Portstewart (Strand)

Portstewart Golf Club was already the home to the Old Course when the first plans for the Strand Course were brought about. 1907 saw the approval to build a new links course, with A.G. Gow of Portrush being the man to design the course. It opened a year later.

The Strand Course has undergone changes throughout its time, with one of those coming under the guidance of Open Champion (opens in a new tab) Willie Park Jr in the early 1920s.

The original clubhouse at Strand Head was built in 1907 alongside the new Strand Course. Today's clubhouse was opened in 2009, and it provides an outlook onto the course.

The Strand Course has hosted a number of international tournaments, including the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2017. Spain's Jon Rahm was the victor. Two years earlier, Frenchwoman Celine Boutier (opens in a new tab) was the victor at the British Ladies Amateur Championship, which was also held at Portstewart.

The Strand Course, which played host to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2017, is a stunning Par 72 layout, measuring at more than 7,000 yards. Willie Park Jr and Des Griffin put the course together, bringing the undulating dunes of the area into their design.
 The course starts with an incredible tee shot down the slope on the opening hole, before you play through the dunes on the 2nd. The first par 3 on the course is more than 200-yards long from the back tees and is followed by a 583-yard par 5. The 5th – Rifle Range – is the hardest hole on the course with the 6th then being the shortest hole on the Strand, playing just 143 yards to an upturned green, with massive run-offs on all sides.
 The three closing holes on the front side of the Strand continue the tricky test, with any errant shots being punished in the dunes and heavy rough. Both 10 and 11 measure at 407 yards but the challenges of the two opening par 4s on the back nine are very different. 12 follows, with incredible views of the River Bann. It is a short par 3, playing downhill towards the river.
 Back-to-back par 5s follow. The 13th measures in at over 550 yards, while 14 comes in at 520 yards, and with a good tee shot down the middle of the fairway, it can be reachable in two for the longer hitters. 15 is a 198-yard par 3 with three bunkers ready for any shot that does not reach the green, ahead of the final three holes.

The closing stretch on the Strand Course is a tough finish and can wreck your score. Especially the 18th, the final hole, which measures in at more that 470 yards. An errant tee shot here and you’ll be happy to come away with bogey.

Josh Poysden: No doubt the front nine is stronger, but still, some intrigue with the holes nearer the river.

Dan Murphy: Exceptionally well presented – from the pristine 1st tee to the consistently smooth greens.

Peter Rudd: The Strand divides opinion, but it is certainly popular amongst touring professionals as a host of the Irish Open. Lots of X-factor from the tees, especially the front nine, which are generally regarded as high calibre links holes.

Lewis Marr: Arguably the best starting hole in golf, the front nine is filled with amazing golf holes. Similar to the towering dunes of Carne.

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Where is Portstewart Golf Club located?
Portstewart Golf Club is located on the northern coast of Northern Ireland, looking out to the North Atlantic Ocean and out to the Isle of Islay. The 54-hole venue sits five miles north of the city of Coleraine, and alongside the Portstewart Strand. Derry/Londonderry is around 30 miles to the west.
 Portstewart is around an hour from Belfast Airport for international visitors, with that being the largest airport in Northern Ireland. The nearest train stations are in both Portrush and Coleraine, both of which are seviced by trains to and from Belfast. How many courses are at Portstewart Golf Club?
Portstewart Golf Club is blessed to be home to three 18-hole layouts. Alongside the Strand Course, the venue is also home to the Old Course and the Riverside Course as well. Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Ireland venues nearby?
Portstewart is in an area that can only be described as a golfing paradise. To the west sits Castlerock, home to the Mussenden Course and the Bann Course. To the east sits Royal Portrush - which houses the Valley Links and the Open Championship-hosting Dunluce Links.
What golf facilities does Portstewart Golf Club offer?  
Not only does Portstewart play host to three beautiful links golf courses, the Irish venue is also the home of a driving range and short game area, for golfers to practice their skills on before taking to one of those aforementioned three layouts. 
 What are the green fees at Portstewart Golf Club?
The price of a green fee at Portstewart Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.  For more information on current green fees at Portstewart, visit their website here (opens in a new tab).

Visit Portstewart's website here (opens in a new tab).
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