Acclaimed TV show Golf’s Greatest Holes has embarked on an exciting journey, filming ‘The Open Special,’ a new series devoted to the iconic 18 holes at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
This series, aimed at a global audience, is set to air ahead of the 153rd Open Championship in July 2025.
Joining the show’s hosts, Paul McGinley and Chris Hollins, is local favourite and Honorary Club Member Darren Clarke, the 2011 Champion Golfer.
Darren expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I’m thrilled to be involved in portraying the wonderful golf holes at Royal Portrush in the new series of Golf’s Greatest Holes, because in my eyes they all qualify for that description on the Dunluce Links.”
Darren teed off on the 1st hole, reminiscent of his opening shot during The Open’s return to Northern Ireland five years ago.
The series will feature several other stars and celebrities from Ireland, all of whom are passionate about golf.
This project, supported by Tourism Ireland, aims to showcase Northern Ireland’s top-tier golf courses and promote the Dunluce Links, where Shane Lowry triumphed in 2019.
Gary McNeill, Head Professional at Royal Portrush, remarked, “We’re very proud to have the new series focus its attention on the entire Dunluce Links, which is in marvellous shape right now and its condition is as good as I’ve ever seen it in my 25 years at Royal Portrush.”
This series marks a first for Paul McGinley, featuring multiple holes from a single course, unlike the first series, which highlighted individual holes from 30 courses across Ireland, including the future Ryder Cup venue, Adare Manor.
The show will reach audiences in over 180 countries, including the USA, China, and Australia, with its UK premiere on Sky Sports.
Paul emphasised the special nature of this series, stating, “Having a legend of the game and one of the best exponents of Links golf in the modern era like Darren make an appearance in the show is the icing on the cake for this one-off series about a very special golf course.”
Tourism Ireland’s Head of Great Britain, Julie Wakley, added, “As excitement builds for the return of The Open to Royal Portrush in 2025, Tourism Ireland is delighted to support the production of this exciting six-part TV series, ‘Golf’s Greatest Holes – The Open Special’.
With a huge number of viewers set to tune in when the series airs on Sky Sports, we’re presented with a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on Northern Ireland’s world-class golf and destination offering and encourage British golfers and holidaymakers alike to visit Northern Ireland for their next trip.”
The series is filmed using 4k super high-definition cameras and drones, ensuring stunning visual quality.
Ci Global, a leading electrical technology company known for its innovations in fire safety and smart energy solutions, headlines the sponsors. Other supporters include Your Golf Travel, Motocaddy, and Galvin Green.
Since its inception in 2021, the first series of Golf’s Greatest Holes has reached an estimated 1 billion non-unique households in 189 countries, benefiting from repeated broadcasts by over 40 networks and many airlines.
It has also engaged around 50 million digital viewers and garnered significant social media attention.
For more information, visit www.golfsgreatestholes.com.
