The Island

The longstanding ‘spare’ par 3 (what a luxury!) has become the new 4th, unlocking the space to design new 8th and 9th holes and break the previous run of two-shotters. In its own right, this short hole really adds to to the fun, demanding a well-flighted shot to find a green defended mainly by contours – and of course the sea breeze.

The 4th turns left to a stylish raised green, with the backdrop of the clubhouse, while the 5th, from its blind tee, plays a similar trick to the 6th at Royal County Down. Namely, it terrifies from the tee yet is actually a lay-up to a generous fairway and from there even a short iron. The new 8th and 9th holes are highlights within their own right, especially the latter. It changes the mood of the course, where previously thoughts inevitably turned to the back nine before the player had reached it.

The 10th remains a knockout of a par 5, and one of the great strategic holes. Out of bounds awaits to the right on this left-to-right dogleg with bunkers positioned to catch the excessively pusillanimous drive. It is the second shot that really captures the imagination though – a crater eats into the right half of the fairway to an uncomfortable extent. Beyond it, the raised green, a pot bunker in its face, appears – and often is – an elusive target.

If the 11th, with its sweeping, beautifully contoured fairway, is relatively light relief, the 12th is The Island at its epic best, with another green backing into the dunes. The 13th is The Island’s answer to Portrush’s Calamity – and every bit as long. Then comes the famous short par 4 14th. The fairway is little more than a half pipe, with the estuary on the right. The narrow green is often within reach off the tee but what a brave shot it demands to reap the rewards. 

The pace hardly slackens at the par 5 15th, its green this time at the base of gigantic dunes, or indeed the last of the par 3s, the 16th. The 17th has a more gentle backdrop, one of water, before the course concludes in suitable grandstand style, with the 18th tee raised up and stationed amongst the dunes.