Golf · The North Coast Corridor

Four links, one coast, five days

Royal Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock and Ballyliffin. The published 2026 green fees, the booking rules, and the order we would play them.

The quick answer

Base yourself in Bushmills. Play Royal Portrush (£475 for 2027, already fully booked for visitors; 2028 phone bookings open 2 February 2027), Portstewart Strand (£335 in summer, £195 in April and October) and Castlerock (£250 in summer), then cross into Donegal for Ballyliffin (€330 Glashedy, €550 for 36 holes). Book Portrush first. Every price on this page is from the club's own website, checked 28 September 2026.

We think the North Coast is the best golf week in Ireland that most Americans only half take. They fly in for Portrush, play it once, and leave. The courses either side of it are the reason to stay. If you want the southwest version, read Lahinch, Ballybunion and Waterville. For the east, pair this with Royal County Down.

01 · Portrush, County Antrim

Royal Portrush

Dunluce Links, plus the Valley

The anchor. Book it first and build the week around the tee time you get. The Valley is the round we tell groups to add, not skip.

Dunluce, 2027 visitor: £475
Valley, 2027 visitor: £225

The club lists 2027 visitor tee times as fully booked. Independent 2028 bookings open by phone from 9am, Tuesday 2 February 2027 (checked 11 November 2026).
Full, non-refundable payment when you book.
Walking only, with medical carts the exception.
Priced in sterling. Your card converts, so budget for the rate on the day.

Phone: See the club's visitor page · Source: the club's own page

Read our booking chapter

Sunset over the West Strand at Portrush, County Antrim — West Strand, Portrush. The town beach below the links, and the walk after the round.Photograph: Colin Park / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

02 · Portstewart, County Londonderry

Portstewart

The Strand Course

The front nine runs through the tallest dunes on the coast and is as good as anything in Ireland. April and October at £195 is the best value on this corridor.

May to September 2026: £335
April and October 2026: £195
November to March (mats in use): £70

Cancel 30 days or more before play for a 50% refund. Inside 30 days, no refund.
Member-only windows on the Strand each day. The club publishes them on its rates page.
Handicap requirement: NOT PUBLISHED. Bring your certificate anyway.

Phone: +44 28 7083 2015 · Source: the club's own page

Book on the club's tee sheet

Portstewart Strand Course among the dunes above the Atlantic — Photograph courtesy of Portstewart Golf Club

03 · Castlerock, County Londonderry

Castlerock

The Mussenden Course

The quiet one. Americans skip it and they are wrong to. Play it the morning you visit Mussenden Temple and Downhill Strand, which sit just along the shore.

May to September 2026: £250
April and October 2026: £175
Winter, to 31 March 2026: £66

Deposit and cancellation terms: NOT PUBLISHED. Ask before you pay.
Handicap requirement: NOT PUBLISHED.
Bann course green fee: NOT PUBLISHED on the visitor page.

Phone: 028 7084 8314 · Source: the club's own page

Book on the club's tee sheet

The Northern Ireland Edit

Castlerock Mussenden Course links fairway — Photograph courtesy of Castlerock Golf Club

04 · Inishowen, County Donegal

Ballyliffin

Glashedy Links and the Old Links

Cross the border and the currency changes to euro. The 36-hole day at €550 is the one to take: Glashedy in the morning, the Old Links after lunch.

Glashedy, 2026 visitor: €330
Old Links, 2026 visitor: €300
36 holes, same day: €550

All golf must be booked and paid for in advance.
Caddies and carts cancelled on the day are charged in full. Senior caddie €80 plus gratuity.
Green fee cancellation terms and handicap rule: NOT PUBLISHED.

Phone: +353 74 937 6119 · Source: the club's own page

Book on the club's tee sheet

Glashedy in the morning. The Old Links after lunch.

The five days

The order we would play it

Day one
Arrive, check in at Bushmills, walk the Causeway in the evening when the coaches have gone.
Day two
Royal Portrush, Dunluce Links. Dinner in Portrush, and book the table before you fly.
Day three
Portstewart Strand in the morning. The afternoon is Bushmills Distillery or the Valley, depending on the legs.
Day four
Castlerock, then Mussenden Temple and Downhill Strand. Cross into Donegal for the night.
Day five
Ballyliffin, Glashedy and the Old Links. Continue west to Rosapenna if you have a sixth day.

Longer trip? Our seven-day golf itinerary starts here and runs south. For the partner who is not playing, the Parallel Fairway has a companion day for Portrush. Browse the rest on the golf hub or read the Belfast Edit if you fly in there.

Mussenden Temple on the cliff at Downhill, County Londonderry — Mussenden Temple above Downhill Strand, the stop between Castlerock and the border.Photograph: D LN / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Where to stay near North Coast

Rooms we'd book ourselves

Real bases for visiting North Coast, vetted by us. Check your dates for current rates on the linked property's page. We earn a small commission if you book through these links, at no cost to you.

Questions

What are the green fees on the North Coast?

From the clubs' own pages: Royal Portrush Dunluce £475 and Valley £225 for 2027, with 2027 visitor times already fully booked; for 2026, Portstewart Strand £335 May to September and £195 in April and October; Castlerock Mussenden £250 May to September and £175 in April and October; Ballyliffin Glashedy €330, Old Links €300, or €550 for both on the same day.

How many days do I need for the North Coast golf corridor?

Five. Four courses, one a day, with an arrival evening. Add a sixth for Rosapenna in Donegal.

Which currency do I pay in?

Sterling at Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock in Northern Ireland. Euro at Ballyliffin and Rosapenna in Donegal.

Where should we stay?

Bushmills for the Antrim courses: the Bushmills Inn or the Causeway Hotel. Move into Donegal for the Ballyliffin night.

Can I cancel a North Coast tee time?

It depends on the club. Royal Portrush takes full non-refundable payment. Portstewart refunds 50% with 30 days' notice and nothing inside that. Castlerock and Ballyliffin do not publish green fee cancellation terms, so ask before you pay.

Royal Portrush

Portstewart

Castlerock

Ballyliffin

The order we would play it

Rooms we'd book ourselves

What are the green fees on the North Coast?

How many days do I need for the North Coast golf corridor?

Which currency do I pay in?

Where should we stay?

Can I cancel a North Coast tee time?

Plan the practical details