The fly fishing permits and accommodation booking service FishPal says 30% of anglers also enjoy playing or watching golf. Now there’s the opportunity to combine the two by fishing on the River Bann close to Royal Portrush when the Golf Open takes place this July.

(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - May 16th, 2025 - Golfing and fishing may appear to be vastly different pastimes but they share a surprising number of similarities. From a love of the outdoors to a sense of patience and mental focus, both sports require similar skills and practice. Whether you’re putting or casting, there are many parallels.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising the fly fishing permits and accommodation booking service FishPal says recent figures show 30% of regular anglers also enjoy playing or watching golf. Both activities lend themselves to tall tales back at the bar about the (hole in) one that got away.

Angling expert Will Draper, Head of FishPal, says: ‘Fortunate timing means that The 153rd Open takes place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland from 17-20 July. That’s just weeks after the opening of three new beats for FishPal users on Northern Ireland’s best salmon river: the River Bann. The new beats are just 15 minutes from the Portrush course, meaning people can enjoy a double bill of angling and the Golf Open this summer.

‘With local hero Rory McIlroy, fresh from his triumph at the US Masters, set to play, both the fishing and the golf are likely to be experiences to remember.

‘The three new River Bann beats have been made available to FishPal users by The Honourable The Irish Society. Carnroe, Culiff Rock and Movanagher already enjoy fabled status among anglers from both the north and the Republic of Ireland. Now they can be enjoyed by anglers from across Great Britain who may have previously been unfamiliar with the rivers and fishing infrastructure across the Irish Sea. FishPal’s one-stop-shop service enables anglers to discover the best-performing swims and buy permits without having to tour all the local tackle shops.

‘FishPal has only recently expanded into offering permits and accommodation booking in Northern Ireland and the Republic. With the fortuitous timing of this year’s Open in Portrush, a combined angling and golf trip is too good to miss. In the busy run-up to the Open, anglers who find that a chosen beat has no availability on any given day need not panic. The other stretches are very close by, which means anglers can enjoy the same conditions on the same river, whichever fishery they book. 

‘There’s lots more information on FishPal’s partner waterways and fisheries across the Emerald Isle at https://www.fishpal.com/Ireland/

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