Royal Portrush Golf Club
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Royal Portrush Golf Club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland is the only golf club outside of Great Britain which has hosted The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's major championships. It is considered a highly testing course, with a particularly scenic setting. The Dunluce Links course is rated number 4 of "The 100 greatest courses in the British Isles", Golf World 11/96. It was ranked number 12 in the world in Golf Magazine's biennial rankings of the Top 100 Courses in the World, often considered the gold standard of course rankings. Additionally Golf Digest ranks it as the third best course outside the United States.[1]
Situated on the beautiful North Antrim Causeway Coast, Royal Portrush occupies a triangle of giant sand hills with views of the hills of Donegal 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 13th century Dunluce Castle and this gives its name to Royal Portrush's famous Dunluce course.
This beautifully natural golf course is one for enthusiasts of the game but it is a difficult challenge for high handicappers and anyone who is liable to stray of the straight and narrow. From June or July on the rough is well named and discretion rather than bravery should be your watchword. Highlights of the course include the famous 14th, Calamity Corner,[2] a Par 3 in excess of 200 yds requiring a full carry to the green over an imposing ravine.
The 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. In 1957, when the club hosted the Open, the first and last time the event was held outside Great Britain, the victor was Englishman Max Faulkner. More recently the course has hosted the Senior British Open Championship in 1995-99 and 2004.
It has a second course, (The Valley), used mostly by members of the 'town' club Rathmore and the ladies and juniors of Royal Portrush. This is also a good test of golf although shorter and less demanding than the famous Dunluce links. Rathmore clubhouse and the ladies clubhouse are situated adjacent to the first tee. A nine hole pitch and putt course (Korea) starts from the same venue.
There is also a driving range, open to members only, where the club professional Gary McNeil and his assistants give lessons.
It is believed that Tiger Woods shot an 81 on this course during a round.
Rory McIlroy holds the course record with a 61.
[edit] The Open Championship
The Open Championship was staged at Royal Portrush only once, in 1951.
| Year | Winner | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | ||
| 1951 |  Max Faulkner 1st |
71 | 70 | 70 | 74 | 285 (-3) |
- Note: Superscript number besides the players name is the number of the open championship in their respective careers.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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