History of Royal Portrush Golf Club

If Portrush owes the best part of its renown to golf, which has converted an erstwhile fishing village into a world-famous holiday resort, it is no less true to say that golf, and especially ladies’ golf, owes a considerable debt to Portrush.

– Max Faulkner playing in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 1951 –

Royal Portrush History Timeline

1888 – Club formed in May 1888, originally known as The County Club and was only a nine hole course

1889 – Extended to a eighteen hole course

1892 – Renamed as The Royal County Club, when H.R.H. The Duke of York was its patron

1892 – Irish Open Amateur Championship inaugurated at Royal Portrush

1895 – Finally named as The Royal Portrush Golf Club , with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) as patron.

1895 – Royal Portrush was the first links outside of England to house the British Ladies’ Championship, which was won by Lady Margaret Scott and has been played here another seven times since

1907 – Irish Professional Championship inaugurated at Royal Portrush

1929 – Harry Colt lays out plans for the Dunluce links

1930, 1937, 1947 – Royal Portrush plays host to The Irish Open.

1951 – ‘The Open Championship’ is played at Royal Portrush, the first club outside of the mainland UK to have hosted the tournament. Max Faulkner wins with a total of 285.

1982 – The 5th green and 6th tee area require emergency steps to be taken to prevent them being washed into the ocean after heavy erosion.

1993 – Ian Pyman wins “The Amateur Championship”.

1995-1999, 2004 – The Senior British Open takes place featuring some of golf’s greats, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson.

2012 – Royal Portrush hosts the Irish Open.

History in Detail

It was here that the Irish Open Amateur Championship was inaugurated in 1892, and the Irish Professional Championship in 1907. Portrush, in 1895, was the first links outside of England to house the British Ladies’ Championship, which was won by Lady Margaret Scott. The Championship was played here for the eighth time in 1995, and was won by Julie Hall from Felixstowe Ferry GC.

Altogether more than fifty national championships, British and Irish, have been decided here. The first professional tournament ever held in Ireland was run by the club in 1895. It was decided by match play, and the famous Sandy’ Herd, who was the Club’s first professional, was the winner; his opponent in the final was Harry Vardon, who was then a comparative unknown player, just coming up to the form that was to win him his first Open Championship in the following year. In July, Royal Portrush had the distinction of being the first Irish course to host The Open Championship, the winner being Max Faulkner with a score of 285 for the four rounds.

When the club was formed in May 1888, it was known as The County Club. It became The Royal County Club in 1892, when H.R.H. The Duke of York was its patron, and ‘The Royal Portrush Golf Club’ three years later, with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) as patron.

The links have undergone many alterations in the course of its existence. The nine-hole course of 1888 was extended to eighteen holes the following year, and at that time, eight of these holes were laid out on the landward side of the Causeway road. Gradually, however, the course was moved further and further into the sand hills, until the famous architect, Harry Colt, laid out his own plans for the Dunluce links in 1929. The unfortunate loss of land comprising the first and eighteenth holes of this layout led to the creation of the present eight and ninth holes under the guidance of P.G. Stevenson and Sir Anthony Babington in 1946.

There have been may famous golfers who have played at the Royal Portrush Club at one stage or another: Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Larry Mize to name a few. With Phil Mickelson and Mark Calcavecchia playing in 2002 and Davis Love III and Jim Furyk enjoying a game in 2003. Other major winners who have visited Royal Portrush include Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Steve Jones, Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw.