[Scott Warren]

Given time to play three courses in the vicinity of Portrush. Which would you choose and why?

I'm looking at Portrush (Dunluce), Portrush (Valley), Portstewart and Castlerock and finding it hard to choose which one will be left out.

Until Sean and Tony returned from their recent jaunt raving about the Valley course it would have been a no-brainer.

Help!

[K. Krahenbuhl]

I haven't played your last two options, but I was also a big fan of the Valley and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

[Carl Nichols]

Scott:
I just got back from a trip where we played all four -- one round at each except for Dunluce, which we played twice.  Unfortunately we played the Valley in a driving rain, so I can't say that I really noticed a whole lot beyond where my ball was.  With that caveat, my view is that I would absolutely play Dunluce and Valley, and then it's fairly close between Portstewart and Castlerock, both of which have some great holes and some boring holes (and are priced almost exactly the same).  All things considered, I'd probably want to play Portstewart over Castlerock [primarily because the front at Portstewart is terrific], and since it's closer to Portrush, that would be my vote.  

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

Both the Valley and Royal Portrush are no-brainers for mine - given their close proximity with the township not too far away I'd suggest you stay near there. I haven't seen the others unfortunately.

[Bill_McBride]

I didn't play Portstewart but have heard the back nine is boring. That's why we didn't play there.   Both nines at the Valley and Castlerock are loaded with good holes although there were a couple of clinkers at Castlerock - I didn't care for the long par 3 ninth.

[Carl Nichols]

Scott:

Make sure you check out Rory McIlroy's scorecard from an amateur event held in 2005 (I think) at the Dunluce.  It's hanging on a wall in the men's locker room. 

The day we played the Valley course (in a driving rain), when we finished there was a small crowd hanging around a brand-new blue Ferrari in the parking lot where the Valley starts and finishes.  I assumed it was just some guys checking out a cool car, but when we got closer, we realized it was Rory.   

[Bill_McBride]

Scott:

Make sure you check out Rory McIlroy's scorecard from an amateur event held in 2005 (I think) at the Dunluce.  It's hanging on a wall in the men's locker room. 

The day we played the Valley course (in a driving rain), when we finished there was a small crowd hanging around a brand-new blue Ferrari in the parking lot where the Valley starts and finishes.  I assumed it was just some guys checking out a cool car, but when we got closer, we realized it was Rory.   

We were in Portrush after the Walker Cup in September 2007.  Rory was the local superstar there, quite the hero to the hometown crowds.  He was strutting around Royal County Down like he owned the place, it was quite a show!

[Al White]

Scott:

Make sure you check out Rory McIlroy's scorecard from an amateur event held in 2005 (I think) at the Dunluce.  It's hanging on a wall in the men's locker room. 

The day we played the Valley course (in a driving rain), when we finished there was a small crowd hanging around a brand-new blue Ferrari in the parking lot where the Valley starts and finishes.  I assumed it was just some guys checking out a cool car, but when we got closer, we realized it was Rory.   

We were in Portrush after the Walker Cup in September 2007.  Rory was the local superstar there, quite the hero to the hometown crowds.  He was strutting around Royal County Down like he owned the place, it was quite a show!

Rory has been the local superstar for a long long time   I was playing a pro-am in 2004 – the pro in our group raved about the then 14yo Rory and promised he’d be top 5 by the age of 21.  Seems like a reasonable prediction now.

To the OP – Dunluce and Portstewart are a must.  I’d go with Castlerock over the Valley simply because it will give you a better feel for the overall area.  You’ll look over the Bann and be surprised how close you are to Portstewart.

[Sean_A]

Dunluce and Portstewart are two must sees for the first time visitor.  I think I prefer the Valley over both because its much more manageable for a player of my calibre, but there are some clunkers holes, the par 3s are not terribly strong - especially for a Colt course - bottom line - it isn't a great course. Because of the cost we didn't venture to Castlerock and opted for two days at the Valley instead. If I went again, I would probably sacrifice Dunluce (it really is too expensive) for Castlerock.  

