Galgorm Castle Golf Club

9.0

Excellent See all 2 reviews

Galgorm Castle Golf Club is one of Northern Ireland's finest Championship parkland courses and a properly proven tournament venue. It is the only parkland in Northern Ireland to have hosted the Irish Open on the DP World Tour and is the perennial home of the Northern Ireland Open and the ISPS Handa World Invitational, a tri-sanctioned DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour event.

Wayne 'Radar' Riley from Sky Sports Golf puts it best: "If you come to this part of the world to play the great links courses of Northern Ireland, you've got to come to Galgorm too."

Designed by Simon Gidman and opened in 1997, the layout sits within the historic Galgorm Castle Estate. It's a walkable, gently undulating test with plenty of mature trees and estate scenery, with the 17th century castle visible from the 10th green. Kevin Markham calls the 10th "wild, spacious and enthralling", and it's exactly the sort of inland hole that sticks with you long after the round.

If you're building a Northern Ireland itinerary, Galgorm is the ideal contrast to the big-name links, with tour-level conditioning, strong practice facilities and a modern clubhouse for a proper post-round wind-down.

Who is this for? Golfers or groups seeking a Championship parkland test in Northern Ireland that combines tournament-quality golf with historic estate surroundings, modern clubhouse facilities and the option of luxury hotel accommodation.

Who is it best for? Mid-to-low handicappers who want to play a genuine tour venue with strategic water hazards and mature parkland character, plus anyone looking to balance Northern Ireland's famous links courses with a top-tier inland layout.

Top Offers

Sorry, we can't find a package for Galgorm Castle Golf Club on your selected date

Please try another date, or alternatively, call our Golf Experts who can create a fully customised package for you for any date in less than 60 seconds!

0800 043 6644

Golf Courses at Galgorm Castle Golf Club

Galgorm Castle

Galgorm Castle Golf Club

The course is bordered by the rivers Maine and Braid, which come into play on numerous holes. The Braid joins the Maine behind the 14th tee box, flowing onwards to Lough Neagh. Five lakes are scattered throughout the parkland, and the magnificent oxbow of the Braid sits adjacent to the 4th green and 15th teeing areas, home to the resident otter.

"To have one river bordering a golf course is something special but to have two is truly exceptional. Along with many fine parkland trees and a Jacobean Castle in the centre of the estate made for an outstanding basis for a golf course" (Simon Gidman, Course Architect).

A variety of teeing areas provide an exciting and enjoyable challenge for golfers of all abilities, not just tournament professionals, although the course stretches to almost 7,300 yards and plays as a par-70 from the championship tees. From the regular men's tees, the course measures a more manageable 6,500 yards, while forward tees bring the layout down to around 5,800 yards, making it accessible for higher handicappers and mixed-ability groups.

"This might be one of the toughest courses I've played on the European Tour," (2019 Open champion Shane Lowry, during the 2020 Irish Open).

The routing takes full advantage of the estate's natural features. Water is a constant theme, so a sensible line off the tee tends to beat the heroic one. The gentle undulation creates interesting lies and approach angles without punishing walkers, while mature trees frame fairways and define strategic lines. The 10th hole, visible from the estate entrance, is a standout, a wild, spacious par four that captures the character of the entire layout.

After your round, enjoy the surroundings of the Castle Kitchen + Bar and its adjoining Walled Garden and Castle Barn, one of Ireland's most vibrant and modern clubhouses. The Academy incorporates a 6-hole pitch and putt course, a floodlit driving range with 18 covered and six open bays, plus a short game area where the team of PGA Professionals offer comprehensive practice and teaching facilities for beginners through to experienced and elite players.

Course Information
Par	72 (70 from Blue tees)
Designed by	Simon Gidman
Opened for play	1997

Tees
Blue	7,276 yards	SSS 74.3
White	6,602 yards	SSS 72.6
Green	6,101 yards	SSS 69.8
Red	5,505 yards	SSS 72.4

How to get to Galgorm Castle Golf Club

Galgorm Castle Golf Club is located 30 miles north of Belfast off the A26, 3 miles west of Ballymena

Address: Galgorm Rd, Galgorm Parks, Ballymena BT42 1HL

Accommodation at Galgorm Castle Golf Club

Where to stay

If you're turning this into a proper Northern Ireland golf break, it's hard to ignore Galgorm Resort & Spa. Set across 400 acres with the River Maine running through the estate, it's ideal for groups who want a great post-round set-up and for couples where one of you is more spa than scorecard.

The resort offers a range of room types, from classic doubles through to suites and riverside lodges, all with a modern, understated finish that suits the estate setting. Non-golfers have plenty to keep them occupied, the thermal spa village is one of the best in Ireland, with outdoor hot tubs, riverside saunas and treatment rooms that make a strong case for a rest day mid-trip.

Dining is sorted on-site too. The River Room restaurant covers fine dining, while the Gillies Grill does relaxed steaks and grills if you want something less formal after a long day on the course. There's also the Castle Kitchen + Bar at the golf clubhouse, which means you can stay close to the 19th if the group isn't ready to head back just yet.

For societies or larger groups, the resort can arrange everything from private dining to spa packages for partners, and the golf team will sort tee times, buggies and any course queries. Transfers from Belfast are straightforward, it's a 30-mile run north on the A26, so you can be on the first tee within an hour of landing. If you're mixing Galgorm into a wider Northern Ireland trip that includes Portrush, County Down or Portstewart, the location works well as a comfortable inland base before or after the coastal stretch.

How to get to Galgorm Castle Golf Club

Galgorm Castle Golf Club is located 30 miles north of Belfast off the A26, 3 miles west of Ballymena.

Address: Galgorm Rd, Galgorm Parks, Ballymena BT42 1HL

What Our Golfers Say

9.0

Excellent

2 reviews

Condition overall 10.0

Condition of greens 9.0

Speed of round About right

Value for money 10.0

Facilities 10.0

Difficulty Hard

These reviews are from verified Your Golf Travel customers.

Sarah

✓

12 Mar 2019

Very Good

8.0

Brilliant golf on this fantastically maitained course. Excellent greens. A true gem of a place

Simon

✓

25 Sep 2018

Excellent

10.0

Lovely parkland setting, bit showery on the day, lots of water, trees and bunkers make it a hard course but great fun.

Showing 2 of 2 reviews