When the club was formed in May 1888, it was known as the Country Club. It became the Royal Country Club in 1892, when H.R.H. The Duke of York was its patron. Finally the name was changed to "The Royal Portrush Golf Club" in 1895 with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales as patron.

Royal Portrush was the venue for the first professional tournament in Ireland in 1895 and in the same year the first ever Ladies Championships were held.

Royal Portrush has hosted its fair share of world class professionals. Peter Allis, Larry Mize and Tony Jacklin, the former European Team Ryder Cup Captain, are only three of a long list of golfers who have walked the Valley and Dunluce Links.

They experienced the excellent variety of greens and fairways and in many instances fell foul of the many hazards and traps on this unique course.

Royal Portrush has been portrayed by many golfers as one of the most challenging courses in the world. It is a testing course yes, requiring skill and concentration, but set in one of the most scenic parts of Europe.