Golf courses in Northern Ireland
We list 97 golf courses in Northern Ireland, including 39 with 18 holes, 10 with 9 holes, 2 pitch and putt. 86% have a website listed.
Causeway Coast and Glens and Newry, Mourne and Down share the most courses of any district in Northern Ireland, with 14 venues listed each. Ards and North Down has 12, and Belfast has 10. Antrim and Newtownabbey and Mid and East Antrim have 8 venues each; Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon has 7, and Derry City and Strabane has 6.
The hole count is known for 49 venues: 39 of them are 18-hole courses and 10 have nine holes. Par is recorded for 20 of the 18-hole venues, and par 70 turns up most often, at 6, ahead of par 71 and par 72 with 4 each.
Where clubs state a course type on their own websites, parkland is by far the commonest answer at 28 venues, against 4 for links and 1 for heathland. Royal Belfast Golf Club near Helen's Bay reports 1881, the earliest year of founding stated, with Killymoon Golf Club near Cookstown giving 1889. A designer is named for only 7 venues, and Harry Colt is credited at 3 of them. Visitors are described as welcome at 38 venues; it is sensible to confirm access with a club before setting out.
At a glance
Courses by number of holes
| Holes | Courses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 18 holes | 39 | 40% |
| 9 holes | 10 | 10% |
| Pitch and putt | 2 | 2% |
| Holes not recorded | 46 | 47% |
Venues with several courses are counted once, with their total number of holes.
Type of course
| Setting | Courses |
|---|---|
| Parkland | 28 |
| Links | 4 |
| Heathland | 1 |
As described on the club website, for 33 of the 97 courses.
By council area or county
Click a column heading to sort.
| Council area or county | Courses | 18 holes | 9 holes | Links | Visitors welcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Causeway Coast and Glens | 14 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Newry, Mourne and Down | 14 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Ards and North Down | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Belfast | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Antrim and Newtownabbey | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mid and East Antrim | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Derry City and Strabane | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fermanagh and Omagh | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mid Ulster | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Visitors welcome: as stated on the club website; not recorded for the other courses.
Links courses
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballycastle Golf Club | 18 | 1890 | Causeway Coast and Glens | |
| Kirkistown Castle Golf Club | 18 | 1902 | Ards and North Down | |
| Ardglass Golf Club | 18 | Newry, Mourne and Down | ||
| Castlerock Golf Club | 18 | 71 | Causeway Coast and Glens | |
| Portstewart Golf Club (Strand Course) | 72 | Causeway Coast and Glens | ||
| Royal County Down Golf Club | 18 | 71 | Newry, Mourne and Down | |
| Royal Portrush Golf Club (Dunluce Links) | 18 | 72 | Causeway Coast and Glens |
Courses that welcome visitors: 10 of 38
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Belfast Golf Club | 18 | 1881 | Ards and North Down | |
| Killymoon Golf Club | 18 | 1889 | Mid Ulster | |
| Ballycastle Golf Club | 18 | 1890 | Causeway Coast and Glens | |
| Fortwilliam Golf Club | 18 | 1891 | Belfast | |
| Warrenpoint Golf Club | 18 | 1893 | Newry, Mourne and Down | |
| Portadown Golf Club | 18 | 70 | 1900 | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon |
| Kirkistown Castle Golf Club | 18 | 1902 | Ards and North Down | |
| Ballymena Golf Course | 18 | 70 | 1903 | Mid and East Antrim |
| Whitehead Golf Club | 18 | 1904 | Mid and East Antrim | |
| Carrickfergus Golf Course | 18 | 68 | 1926 | Mid and East Antrim |
Largest venues first. Visitors welcome as stated on the club website: check tee times and dress code with the club.
Oldest clubs
| Course | Holes | Par | Founded | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Belfast Golf Club | 18 | 1881 | Ards and North Down | |
| Killymoon Golf Club | 18 | 1889 | Mid Ulster | |
| Ballycastle Golf Club | 18 | 1890 | Causeway Coast and Glens | |
| Fortwilliam Golf Club | 18 | 1891 | Belfast | |
| Armagh Golf Club | 18 | 1893 | Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon | |
| Warrenpoint Golf Club | 18 | 1893 | Newry, Mourne and Down |
Founding year as given on the club website, known for 29 of the 97 courses.
Course designers
Architects named on club websites, with the number of courses listed here that credit them: Harry Colt (3).
By type of course
- 9-hole golf courses (10)
- Links golf courses (7)
Golf courses near a town
Frequently asked questions
- How many golf courses are there in Northern Ireland?
- We list 97 golf courses in Northern Ireland. 39 have 18 holes and 10 have 9 holes; 2 are pitch and putt courses.
- Which area has the most golf courses in Northern Ireland?
- Causeway Coast and Glens, with 14 courses, followed by Newry, Mourne and Down (14) and Ards and North Down (12).
- How many 18-hole golf courses are there in Northern Ireland?
- 39 courses with 18 holes are listed in Northern Ireland, out of 97 courses. The number of holes is not recorded for 46.
- Are there links golf courses in Northern Ireland?
- Yes: 7 courses are recorded as links, including Ballycastle Golf Club, Kirkistown Castle Golf Club and Ardglass Golf Club.
- Which golf courses welcome visitors in Northern Ireland?
- 38 courses say on their website that visitors are welcome, for example Royal Belfast Golf Club, Killymoon Golf Club and Ballycastle Golf Club. For the others this is not recorded: check with the club before you go.
- What is the oldest golf club in Northern Ireland?
- Among the 29 courses whose club website gives a founding year, Royal Belfast Golf Club dates back to 1881, followed by Killymoon Golf Club (1889).
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