Ciao  

[Sean Leary]

Portstewart was excellent and definitely worth a play. Back nine is not as dramatic as the front, but it is quite good.

[Scott Warren]

Many thanks guys. I'd probably go Portrush Dunluce, Portstewart and Castlerock on the strength of that, with a quick wander around the Valley course before/after playing Dunluce

Got a decision to make now.

Have to choose between doing this trip, or RCD combined with Druids Glen and Druids Heath (a mate lives nearby the two in Wicklow).

Decisions, decisions...

[Emil Weber]

Scott,

If you go down to wicklow, you could play the European Club -  see Ran's profile. I think both Glen and Heath are good layouts although quite american in style while Druid's Glen is the more eye-catching of the two. If I had a choice, I'd go with the European any time.

[Scott Warren]

My mate is a member at Druids Heath and wants to show it to me and has a free two-ball for Druids Glen, so we would be playing those two.

Euro Club I have heard very mixed reports on, and for nigh on £200 I'm not out to take any great risks. Likewise Portmarnock at £170 or so and The Island at £130 (prices after conversion).

For less than Portmarnock or Euro Club and about the same as The island I can play Portrush or County Down midweek. No brainer! And as someone who used to commute by road for 3.5-4hrs a day for work back in Aus, the drive from Down to Wicklow doesn't bother me too much.

[Sean_A]

My mate is a member at Druids Heath and wants to show it to me and has a free two-ball for Druids Glen, so we would be playing those two.

Euro Club I have heard very mixed reports on, and for nigh on £200 I'm not out to take any great risks. Likewise Portmarnock at £170 or so and The Island at £130 (prices after conversion).

For less than Portmarnock or Euro Club and about the same as The island I can play Portrush or County Down midweek. No brainer! And as someone who used to commute by road for 3.5-4hrs a day for work back in Aus, the drive from Down to Wicklow doesn't bother me too much.

Holy Euros Scott!  How much (in Euros) does Portmarnock charge for a round?  

I think TEC charges more like £155 a round.  Still, waaaaaaay too much for that course, but considerably cheaper than £200.

Ciao

[Scott Warren]

Sean,

have done a proper conversion for the Republic courses to pounds and here is how it comes out:

Portrush - £125wd, £140we
RCD - £145wd-PM, £160wd-AM, £180we
Portmarnock - £154wd, £171we
Euro Club - £154

[Tony_Muldoon]

Scott perhaps I'm not following you but when I make it to Oz I won't be figuring out which second tier courses to play. As good as all the others are if your budget/time only allows you to play Dunluce AND RCD you'll go home a happy man.

To answer your Q

Dunluce
Valley
Portstewart
Castlerock.  I like all 4 but with the least 'linksy' turf this one gets the least play from me. It's also 1 mile and 40 mins from Portstewart. 
Cheers Tony

[Scott Warren]

Tony,

And there's the rub. You have touched on my nagging inner voice, which is saying "take an extra day off work, play Portrush and RCD, then hotfoot it down to Wicklow for a weekend of golf and craic with your mate"...

[Kevin Pallier]

Scott

I was travelling alone when I went to Nth Ireland and I suggest if you want to do the area justice you allow yourself more than a few days to view same.

I would consider - flying to Dublin having a quick look around there then heading upto County Louth. Play there then head to Newcastle to play RCD and potentially Ardglass. Drive up via the Antrim coast to Portrush then come home. Make a long weekend out of it and fly home via Belfast perhaps ?

[Scott Warren]

That's sort of the plan, KP, but I won't have that much latitude.

My missus and I have friends in Wicklow and like my missus, the female friend rides horses, so it's a great chance for me to get some golf in with my mate while she logs some horseback hours, and blag some brownie points for taking her away for a weekend.

Of course I wouldn't fly all that way to play Druids Glen and Heath, so before my missus flies over for the weekend, I plan to spend some time (I was thinking one day, but two is looking more likely now...) checking out Northern Ireland.

