of nationality, not according to the location of the players' universities...
. Daly's feat was repeated by club member Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the...
in 2011
2011 Open Championship
The 2011 Open Championship was the 140th Open Championship, played from July 14–17 at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland won the event by three strokes for his first major championship victory.-Venue:...
.
The second course at Royal Portrush is the Valley Links, and is used mostly by members of the 'town' club Rathmore and the ladies and juniors of Royal Portrush. It is shorter and considered less demanding than the Dunluce Links. Rathmore clubhouse and the ladies clubhouse are situated adjacent to the first tee. A nine hole pitch and putt course, named Korea, starts from the same location. There is also a driving range at the club.
Signature Holes
On the Dunluce course at Portrush there are several signature holes on both the front and back nine. In particular are the fourth, fifth and fourteenth holes. The fourth hole is a long par four which is more than 480 yards from the championship tees, with out of bounds right and thick rough on the left. there are several bunkers in the undulating fairway and the green is placed between two small sand hills. The fifth hole is a relatively short downhill par four with a dogleg to the right. It has no bunkers but a heavily undulating green perched on the edge of a large drop down to the beach and has views across the White Rocks beach, and the Dunluce CastleDunluce Castle
Dunluce Castle is a now-ruined medieval castle in Northern Ireland. It is located on the edge of a basalt outcropping in County Antrim , and is accessible via a bridge connecting it to the mainland...
after which the course was named. The fourteenth hole, named Calamity Corner, but locally known as just "Calamity" is a long 210 yard, uphill par three. It is played to a green over a huge ravine short and right, with mounds and hollows to the back and left of the green.
The Open Championship
The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
was staged at Royal Portrush only once, in 1951.
| Year | |Winner | |Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | ||
| 1951 |  Max FaulknerMax Faulkner Herbert Gustavus Max Faulkner, OBE was an English professional golfer who won The Open Championship in 1951 and was renowned for his colourful dress sense.... 1st |
71 | 70 | 70 | 74 | 285 (-3) |
- Note: Superscript number besides the player's name is the number of the Open Championship in their respective careers.
Following the recent successes of Darren Clarke
Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the European Tour and has previously played on the PGA Tour. He has won 22 tournaments worldwide on a number of golf's main tours including the European Tour, the PGA Tour, the Sunshine Tour and the...
, Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour...
and Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007...
, the R&A has indicated that the Open Championship could return to Royal Portrush in the future.