1 Night, 2 Rounds
- 1 Night Bed and Breakfast at Holiday Inn Express Derry
- 1 Round at North West Golf Club
- 1 Round at The Riverside, Portstewart
1 Night, 2 Rounds
Portstewart's Strand Course has been shaped by more than a century of links golf on Northern Ireland's north coast. Golf has been played here since 1894, with major work in the 1980s and the modern course completed by Des Giffin in 1992 from an original Willie Park design.
Set among huge dunes with sweeping Atlantic views towards Inishowen Head, it's a proper bucket-list stop and it sits comfortably alongside Royal Portrush and Royal County Down for pure scenery and challenge. Hosting the Irish Open in 2017 only underlines the point, this is Northern Irish championship links at its best.
On the course, the duneland does a lot of the talking. The opening drive from an elevated tee is one of the most memorable opening tee shots you'll find in Ireland, then the holes twist through natural sandy corridors with plenty of uneven lies and ever-changing wind. If you're driving it straight you'll have chances, but miss your line and you'll quickly be scrambling. Approaches need to be flighted and controlled into typically firm, quick greens, so it's a round where patience and imagination matter as much as power.
If you're planning a north coast golf break, Portstewart is an easy one to pair with Portrush and a great shout for groups who want a memorable links test.
Top tip:
Bring a lower-flying shot and commit to your line off the tee. The dunes make misses feel bigger than they are.
Who is this for?
Golfers building a Northern Ireland north coast itinerary who want dramatic dunes, a tour-proven layout and a genuine links experience.
Who is it best for?
Confident ball-strikers and groups who enjoy windy conditions, firm greens and a tough-but-fair walk, especially if you're pairing it with Royal Portrush.
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Carved among the colossal sand dunes, the golf course provides superb views across the Atlantic mouth of Lough Foyle and the Inishowen peninsula. The web of dunes that plays host to Portstewart is called ‘Thirsty Hollow', and is a truly spectacular place to enjoy a foray into Irish golf.
The designer has created a number of incredible holes, and deserves credit for ensuring that the new holes assimilate subtly and smoothly with the originals. Of any, the most fascinating hole is arguably the opening hole, daunting downhill par-4 that gives an insight into the immense character of the golf course throughout. Just a few minutes from the equally magnificent Royal Portrush, Portstewart is at the heart of a magnificent Northern Irish golf tour.
2014 saw Portstewart placed at the forefront of amateur golf in its hosting of the 119th Amateur Championship. As part of the 36 hole qualification process, the links layout provided a suitable test for the world's amateur golfers. The championship was eventually won by Bradley Neil who triumphed over South African Zander Lombard with a 2&1 victory in the 36 hole final.
| Par | 72 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | A G Gow, Willie Park Jr, Des Giffin |
| Opened for play | 1908 |
| Blue | 7,118 yards | SSS 75 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 6,626 yards | SSS 73 |
| Red | 5,867 yards | SSS 71 |
The original 9 holes of The Old Course run along the rocky coastline, east of Portstewart town on the Portmore Road heading towards Portrush. During the early 1900s the club managed to obtain more land and by 1934 the course had been extended to 18 holes.
Not a long course by any standards but the ancient fairways are great for groups of golfers looking for enjoyment combined with a walk through history.
| Par | 65 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | David Simpson, Mr. R. C. Davison, James Rea |
| Opened for play | 1894 |
| White | 4,890 yards |
|---|---|
| Red | 4,395 yards |
The scenic Riverside Course meanders along the banks of the River Bann, not as challenging as The Strand but still a good test of your golfing ability.
| Par | 68 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | Unknown |
| Opened for play | 1894 |
| Blue | 5,725 yards |
|---|---|
| White | 5,497 yards |
| Red | 5,048 yards |
Colm
✓11 Nov 2019
Sarah
✓12 Mar 2019
Best course we played on our break. Everything was brilliant. The clubhouse is a work of art, modern and very accomodating. The staff were all great, prices were good, food excellent. The course is amazing, we played the Riverside which was Stunning. We will be back
Nick
✓28 Oct 2018
Good experience
Simon
✓25 Sep 2018
Howling winds and hail on the first tee, but soon calmed down and reasonable weather overall. Murderous in the rough, I have played on better greens but they were fine. Clubhouse if great and staff were excellent.