Royal Portrush Golf Club: A Deep Dive into the Host of the 153rd Open Championship

Yahoo

16-07-2025

Royal Portrush Golf Club: A Deep Dive into the Host of the 153rd Open Championship originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
It's 1888, and two Scots — George Baillie and Thomas Gilroy — are standing on the windswept dunes of Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast, envisioning something extraordinary. At the time, they could not have known, but they were about to create what would become the only golf course outside Great Britain to host the Open Championship not once, but three times. As we approach the 153rd Open Championship, which kicks off tomorrow, their vision feels more prophetic than ever.
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A Royal Beginning That Started Humble
The story of Royal Portrush begins as "The County Club" — a modest nine-hole course that these founding fathers carved from the dramatic duneland between Portrush and Portballintrae. But this wasn't just any piece of land. Perched beneath the haunting ruins of 13th-century Dunluce Castle, with sweeping views toward the Scottish islands of Islay and Jura, this was nature's own amphitheater for golf.
Within just four years, the club had caught royal attention. In 1892, it became "The Royal County Club" under the patronage of the Duke of York, later King George V. By 1895, it had evolved into "Royal Portrush Golf Club" under the watchful eye of the Prince of Wales, who would become King Edward VII. You don't get much more establishment than that.
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But here's what makes the story truly remarkable: In 1947, a local lad named Fred Daly became the first Irishman to win the Open Championship. Four years later, in 1951, his home course would host the championship itself — the first time golf's oldest major had ever been played outside Great Britain. Max Faulkner would triumph that year, but the real winner was Portrush itself, proving it belonged on the world stage.
The Colt Connection That Changed Everything
In 1929, Royal Portrush made a decision that would define its destiny. They enlisted Harry Colt, the legendary architect who had already created masterpieces at Sunningdale and Wentworth, to help transform their course into something truly special. Colt designed more than 300 courses during his career, but many consider the Dunluce Links his finest work.
What Colt created was nothing short of genius. He took the natural undulations of the duneland and crafted a course that plays with both your mind and your swing. The result was a 7,337-yard monster that stretches across giant sand hills, offering up views that can distract you from the very real dangers lurking on every shot.
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The Beast That Awaits for the 153rd Open Championship
As the world's best golfers prep for this week's 153rd Open, they're facing a course that has been further refined since Lowry's emotional victory in 2019. The Dunluce Links now plays as a par 71 that can bite back harder than ever, especially when those Atlantic winds start howling.
Let me walk you through what makes this course so special — and so absolutely terrifying.
The Opening Gambit: The first hole, "Hughie's," might look innocent enough at 420 yards, but it's flanked by out-of-bounds on both sides. Many players will leave their drivers in the bag, opting for accuracy over distance. It's a psychological test disguised as a golf hole.
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Giant's Grave: The second hole was the second-easiest in 2019, but don't let that fool you. This 575-yard par 5 features a quartet of strategically placed bunkers and rewards those brave enough to take on the cross bunkers with their second shot.
The Calamity That Defines Champions: But it's the 16th hole — "Calamity Corner" — that truly separates the wheat from the chaff. At 236 yards, this par 3 demands a carry over a yawning chasm to a green perched 40 to 50 feet above disaster. In 2019, it yielded just 24 birdies all week — the fewest of any hole.
The Shane Lowry Magic of 2019
When the Open returned to Portrush in 2019 after a 68-year absence, something magical happened. Shane Lowry, playing in front of 237,750 spectators — second only to the Centenary Open at St. Andrews — delivered one of the most emotional victories in championship history.
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The preparation had been immense. Two new holes — the seventh and eighth — were created on land that had been part of the Valley Links.
Martin Ebert led the redesign, which included five new greens, eight new tee boxes and 10 new bunkers. The course was shortened from par 72 to par 71, but it was actually lengthened by nearly 200 yards to 7,337 yards.
Lowry's third-round 63 in deteriorating conditions was pure poetry. He didn't just win; he commanded the course like a conductor leading an orchestra through a complex symphony.
Republic of Ireland's Shane Lowry after winning the Claret Jug at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club; July 8, 2021. Credit: PA Images, Richard Sellers
What Makes 2025 Different
For the 153rd Open Championship, Royal Portrush has made subtle but significant changes. The fourth hole, "Fred Daly's," has been lengthened considerably from its 2019 setup, now playing as a true test of accuracy and distance at 502 yards. The new championship tee brings those menacing fairway bunkers fully into play.
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"The hole has been lengthened considerably and I think it is going to present a slightly different proposition to what it did in 2019," McNeill said. It's now stroke index one for members — a hole where even the world's best would gladly take four straight fours.
The Links That Time Built
What makes Royal Portrush so special isn't just its championship pedigree — it's the pure, unadulterated links golf experience. The course plays firm and fast, exactly as links golf should. The fescue grasses and sandy soil provide excellent drainage, even in Ireland's notoriously wet climate. But it's the wind that truly completes the picture, adding another dimension to every shot and forcing constant strategic adjustments.
The Dunluce Links is a living piece of golf history. From Old Tom Morris' exhibition match in 1889 to Rory McIlroy's course record 61 in 2005 — and Lowry's third round 63 that helped him win in 2019 — this course has witnessed some of golf's greatest moments.
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The Supporting Cast
While the Dunluce Links commands the spotlight, the Valley Links provides its own compelling story. This shorter, more intimate par 71 layout serves as home to both Royal Portrush members and the historic Rathmore Golf Club, whose famous members include 1947 Open champion Fred Daly and 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell.
The clubhouse, rebuilt after a fire in 1947, maintains the traditional atmosphere befitting such a historic venue. It's filled with memorabilia that tells the story of Irish golf, from vintage photographs to championship trophies.
2025 Memories to be Made
As we approach the start of the 153rd Open Championship, Royal Portrush stands ready to add another chapter to its remarkable story. The course, which began as a humble nine-hole layout, has evolved into one of golf's most respected venues.
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The Irish crowds will surely be out in force, hoping for another magical moment like Lowry's 2019 triumph. The course will be there too, waiting to test the world's best with its unique blend of natural beauty and strategic challenge.
This isn't just another Open Championship venue — it's Royal Portrush, where the Atlantic winds carry the echoes of golf history and where, in 2025, another champion will be crowned on one of the world's most spectacular stages.
Related: Why I'm Not Getting Cute with My Open Championship Picks
Related: When Magic Almost Happened: Remembering Tom Watson's Heartbreaking Dance With Destiny at Turnberry
Related: Gary Player Reflects on Royal Portrush's Return to The Open Championship
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.