Northern Ireland: Filled with surprises, including top-drawer golf

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It may come as a surprise for some to learn that golf in Northern Ireland ranks alongside the very best in the world. A well established fact among European golfers; it's not common knowledge on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. It may be difficult to comprehend how a country that is smaller than the state of Maine, with a total population no more than that of Philadelphia, could possibly become the golf power-house that Northern Ireland is today. But this is a country filled with surprises.

Northern Ireland's coastline is one of the world's most spectacularly beautiful.

Royal County Down - the ultimate links test and an experience to be treasured.

Giants Causeway is one of Nature's true marvels.

Belfast's impressive city hall is only one of many city sightseeing discoveries to be made.

Royal Belfast Golf Club, the oldest in Ireland, offers a testy parkland challenge.

Royal Portrush - Dunluce Course - ranked among the world's very best.

Portstewart is another crackerjack links course located close to Royal Portrush.

Old Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, near Portrush, has been in business legally since 1608 and welcomes visitors.

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Occupying the northeast corner of the island of Ireland, Northern Ireland is actually a province of Britain and a part of the UK. The currency of the realm is the British pound as opposed to the Euro which is the Republic's currency and in Northern Ireland, the red, white and blue of the British Union Jack replaces the orange, white and green striped tricolor flag of the Republic.

Despite these incidental differences, it doesn't take the first time visitor long to realize this is still very much the Emerald Isle, where most things Irish just seem to be more so. The Northern Irish are the friendliest and most accommodating people you will ever find and the scenery is arguably the most stunningly beautiful on the entire island. From the magnificently handsome coastline, to breathtaking glens and mountains, to the hushed tranquility of the interior lake-lands, Northern Ireland has been blessed with as generous a helping of picture-postcard good looks as any country -- and much more than most.

The coastline running north from Belfast to Portrush is one of Europe's most spectacular drives, culminating with the Giants Causeway, an amazing quirk of nature that classifies as one of the great wonders of the world. The Old Bushmills Whiskey Distillery, dating from 1608 and located close by, is another world wonder that should be sampled.

For those who may prefer city pleasures, the capital of Belfast is as vibrant a town as will be found in all of Ireland and during the past ten years, has become one of Europe's most fashionable. Boasting excellent shopping, fantastic dining, an impressive array of hotel choices and a nightlife that rivals Dublin's, a stay in Belfast places you within an hour or so drive of practically every attraction and golf course in the country.

The city of Londonderry, one of Ireland's most historic, is equally as enticing. Within its ancient walls, the best preserved in the British Isles, a carefully maintained 17th century city intertwines with the vibrancy of a fascinating community that is very much a part of today's world.

And this is still only the beginning of Northern Ireland's story. This tiny country measuring a scant 85 miles from east to west and only 110 miles from top to bottom, is literally filled with an astounding collection of top-drawer golf courses. The more than 90 layouts are simply superb, from some of the best links courses you will ever find, to wonderfully challenging inland layouts; this is as good as golf gets.

Proof of this can be seen in Golf Digest Magazine's 2009 ranking of the "World's Best 100 Courses Outside of the USA" where Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush holds the number 4 position. But even this impressive showing is bettered by Royal County Down, which leads the entire pack of 100, coming in at the number 1 position. Towering above all, including the most fabled names in golf, Royal County Down rules as the undisputed King.

While the crème de la crème links courses at County Down and Portrush are unquestionably Northern Ireland's star attractions and mustn't be missed, there is much more to this golf-rich corner of the Emerald Isle. Excellent courses are everywhere and because the country is so small and manageable, they are all easily accessible, located within a short drive of each other. A serious golfer could spend an entire month, wallowing in the wealth of golf courses. Even playing a pair of different layouts each day, there would barely be enough time to include every course that calls out to be played and still there would be some left out.

Spending a more realistic week, focused strictly on Northern Ireland's top courses such as Ardglass, Royal Belfast, Portstewart, Castlerock and Malone, together with Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, is still only skimming the cream from the top of the bottle. And there are other golfing temptations sitting just across the border with the Republic of Ireland and easily combined with a few Northern Irish courses.

It takes only a little over an hour to drive from Portrush, passing the ancient city of Londonderry, then across the border, into County Donegal and the pair of excellent links courses at Ballyliffin. There are even more top quality links courses just a little further along the Donegal coast, at Portsalon and Rosapenna.

From Royal County Down in the southern part of the country, the drive to Dublin will take less than two hours, passing Irish Open host, Baltray, County Louth, along the way. Once in Dublin, an entire new world of golfing choices will be yours, including a few more of Ireland's best -- Portmarnock, The European Club, The K-Club, Druids Glen and a delectable links gem called The Island among them.

Northern Ireland's small size and perfect location, gives it a wonderful flexibility to be combined, very comfortably with any number of other golfing havens, including Scotland's southwest coast. The frequent fast ferry services from Belfast to Stranraer in Scotland, accomplishes the crossing in little more than 90 minutes, making Turnberry Royal Troon and other Scottish courses, very combinable with any Northern Irish courses.

Northern Ireland has always offered excellent value for money, a situation that has only improved during the past year or so, as the US dollar has strengthened to a level where it buys from 25% to 30% more today than then. Trans-Atlantic airfares are also at their lowest levels in many years, making a Northern Ireland golf trip far more reasonably priced than you might anticipate, a situation which may not last too much longer.

Take Northern Ireland neat and undiluted, or in a mix with another golf destination, but be sure to find a way to include at least a sampling of the excellent golf contained within its borders in your itinerary. It's an enchanting little country that is fast becoming a giant as far as golf is concerned.

For more ideas and suggestions on getting the most out of your Northern Ireland golf trip, click here.

©2009 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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