Elevate 2026

Elevate 2026 is a short golf blog post that looks at one of the best B2B luxury golf travel events in the world.

Looking Back at Elevate 2026: Highlights from the Northern Ireland Leg.

As a PGA Fellow Professional and Golf Travel Specialist, continuous professional development and experiencing the world’s finest golf destinations firsthand are essential to serving my clients. I recently had the privilege of attending Elevate 2026, an exclusive, invite-only event that stands as one of the premier gatherings in global luxury golf tourism.

What is Elevate Golf?

Elevate Golf is a leading B2B luxury golf travel event designed to connect top-tier golf tour operators (buyers) with high-end golf courses, accommodation providers, and regional tourist boards (suppliers) from around the globe.

Rather than a traditional trade show, Elevate combines curated, pre-scheduled, 1-on-1 business meetings with immersive golf and networking experiences. The event brings together industry leaders to forge commercial partnerships, evaluate luxury travel products firsthand, and showcase iconic golf regions. The multi-day itinerary blends world-class golf rounds on renowned links with tailored networking dinners and strategic business sessions.

The 2026 event began with an extraordinary preliminary swing across Northern Ireland’s finest links courses before transferring across the Irish Sea to St Andrews, Scotland.

Here is a detailed look back at how the Northern Irish leg of Elevate 2026 unfolded.

Day 1: Sunday, October 25 – Welcome to Northern Ireland.

The trip officially got underway at Belfast International Airport, where delegates were met by coach transfers arranged by the organisers.

• Arrival & Check-in: We transferred directly to Galgorm Resort, one of Northern Ireland’s premier luxury spa and estate hotels. Set along the River Maine, Galgorm provided an outstanding setting to unwind and prepare for the busy days ahead.

• 18:00 – Opening Dinner: The event officially commenced in The Great Hall, located within the hotel grounds. Industry colleagues and international travel operators gathered for an evening of fine dining and drinks, renewing past working relationships and building new connections ahead of the golf schedule.

Day 2: Monday, October 26 – Tackling Royal Portrush (Valley Course)

Monday took us up to Northern Ireland's famous Causeway Coast for our first taste of world-class links golf.

• 07:15 / 07:30 – Departure: We met the Elevate Golf Team in reception early in the morning to board the coach for iconic Royal Portrush Golf Club.

• 10:40 – Tee Time on the Valley Course: While the Dunluce Course frequently claims international headlines, the Valley Course at Royal Portrush provided an exceptional links challenge in its own right. Running through dramatic dunes and natural contours, it demanded precise shot-making and strategic course management from tee to green.

• Afternoon & Evening: After completing 18 holes, we enjoyed a post-round lunch at the club before heading back to Galgorm. Later that evening at 17:45, a short shuttle took our group to Castle Kitchen for dinner, drinks, and lively discussions dissecting the day's play.

Day 3: Tuesday, October 27 – Castlerock & The Hop to Scotland

The final day of the Northern Ireland leg seamlessly combined pure links turf with a swift transfer over to the Home of Golf.

• 07:15 – Departure: After checking out of Galgorm Resort, luggage was tagged and left with the Concierge team to be transferred directly to our next hotel, Rusacks St Andrews. We then boarded the coach toward our second host course.

• 09:21 – Tee Time at Castlerock Golf Club: Situated at the mouth of the River Bann, Castlerock Golf Club delivered a classic, pure links layout. Playing firm and fast amidst towering dunes, it showcased exactly why Northern Ireland remains one of the world's standard-bearing golf destinations.

• 14:15 – Departure for Belfast Airport: Following lunch in the clubhouse, the coach departed for Belfast Airport.
• Onward Travel: We checked our clubs, passed through security, and boarded our 18:00 flight to Scotland. Arriving at Edinburgh Airport at 18:50, we were ready to transition into the core business meetings and remaining events lined up in St Andrews.

Industry Reflection

Attending Elevate 2026 reinforced the immense value of experiencing travel products and golf venues firsthand. Combining world-famous links like Royal Portrush and Castlerock with top-tier hospitality at Galgorm Resort highlighted the very best of luxury golf tourism in Northern Ireland.

What are your thoughts on Elevate 2026?

Have you been a part of it before?

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