Portrush is a seaside resort town on a small peninsula on the Causeway Coast, built around a harbour, two long beaches, and one of the world’s best-known golf clubs.
Royal Portrush Golf Club
Founded in 1888 as The Country Club, extended to 18 holes the following year by Old Tom Morris, Royal Portrush is one of the sport’s genuine championship venues. It hosted The Open Championship in 1951 (won by Max Faulkner) and again in 2019 — its return after a 68-year gap — where Shane Lowry won his first major title by six strokes over Tommy Fleetwood. The club underwent significant course changes ahead of the 2019 Open, including two replaced holes on the Dunluce Course.
The beaches
West Strand runs along the town’s edge just outside the harbour; East Strand lies on the other side of the peninsula, separating the town from the open Atlantic. Both are broad, sandy, and popular for swimming and surfing in season.
The town
Portrush’s harbour sits at the centre of the peninsula, with the town’s shops, restaurants, and amusements built up around it. It’s the largest resort town on this stretch of coast and a natural base for exploring the wider Causeway Coast — the Giant’s Causeway, Dunluce Castle, and the Dark Hedges are all a short drive away.
Getting there
Portrush sits on the Belfast–Derry railway line via Coleraine, and is a short drive from Ballymoney via the A26.