Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 1
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 1
The 1st hole, "Hughies," is a par-4, 416-yard hole that plays uphill to an elevated green. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 2
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 2
The 2nd hole, "Giant's Grave," is a par-5, 572-yard hole with numerous sandtraps scattered throughout. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 3
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 3
The 3rd hole, "Islay," is a 174-yard, par-3 hole that plays to a tight fairway. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 4
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 4
The 4th hole. "Fred Dalys'," is a par-4, 479-yard hole with steep bunkers. David Cannon/Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 5
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 5
The 5th hole at Royal Portrush, "White Rocks," is a par-4, 382-yard hole that provides wonderful views of the ocean. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 6
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 6
The 6th hole, "Harry Colts'," is a par-3, 189-yard hole with a sloped green. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 7
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 7
The 7th hole, "Curran Point," is a par-5, 590-yard hole with a fairway that zig-zags. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 8
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 8
The 8th hole, "Dunluce," is a par-4, 430-yard hole that has hidden bunkers in the shadows. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 9
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 9
The 9th hole, "Tavern," is a par-4, 431-yard hole that has an elevated green. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 10
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 10
The 10th hole, "Himilayas," is a par-4, 456-yard hole with a wide entrance to the green. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 11
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 11
The 11th hole, "P.G. Stevensons'," is a par-4, 475-yard hole with a lone sandtrap off to the left. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 12
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 12
The 12th hole, "Dhu Varren," is a par-5, 530-yard dogleg left. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 13
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 13
The 13th hole at Royal Portrush, "Feather Bed," is a par-3. 191-yard hole with a very narrow fairway and loaded with traps. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 14
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 14
The 14th hole, "Causeway," is a par-4, 470-yard hole with a large bunker hidden on the left side. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 15
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 15
The 15th hole, "Skerries," is a par-4, 418-yard hole with a sloping green. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 16
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 16
The 16th hole, "Calamity Corner," is a par-3 with no room for error on the back of the green. David Cannon/Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 17
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 17
The 17th hole, "Purgatory," is a par-4, 405-yard hole with a narrow fairway. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 18
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Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush - No. 18
The 18th hole, "Babingtons'," is a par-4, 473-yard hole that is a dogleg right. David Cannon/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Royal Portrush - Clubhouse
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Royal Portrush - Clubhouse
Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush returns to the Open rota in 2019. Getty Images
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Hole-by-hole tour of Royal Portrush's Dunluce links, site of the 2019 Open Championship

The famed Northern Ireland links has been altered in preparing for its return to The Open rota. See a hole-by-hole guide.

The Open in 2019 will be as triumphant as ever, as the claret jug returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951. For Northern Ireland, it represents a comeback for the once-embattled nation onto the world stage. Royal Portrush hosted the 2012 Irish Open on the European Tour (the first time the country held it since 1953) as well as multiple Senior British Opens in the 1990s, but the return of the Open Championship is exponentially more significant.

The great links courses of Northern Ireland were founded in the late-1800s around the time the rail line made its way up the coastline and Portrush was founded in 1888. It was bestowed "royal" designation four years later by the Duke of York. The course was most significantly designed by H.S. Colt, but today the Dunluce links is a little bit different now than when it was last in the spotlight in 1951. In order to make room for tournament infrastructure and provide a more dramatic finish, new holes were built and the 17th and 18th holes were lost. Five new greens, eight new tees, 10 new bunkers and two brand new holes, the 7th and 8th, were created on land formerly part of the Valley Course (considered one of the better "relief" courses in Ireland).

The course is named "Dunluce" for the castle ruins that dangle above the cliffs just east of the course and can be seen from the 5th hole. But the most famous may be "Calamity Corner," which is now the 16th hole. It's one of the most intimidating shots in golf as a par 3 played to a green that hugs a steep dropoff on the righthand side.

Green fees for visitors to the Dunluce links are £220. Here's a hole-by-hole photo guide.

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Hole-by-hole tour of Royal Portrush's Dunluce links, site of the 2019 Open Championship