New Royal Portrush Golf Club General Manager ready to embrace Northern Ireland’s giant golfing spirit
Danny Campbell was on holiday in Greece last October when he received a phone call with a job offer that was too good to turn down.
The former Commercial Director of St Andrews Links Trust was offered the position of General Manager of Royal Portrush Golf Club, just as the countdown to The 153rd Open in 2025 was getting into full swing.
It felt like history repeating itself for Danny who had joined St Andrews in 1999 just as the Old Course was gearing up to host The Open.
He said: “I had to hit the ground running then and it’s the same now, everything else in my life is on hold until after July, my main focus is The Open.
“I am incredibly excited to have joined Royal Portrush as General Manager. I believe Portrush has a real opportunity for growth, and I don’t think there is anywhere else I’d rather have moved to.”
Preparations for The Open are Danny’s number one priority but embracing Northern Ireland’s giant spirit, putting down roots on the Causeway Coast and integrating into the local community are all things the Kent native is looking forward to.
He said: “My focus is very much on Royal Portrush hosting The Open in July but beyond that I am looking forward to finding a home and settling down in Northern Ireland.
“I was at The Open in 2019 and the atmosphere was electric, even if the weather wasn’t on our side. We stayed in a rented house in Ballycastle and we really loved it, it was such a beautiful place to stay.
“Once The Open is over, I’m looking forward to playing some of Northern Ireland’s great golf courses. I played Portstewart the last time I was here and I’ve been signed up for the winter league at Royal Portrush which I am excited about, but I am hungry to explore and experience other courses.”
Danny joins Royal Portrush after spending 25 years at St Andrews Links Trust. During his time there the Old Course hosted five Championships with Danny directly involved with working with The R&A on four of them.
He said: “When I moved to St Andrews to start the commercial operation I thought I would only be there for a few years, but I ended up staying a lot longer. On my first day, I discovered I had an office and a phone and that was about it, everything had to be built from the ground up.
“By the time I was leaving we had a team of 250 people which is more than the number of people who worked across all seven of the courses the St Andrews Links Trust managed when I arrived.
“I absolutely loved every minute of my time in Scotland, it is where I had the pleasure of doing something I love every day.
“But I am looking forward to enjoying Northern Ireland every bit as much, I am very excited to be here. The warm and friendly welcome I received was wonderful and both this role and opportunity will allow me to really get under the skin of this place.
“I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for Portrush too. The Open delivers significant economic benefits for the host town and wider area.
“Investment coming to the town will only benefit the experience of people coming here to enjoy the golf and our hospitality. The hospitality in particular is something people from Northern Ireland can be rightly proud of.
“If we continue to do our jobs, protect the landscape of our phenomenal course and do things in a sustainable way then Royal Portrush will have opportunities to attract more marquee events in the future.
“Portrush’s reputation has been elevated thanks to the success of The Open in 2019.
“Of course, less than a year later Covid struck and it was a blow for all golf destinations, not just Portrush. But the bounce back in terms of visitor numbers has been significant and that’s because the quality of the course and the destination continue to make their mark internationally.”
