Hilton Templepatrick Golf Course

About twenty minutes north of Belfast, near Antrim town, sits an 18-hole course that takes itself seriously without the pretension. Hilton Templepatrick has been around for decades and it shows - the greens are properly maintained, the layout demands respect, and there's genuine character in how it flows across the parkland terrain.

You'll find a proper test of golf here. It's not brutally difficult, but it won't let you coast. The back nine especially requires focus, and if the wind's up it becomes genuinely challenging. The clubhouse has that comfortable, well-worn feel of a place that knows what it's doing - which means decent food, a bar that doesn't overcharge, and staff who actually know the course.

Golfers planning a week around Six Mile Water Caravan Park or Blair's Castlewood Holiday Park should absolutely pencil this in. It's close enough for an easy morning or afternoon round without eating your whole day. The course welcomes visitors year-round, though spring through autumn plays best.

It's not one of those Instagram-famous courses that'll impress your mates back home. But if you actually want to play golf - proper golf, not just walk around a scenic park hitting balls - this delivers. Allow a full three and a half hours minimum, more if you're not a quick player. Decent value too, assuming you book ahead through the club.