Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
The Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush is one of the world's most challenging links courses, named after the dramatic ruins of Dunluce Castle perched on a basalt cliff. Originally designed by legendary architect Harry Colt, the 18-hole course offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and dramatic coastal terrain shaped by shifting sands and dunes.
The course underwent significant redesign between 2015 and 2017 in preparation for The Open Championship in 2019, led by architect Martin Ebert. The renovation included construction of five new greens, eight new tee boxes, ten new bunkers, and two entirely new holes (the 7th and 8th), created on land formerly part of Valley Links.
Dunluce presents a fair yet scenically stunning challenge characterized by strategic shot-making, narrow green entrances, and demanding bunkering. Notable holes include the 5th (White Rocks), a dramatic dogleg playing downhill to a green perched on the Atlantic's edge, and the iconic 16th (Calamity Corner), a par-3 where the green drops away to a yawning chasm, requiring precision placement rather than distance. Throughout the course, accuracy and strategy prove more valuable than length, with coastal views and natural hazards providing both challenge and beauty.
