Today a 5min drive to Portstewart GC. A more modern clubhouse, and it was busy in there with folk setting up a ‘media day’ for the Irish Open to be held there in July. Due to this set up, and some sections of the fairway designated ‘hit off mat’, the green fees were less than the normal visitor rate. The pro, Neil, jokingly said I should not be perturbed by the presence of cameras. I told him it would not bother me for long because after one swing the media scrum would turn elsewhere
I was by myself again … two groups of 3 had teed off before me about 20mins earlier, and a single another hour before them, so the course was relatively empty. Alas, there was no course guide due to it being reprinted but Neil promised to send me one if I send him an email when I get back to Oz, but he said it was easy enough to work your way around without a guide … he must have thought I was carrying a drone camera because this course has several obscured landing zones so I kept hitting to what I could see, and combined with my usual inaccuracy it made for some hardcore scrambling
Weather was looking good, not much breeze by Ireland standard, and here I was standing on the first – a beautiful view, and gentle medium length dogleg right to start off proceedings.
Because I hadn’t warmed up, my swing was quite compact by my usual wait-for-the-club-to-tap-my-left-ankle standards. Perhaps coincidentally, I hit a great drive (also by my standards) … where was that damn camera crew?!? Makeup! (think Daffy Duck). Images of Monica Bellucci doing a polite golf clap as I marched with Rory’s swagger down the hill of towards my ball on the first fairway … but much like my vivid imagination, so too my game would turn into a mirage, always remaining out of reach
Eked out a par, walked up the hill to the 2nd & turned around to be confronted a beautiful view back over the water & Portstewart
Turning back to face the play I started to regret not having a course guide, or taken a caddie. Basically in front of me was giant dune (even towering over my elevated tee position). I could see a glimpse of fairway to the right of the dune but despite not being able to get a good read on the distance to that precious small space, and knowing that the fairway must surely dogleg left, I lacked the testicular fortitude to go over the dune. Block, scramble, scramble, 2 putt bogey. This set the scene unfortunately all too often. And as the breeze turned into a hard wind it got harder.
There were some lovely holes – one of my favourites was the 8th hole. Firstly because of the view looking back over the River Bann …
… but secondly it’s a beautiful dogleg left with two major elevation changes down from tee to landing plateau, and rightangle left plateau to green. Because of the severe slopes in front of the plateau and around the green it probably isn’t much risk-reward variety, but the wind would certainly make it play different each time, and sometimes a design calling for 2 good straight shots is all that is needed to make a great golf hole.
Back 9 I really struggled – judging from the array of shelters (example below) I’m guessing I was playing into the prevailing wind. Some really good holes, e.g. 10, 11 & 12 all requiring good shots [reminds me of some Greg Norman designs putting in stretches of 2-3 tough holes back to back into the prevailing winds in stretches of 2-3 holes (National Moonah Course, Sanctuary Lakes etc)] … I provided none. Love the elevation changes though
On 12 they had the advertising boards up for the media day (luckily no cameras). Could hear the US commentators already “Well Jimmy, here is Volks on the 12th, and he REALLY needs a birdie! Truth be known he needs 7 consecutive aces to make the cut”. “Geez Bob, look at that swing – it would make Ben Hogan puke! Not like my swing, but then again I’m better than everyone”
Nice little Par 3 on 15, with some tricky bunkers guarding the front. Like the idea below … wondering how this would go down at our club ? 🙂
Interesting configuration with 16 taking you back to the club house before darting away on 17, and coming back 18 – both birdie chances for the bigger hitters. Because of the hills & natural amphitheatres it must be a great place to watch a tournament because you can sit in some spots & catch action on 3 holes. This course has a great mix of long & short par 4’s and a mix of wide (e.g. #1) & narrow fairways (e.g. #10) meaning you are always thinking about your tee shots.
Great facilities, and that view from the members’ lounge is hard to beat. Great lay out, and a lot of fun to play
