Portstewart Strand
One of the great links of the Causeway Coast, the Strand Course at Portstewart opens with a run of holes through enormous dunes above the River Bann estuary that ranks among the most thrilling starts in golf. Host of the 2017 Irish Open and a near neighbour of Royal Portrush, it is a must on any Northern Ireland trip.
Photo: Portstewart Golf Club via Google, contributor Stefan Johansson.
The verdict
Portstewart's Strand Course has climbed from local favourite to genuine world ranking, and the front nine is the reason. When Des Giffin blended seven dramatic new holes through the towering Thistly Hollow dunes in 1992, drawing on the older Willie Park Junior links behind, he gave Portstewart one of the most spectacular opening stretches anywhere, a series of holes plunging and climbing through sandhills above the Bann estuary and the long beach. The course hosted the 2017 Irish Open, won by Jon Rahm, who could not stop praising it.
It suits the travelling golfer chasing the famous Causeway Coast links without paying the very top fees, and it is every bit as scenic as its grander neighbours. The back nine has recently been reworked under a European Golf Design masterplan, with the closing holes reopening for the 2026 season. Pair the Strand with Royal Portrush a few minutes away and Royal County Down down the coast, and you have the spine of a world class Northern Ireland tour.
Portstewart Strand Course at a glance
- Club founded
- 1894
- Strand designer
- Des Giffin, 1992
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,100 yds
- Green fee
- From £100
Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases; the modern Strand Course was reshaped by Des Giffin in 1992 around an older Willie Park Junior layout, plays a par 72 of about 7,100 yards and hosted the 2017 Irish Open. A European Golf Design remodel of the back nine has completed for the 2026 season. Green fees are indicative, from around 100 pounds midweek rising in the summer peak in 2026. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Strand's opening holes are the stuff of golfing legend. From the first tee the course drops into a wild valley of dunes and stays there, climbing to elevated tees, plunging to fairways framed by sandhills, with the beach and the Atlantic on one side and the Bann estuary on the other. Few starts in the game match it for sheer drama, and the run from the first to the seventh is worth the green fee on its own.
It is not all spectacle. The links demands accuracy off the tee, with trouble close on both sides and greens that ask for a confident, well struck approach. The recently remodelled back nine, reworked under a European Golf Design plan with the closing holes back in play for 2026, strengthens the finish and answers the old criticism that the inward half could not quite live with the front.
Add the views across to Donegal, the proximity of Royal Portrush and the Giant's Causeway and the lively seaside town behind you, and Portstewart gives you one of the most complete days on the Causeway Coast.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors through the season; tee times booked online or through the club |
| Green fee | From around 100 pounds midweek, rising in the June to September peak in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book well ahead for summer; the Strand is in high demand, so weekends and peak weeks fill fast |
| On the day | Walking with caddies available; a comfortable clubhouse and two further courses, the Riverside and the Old, on site |
| Getting there | Portstewart, County Londonderry, about an hour from Belfast and a few minutes from Royal Portrush |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest days, with the Atlantic wind ever present |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from Portstewart Golf Club; they change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The seaside towns of Portstewart and neighbouring Portrush are the natural base, full of hotels, guest houses and good restaurants a short drive or even a walk from the first tee, so you can play the Strand and Royal Portrush in the same trip without moving far. The whole Causeway Coast is geared to visiting golfers.
For a wider Northern Ireland tour, Belfast is about an hour away and Royal County Down sits down the coast near Newcastle, so a few days based on the north coast lets you string together three of the finest links in the world. The Giant's Causeway, the Bushmills distillery and the Antrim coast give the non golfers plenty to do.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Portstewart and Portrush.
Plan a Causeway Coast golf trip
We arrange Portstewart Strand alongside Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, secure the tee times before they fill and sort a north coast base and transfers from Belfast. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Portstewart Strand questions
Who designed the Portstewart Strand Course?
Golf has been played at Portstewart since 1894, and today's Strand Course took its modern form when Des Giffin blended seven new holes through the great Thistly Hollow dunes in 1992, drawing on an older layout associated with Willie Park Junior. The back nine has more recently been reworked under a European Golf Design masterplan, with the closing holes reopening for the 2026 season.
What is the par and length of the Strand Course?
The Strand plays as a par 72 of about 7,100 yards from the back tees. Its defence is the dunes, the firm running links turf and the Atlantic wind, with accuracy off the tee at a premium given the trouble that crowds the fairways through the sandhills.
How much does it cost to play Portstewart Strand?
Green fees are indicative and seasonal, from around 100 pounds midweek and rising in the June to September peak in 2026. It is generally a notch below the very top Causeway Coast fees while offering scenery to match. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Did Portstewart host the Irish Open?
Yes. The Strand Course hosted the 2017 Irish Open, won by Jon Rahm, who was lavish in his praise of the links and especially its spectacular opening holes through the dunes. The championship helped cement Portstewart's reputation as one of the finest courses in Ireland.
Can visitors play Portstewart Strand?
Yes. Portstewart is a members club that welcomes visitors through the season, with tee times booked online or through the club, though the Strand is in high demand so summer weekends and peak weeks fill early. It pairs naturally with Royal Portrush a few minutes away.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.