Taking your suggestion to a workable extent, I'm thinking I could fly to Derry, play Castlerock/Portstewart and Portrush in a day, stay in Portrush and drive in the morning to RCD, play there and comfortably be at Dublin airport to pick the Good Lady up from an after work Friday evening flight ahead of a weekend in Wicklow.

I could try to fit one or two more courses in, but where do you stop?

NOTE - Just in case anyone is reading the above and thinking "well then why the f**k did you ask about playing three courses around Portrush?", the initital plan was a localised visit only, before I saw how short the drive was from up there to Dublin/Wicklow and decided I could work it in with a visit to my mate.

[Kevin Pallier]

Scottt

You have to do yourself a favour and play RCD. It's much better than Portrush

As for your question "I could try to fit one or two more courses in, but where do you stop?" Tell me about it - that's pretty much all I've been thinking about for the past month or so 

[Carl Nichols]

Taking your suggestion to a workable extent, I'm thinking I could fly to Derry, play Castlerock/Portstewart and Portrush in a day, stay in Portrush and drive in the morning to RCD, play there and comfortably be at Dublin airport to pick the Good Lady up from an after work Friday evening flight ahead of a weekend in Wicklow.

I could try to fit one or two more courses in, but where do you stop?

What about flying to Belfast, playing RCD 2X or 3X, and then heading to Dublin?  I realize that would make the golf more expensive, but (1) RCD is head and shoulders above those other courses; (2) when I was there recently, RCD's visitor rounds were down substantially, so you might be able to get a deal; and (3) you could save the Portrush-area courses for another time when you could also play Ballyliffin. 
Just a thought.

[Scott Warren]

The only risk there, Carl, is that I may never return to Northern Ireland, despite all good intentions, and then I'd go without seeing Portrush...

[Sean_A]

"You have to do yourself a favour and play RCD. It's much better than Portrush."

This thread keeps throwing out surprises.  I have never heard anyone say or hint at the above until now.  Obviously, I seriously disagree with this assessment, but RCD is one of those courses that is worth a serious detour to see.

If I would have known you were into the belt notches I would have said from the get go that Dunluce, Portstewart, RCD and The Island are the courses to see on that side of the country.  If you are seriously into the notches then replace Portstewart with Portmarnock, but I don't think there is anything between the two in terms of quality.  Fly into Derry and work your way down to Dublin and meet yer mate.  If time is an issue, get a rental which you can ditch at Dublin airport.  No sense in driving down then back up or vice versa.

Ciao

[James Boon]

Scott,

Sounds like you are almost there with your plans, but here is another suggestion to mull over...

I seem to recall you mentioing you made a trip to see the Cheese Rolling in Gloucs, so you are obviously happy to travel round this mad but beautiful country to get the full experience while you are here. And after all there is more to life than just playing golf, so...

Fly into Belfast, drive along the coast road with its stunning scenery of Antrim, round to the Giants Causeway. Stop of at Bushmills for a drop of Whiskey then play the Dunluce and perhaps the Valley if the flight in gives you enough time. I would put those none golfing experiences ahead of playing some of the areas second tier courses, good though they may be? Next day is down to RCD then Dublin etc as you have said...

Cheers,

James

[Ian Dalzell]

Scott, as a member of both Portrush and Portstewart, I would tell you that the courses stack up as follows, in my opinion:

Dunluce
Portstewart
Castlerock
Valley @ Portrush

Dunluce is the jewel of Northern Ireland, and while RCD is also great, I would not forego Portrush just to travel to RCD.  Stay in Portrush and you could play Dunluce, Valley and Portstewart and not drive more than 4 miles - pretty enticing!!

If you go to Portrush, please ask for my friend Gary Stevenson if you need a caddie. A great player in his own right, his Dad and Grandfather were past Head Professionals at Portrush, so there is no better guide that Gaz as he is known.

Let me know if you need any advice - cheers! 

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