Roe Park Resort – The Causeway Coast’s Base Camp

The short par four 14th

“Have you stayed with us before?” the receptionist at the four star Roe Park Resort asked with a friendly smile.

“I have,” I replied. “I slept very well in your car park.”

The smile slipped.

She didn’t ask any further, so I didn’t get to explain that I was referring to a night in my camper van, back in 2008. I suspect she thought I was a drunken wedding guest enjoying a night of comfort with a shrub. Roe Park is a popular destination for weddings, and when you see the facilities you’ll understand why. The hotel has separate restaurants, some luxury suites and a driveway that makes the hotel feel as if it is miles from anywhere – even if the town of Limavady is only next door.

Views over the first few holes from the hotel.

But this is an ideal golf destination too, for many reasons: it has an entertaining 18-hole parkland wrapped around the hotel – you drive alongside the 1st, en route to the hotel; it has excellent golf facilities, including three practice holes and a full scale, floodlit driving range. There’s the restaurant and bar scenario mentioned above, the proximity of the pro shop and golf course itself (the 6th hole glides upwards right outside The Coach House Brasserie)… and then there’s the hotel’s location for some of the best links courses in the world. Within half an hour’s drive you have Royal Portrush, Portstewart, and Castlerock; within an hour you have Ballyliffin and North West. Stretch to 90 minutes and you have Portsalon, Rosapenna and Ballycastle.

Views over the 7th green and 8th hole.

In the last year the resort has invested over £200,000 in the upgrade of the course. The three new practice holes are only a part of it, as there are also new greens and some fairway realignments. It is all adding to a rapidly maturing parkland and one with an excellent final flourish. 14, 15 and 17 are the strongest of the lot, with the 15th being a class act – a short par four that couldn’t be more risk-reward if it tried – see photo below. 

The excellent, very short par four 15th. Green is in the sunlight
on the right side the photo.

They look after their golfers here, with transport arranged to nearby attractions and golf courses, packed lunches for the organised and a secure private bag store where guests can store and dry their gear and charge their batteries. The latest Taylormade clubs are available for hire as well as shoes, pull trolleys, electric trolleys and golf buggies. Roe Park does everything you'd want of a golf resort hotel.