How Would the Average iGolfer Fare at Royal Portrush?

The Open returns to Royal Portrush in 2025, and it’s got us wondering… what would you shoot if you teed it up where the pros do?

Let’s set the scene.

Royal Portrush’s Championship Course (Dunluce Links) is one of the toughest tests in golf. When The Open was hosted here in 2019, the Blue tees stretch to a daunting 7,319 yards, with a Course Rating™ of 76.2 and a Slope Rating™ of 140.

That’s seriously tough – and worth noting, those numbers are based on the everyday Blue tee setup for men, not necessarily the exact setup used for The Open, which could have played even tougher.

Still, using the available data, we can run the numbers…

The Average iGolf Subscriber

Let’s take our typical iGolf subscriber – playing to a Handicap Index of 19.0. On the Blue tees at Portrush, that converts to a Course Handicap™ of 28.

Here’s how that average golfer performs, based on our data:

• Fairways hit: 54%
• Fairways hit with driver: 48%
• Putts per round: 34–36

So, how would they score on this 7,319-yard monster?

A Realistic Outlook

Even with 28 strokes to work with, Royal Portrush would be a brutal test. Factor in firm, fast links conditions, deep bunkers, penal rough, and winds off the North Atlantic, and it’s no surprise this place can humble even the best.

Let’s estimate a breakdown:

• Tee shots: With only a 48% fairway hit rate when using driver, expect several tee shots to find trouble – adding penalty strokes or requiring recovery plays.
• Approach shots and short game: With tough conditions and penal hazards, recovering will be challenging and mistakes costly.
• Scrambling + Putting: Greens would be lightning quick and heavily contoured. Misses around the green will be punishing.
• Blow-up holes: With 140 Slope Rating™ and Open Championship rough, big numbers are lurking.

Final Estimate: Score of 105–115

For an iGolf subscriber with a Course Handicap of 28, that puts a predicted score somewhere between 105 and 115.

Yes, you’d likely have a few decent holes. Yes, you might sneak a par or two. But on average, this is a track designed to test the best in the world – and it does exactly that.

Fancy Taking On a Championship Course?

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