Rory McIlroy’s favourite courses
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I play golf all over the world, on some of the best courses – Augusta National, St Andrews Old, Wentworth West – but I still have a soft spot for the courses I grew up playing at home. Then there’s a lot of nice parkland courses around Belfast – Belvoir Park, Malone – and if you want to drive a little bit you can get to Royal County Down in 40 minutes. You can get to Portrush in an hour and 10, so head there and there’s a few good things to do in Newcastle and Portrush.
As for the rest of the UK, St Andrews is my favourite links course, and I really like Lytham – that’s a really fair golf course and I’d love to win an Open there. Loch Lomond is also a great course. I actually don’t spend as much time in the States as people think. When I’m in Europe I have a place in Monaco – and we’re spending money doing the place up, putting in a new en-suite, gym and bathroom. But the States is great; I’ve always loved it. I’ve played junior golf there since I was 10, and the people are always very friendly. It’s somewhere I’m very comfortable playing because my type of game suits the courses there. And I’ve had a bit of success there!
Royal County Down, Newcastle, County Down
Rory says: A gem of a links course. Known around the world, it regularly stands high in ‘top 100 courses’ guides, and rightly so. I played my only Walker Cup there, and though we lost as a team, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. When I’m home, I play the odd round with my mates at RCD, and I’d love to play a professional tournament there one day.
TG says: With the sea visible if not in play on the opening three holes, and the Mountains of Mourne providing a stunning backdrop whenever you play back towards the clubhouse, golf gets little better than this. The brilliance of RCD is in combining stunning aesthetics with the most exacting of challenges. An often-stiff sea breeze completes the picture.
Green fees: £75-£185.
Contact: 028 4372 3314; www.royalcountydown.org
Ardglass, County Down
Rory says: If you don’t include the big names like Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, the best links would be Ardglass.
TG says: Like near neighbour Royal County Down, you also drink in terrific views of the coastline. The start, along the cliffs, is wonderful and the pace is maintained impressively throughout.
Green fees: £49-£75
Contact: 028 4484 1219; www.ardglassgolfclub.com
Royal Portrush, Portrush, County Antrim
Rory says: This is among my favourite places to play in Northern Ireland, one of the truly great links courses. As a 16 year old, I played in the North of Ireland Amateur Open championship there, shooting that 61 course record. I’ve a personal love for the place. As a toddler, I watched my dad play there.
TG says: Harry Colt was the man behind Pine Valley and Sunningdale, but said this was his finest work. It remains the only course outside England or Scotland to have hosted The Open and its best quality is the absence of a single weak hole. US Open champion Graeme McDowell grew up playing here and it is also a firm favourite with Rory and fellow Ulsterman Darren Clarke.
Green fees: £155-£175
Contact: 028 7082 2311; royalportrushgolfclub.com
Holywood Golf Club, Holywood, County Down
Rory says: It’s my home course, and I have so many great memories from Holywood. It’s a really nice parkland course overlooking the Belfast lakes and the countryside. Holywood was a great course for me to learn the game on, it has all the traits that develop your game from playing it regularly.
TG says: The course overlooks the city and Belfast Lough with views that are unrivalled in the area. To score well requires accurate driving as opposed to length and good approach shots are needed to find the greens. You will find the course enjoyable and be amazed by the scenery.
Green fees: £25-£29
Contact: 028 9042 3135; www.holywoodgolfclub.co.uk
Belvoir Park/Malone, Belfast, Co Antrim/Down
Rory says: These are two of the other great parkland courses in Northern Ireland. Both are really close to Belfast city centre, so they are ideally located. I’ll go there and play a round in the morning with mates, then chill out and have a bit of lunch afterwards. Set in well-matured parkland, these two are definitely worth a visit.
TG says: Arranged in two loops of nine, Belvoir Park meanders through 136 acres of mature woodland and was designed by Harry Colt. Malone boasts 27 holes of parkland golf routed through mature woodland – and around a natural trout lake over which the short 15th plays – five miles from Belfast.
Green fees: Belvoir Park £65-£75
Contact: 028 9049 1693; belvoirparkgolfclub.com
Green fees: Malone £75-£85
Contact: 028 9061 2758; malonegolfclub.co.uk
