Massereene Golf Club

The golf course sits just outside Antrim town, a proper 18-hole setup that's been around long enough to have sorted out what works and what doesn't. You get a decent test of your swing here - nothing brutally difficult, but enough undulation and strategic bunkering to keep you honest. The condition of the greens tends to be well maintained, and there's a certain quiet satisfaction about playing somewhere this established without the pretension of the top-tier clubs.

Golfers are the obvious crowd, obviously. If you've got a handicap and a car, this is straightforward stuff. Families staying at Six Mile Water Caravan Park or Blair's Castlewood Holiday Park are only minutes away, which makes it convenient if one of your group actually plays and the others fancy a break. You could knock round in three hours without rushing, four if you're taking it seriously.

It's a pay-to-play arrangement - you won't be getting through the gates for free, but pricing is reasonable for the standard on offer. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter if you're after fewer people ahead of you. The course doesn't particularly dominate your visit to the area, but if you're staying nearby and the weather cooperates, it's a solid option for a couple of hours. Not somewhere you'd travel miles for specifically, but excellent if golf's already on your agenda and you're based in North Antrim.