Portstewart Golf Club

Portstewart Golf Club
Club information
Location in Northern Ireland
Location Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Established 1894, 123 years ago
Total holes 54
Tournaments hosted
Website www.portstewartgc.co.uk
Strand Course
Designed by Des Giffin
Par 72
Length 7,118 yards (6,509 m)
Course record 63 - David Drysdale (2017)
Riverside Course
Par 68
Length 5,674 yards (5,188 m)
Old Course
Par 64
Length 4,822 yards (4,409 m)

Portstewart Golf Club consists of three 18-hole courses situated in the town of Portstewart, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Golf was first played there as far back as 1889.

The three courses are: the Strand Course (par 72), a championship course, the Riverside Course (par 68) and the Old Course (par 64), which is where the club was founded in 1894.[1]

The late 1980s saw major development of the Strand course with the layout updated and seven new holes added. In 1992 the new Strand course, designed by Des Giffin, opened for play.

The Golf Club holds what is often suggested as the finest opening hole in Ireland.

Portstewart Golf Club hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in 2017, setting up a three-week spell of links golf culminating in the Open Championship.[2]

History

The club was founded in 1894 and started off as 9 holes at the existing location of The Old Course. This was upgraded to 18 holes in 1934.

In 1920 the club built another clubhouse at Strand Head and Willie Park Jr. designed 18 holes and this is now currently The Strand Course. In 1986 the club purchased land in the sand dunes known as 'Thistly Hollow' which allowed seven new stunning holes to be built in these towering dunes and in natural links land, these holes were designed by club member Des Giffin.

Due to this makeover on The Strand Course left an extra 9 holes from the original layout, which was expanded to 18 holes in 2001 and this is now currently The Riverside Course.

Tournaments

The club held a qualifying round for The Open Championship in 1951 when it was played at Royal Portrush. The club played host to the Irish Amateur Close Championship in 1992, and has hosted other events such as the Irish Professional and Irish Amateur. The British Girls Championship was also hosted in 2006, won by Belen Mozo of Spain.

Most recently it has co-hosted The Amateur Championship in 2014 along with Royal Portrush which was won by Bradley Neil of Scotland.[3] It also hosted The British Ladies Amateur Championship in 2015, won by Céline Boutier of France.[4]

In 2017, Portstewart hosted the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, from the 6–9 July for the first time in the club's history. This was by far the biggest tournament the club had ever hosted and attracted crowds of 92,000+ for the whole week.[5] The young Spaniard Jon Rahm took the title and shot an Irish Open record score of 24 under par for 4 days. David Drysdale broke the course record for The Strand Course by carding a 63 on the final day.

Portstewart will co-host the Boys Amateur Championship along with Royal Portrush in August 2018.

Scorecard

Strand Links – Championship tees

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Tubber Patrick427410Fisherman's Walk4074
2Devil's Hill366411Fernside4074
3The Settlement218312Barmouth1673
4Thistly Hollow583513Cashlandoo5555
5Rifle Range461414The Hill5225
6Five Penny Piece143315Articlave1983
7Strawberry Hill516516The Plateau4184
8Portnahapple445417Agherton4364
9Larkhill378418Strand Head4714
Out3,53736In3,58136
Total7,11872

References

  1. ↑ "The Courses". Portstewart Golf Club.
  2. ↑ "Portstewart to host Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 2017". European Tour.
  3. ↑ "Scotland's Bradley Neil Wins the 119th Amateur Championship". The R&A.
  4. ↑ "Celine Boutier wins at Portstewart". The Ladies' Golf Union.
  5. ↑ "Rahm romps to maiden victory at DDF Irish Open". European Tour.
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