With all eyes being drawn to the North Coast this summer due to the Open Championship’s return to Royal Portrush, Ulster University is launching its own version of the ‘Masters’ in the form of an MSc course in golf management.
The new course, which is due to launch this September, will be located right in the heart of Northern Ireland’s golf scene, in Coleraine. The course is designed to gratify the growing international demand for people qualified in the industry of managing golf events and facilities at the Master’s level.
In recent years, the interest in golf has grown substantially and has become a catalyst for driving international tourism, with the North Coast in particular being home to some of the Island’s best golf facilities, attracting tourists from around the globe.
The first set of students will ‘Master’ golf management starting this September.
The brains behind the course, Dr Peter Bolan, says the course is a result of his 15-year involvement in golf tourism, “It was an area I had taught and consulted in, combined with the legacy of the 2019 Open and the excitement of the coming 2025 Open.”
Dr Bolan studied for an honours degree in geography at Ulster before going on to work in aspects of tourism, hospitality, and sport for a number of years. Returning to academia, he completed an MSc in Tourism Management at Ulster, then moved into a lecturing position in the area of international travel and tourism management. Dr Bolan’s main research areas focus on golf tourism, including research focusing on how golf tourism can act as a catalyst for coastal resort rejuvenation.
“There has been such a growth of interest in both golf and golf tourism. Golf itself has become very professional,” says Dr Bolan.
“I saw a very strong need for a cutting-edge course to qualify the next great golf management minds, and that’s exactly what this course intends to do,” Dr Bolan added.
Whilst the exact size of the incoming cohort will not be known until mid-August, there has been great interest both internationally and locally.
“The applications are still open at present. It is set to be very competitive. The course’s very first application came from Texas, United States. There was an application from Spain and Australia, the other side of the World!”
The course has been in the works for several years. “The development of the course started in 2019 and was delayed by COVID, as so many things were. We were very keen to launch, or at least announce, the course before the Open at Royal Portrush. A lot of media attention is on the area and golf, so it seemed like the perfect time,” Dr Bolan explained.
Dr Bolan explained, “The North Coast is one of the world’s premier golfing localities. A number of great Championships have been held in the area, with the Irish Open previously being held in Portstewart.”
“It is a major golfing region, which is attracting even greater attention. The evidence of that is shown in the private sector, the new hotels being built in the area, and the hotels being refurbished in the area. It is not just tourism growth, it’s a growth in golf tourism.”
“There has been such a growth in golf, it makes perfect sense to have the course on the destination campus of Coleraine, which is in the middle of all of that,” added Dr Bolan.
The Coleraine campus is just a short distance from some of the World’s premier courses, such as Royal Portrush. The location will give students a unique hands-on experience and will allow them to benefit from site visits.
Ulster University will collaborate with Royal Portrush Golf Club and Portstewart Golf Club.
The course has been designed by the Department of Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management at Ulster University, and graduates will be recognised internationally with this qualification.
The university has stated that the course will open doors for career opportunities with some of the world’s top golf clubs, resorts, and organisations.
“The job prospects after are a wide range. This is golf management in its broadest sense. There are career opportunities ranging from managing a golf club, managing a golf club hotel, retail aspects, merchandising, and even the media side of golf,” says Dr Bolan.
A unique opportunity has been given to Ulster University Coleraine by the 153rd Open coming to Royal Portrush, one that can be used to ensure a long-lasting legacy of golf in the North Coast.
“I will absolutely be attending the Open. All being well, I will be there every day,” added Dr Bolan.
The 153rd Open Championship comes to Royal Portrush on July 13th until July 20th, with the first round of the tournament due to start on Thursday, July 17th.
Kate Harkin 
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