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Portstewart Golf Club (Strand Course)

NORTHERN IRELAND, IRELAND

Portstewart Golf Club (Strand Course)

Towering dunes frame a famous opening drive towards the Atlantic.

  • NORTHERN IRELAND Location
  • LINKS Course type
  • 18 HOLES Holes
  • PAR 71 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

  • Course established: 1894
  • Course designer/s: A.G. Gow, Willie Park Jr., Des Giffin
  • National ranking: #3 in Northern Ireland
  • Known for: One of Ireland's finest opening holes
  • Defining feature: Seven Thistly Hollow holes through towering dunes

From Strand Head to Thistly Hollow

The Strand Course at Portstewart Golf Club began at Strand Head, where A.G. Gow laid out a new 18-hole course that opened in 1908. Willie Park Jr. revised the site after the clubhouse moved there in 1920, giving the layout an architectural base that lasted for decades.

Its biggest change followed the purchase of Thistly Hollow. Des Giffin created seven new holes through the high dunes, and the rebuilt Strand opened in 1992. Those holes now form the core of the outward nine, where fairways rise, turn, and fall between steep sandhills before the course reaches more open ground.

The return nine runs closer to the River Bann and asks for more measured positioning. European Golf Design has since led a wider masterplan, including work across holes 10 to 15 and further remodelling towards the finish. The two halves retain clear differences as the course continues to develop.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

Portstewart adds proven tournament pedigree to a Causeway Coast itinerary. The Strand hosted the 2017 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, where Jon Rahm claimed his first European Tour title, and it has also staged important amateur championships. Its location places it near Royal Portrush and Castlerock for a varied collection of north-coast links rounds.

Kinfern can position the Strand as a central Northern Ireland experience, combining major-event heritage with access to one of the country's most recognised golfing areas.

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