Daily Mail

FAIRWAYS TO HEAVEN!

A golf tour in Northern Ireland is a chance to see the country in all its glory

- By PETER MCKAY

Northern Ireland is often regarded unfavourab­ly by many outsiders because of its deep- rooted political and sectarian troubles.

the murder in April by the new IRA of Irish journalist Lyra McKee — and subsequent threats against anyone helping police to identify who shot her — was another blow to its internatio­nal reputation.

So the decision to stage the next open Golf Championsh­ip there, from July 14-21 — the first time since 1951 — is a great boost to local morale. It’s also an opportunit­y for the outside world to see the Six Counties in a positive light.

reaction has been enthusiast­ic and tickets for the event at royal Portrush Golf Club sold out some time ago.

northern Ireland’s rory McIlroy, who won the open’s Claret Jug at royal Liverpool in 2014, says: ‘royal Portrush is one of my favourite golf courses in the world. I think it will be a fantastic venue.’

I’ve been to Ireland many times, but never to the north. Ulster folk have a reputation for truculence — ‘the first to take offence; the first to cause offence,’ is a cynical remark I’d heard more than once in London.

But over a four- day golfing trip, I never encountere­d this supposed character deficit. Indeed, the people were noticeably more polite and cheerful than those I encounter in London and oxfordshir­e.

After overnighti­ng in the ultra-modern ten Square hotel in Belfast city centre, we played 18-hole Belvoir Parkk Golf Club, an exquisitel­y designed, mature-wooded reo course which is so close to downtown that t harland & Wolff ’ s giant t shipyard gantry cranes, s, Samson and Goliath, are e visible from some fairways.

After lunch at the club we visited titanic Belfast at the he docks, a moving, cleverly ly staged exhibition devoted to the doomed ocean liner’s final al hours over a century ago. A more poignant experience ce than the film, oddly.

outside, an elderly Japanese se couple were helped by friends ds to clamber onto a model of the he liner’s bow. there they sought ght with great dignity to reproduce uce Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate ate Winslet’s movie pose.

Afterwards, we strolled to the nearby Games of thrones: the touring exhibition. having ving never watched the TV show, it didn’t mean much to me, but those who had were fascinated.

the exhibition staff explained the costumes, weapons and other series artefacts in what I felt was an appropriat­ely-jokey-while respectful tone.

our next 18 holes the following day was at Galgorm Castle, Ballymena, home of the northern Ireland open, one of the finest parkland courses in Ireland. A delightful-walk in the park (followed by lunch) lun compared to our afternoon 18 holes — at the spectacula­rly hilly, hi Strand links course at Portstewar­t, Po close to the Giant’s Causeway Ca World heritage site.

We W teed off behind three teams of women. While we struggled up and an down vertiginou­s slopes, hunting hu in the unforgivin­g gorse for fo our balls, they forged ahead. they th were long gone from the course co by the time our exhausted foursome fo staggered onto the 18th.

After playing 36 holes in one day, d we dined and slept at the delightful d Bushmills Inn hotel, a former fo coaching inn near the world’s w oldest whiskey distillery.

next day, we faced another challenge ch — playing at the 7,317yard ya Dunluce Links, royal Portrush, in front of workmen and officials setting it up for the 148th open Championsh­ip.

It’s described as a masterpiec­e of golf architectu­re. the club boasts: ‘ Unimaginab­le rough and testing greens, combined with the unpredicta­ble weather of the roaring north Atlantic, make this course an admirable test for even the most seasoned golf aficionado.’ We AFICIONADO­S (not!) enjoyed delightful­ly sunny weather. And the north Atlantic for once declined to roar. Yet we were tested to the full. I was glad the stands erected for spectators — especially the giant horseshoe one at the 18th hole — were empty of witnesses to our course-criss-crossing progress.

how open contestant­s handle the ravine- spanning, 236-yard, par-3, 16th, known as Calamity, will be something to watch on TV. My second drive (the first sailed into the ravine) crossed the 180yard ‘carry’ beautifull­y, bouncing off the bank to the left of the fairway and rolling onto the green. Alas, I took three putts to hole, meaning I was down in a miserable six on a par three hole.

northern Ireland publicises itself as Made for Golf, listing no fewer than 95 courses. And while the open is sold out, why not just be there for this great occasion, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the big screen TV coverage in Belfast’s great pubs?

And all golfers should make a point of playing at royal Portrush before they retire permanentl­y to the 19th hole.

 ??  ?? Spectacula­r: Royal Portrush is a favourite of Rory McIlroy (above) and Peter McKay (inset)
Spectacula­r: Royal Portrush is a favourite of Rory McIlroy (above) and Peter McKay (inset)
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