Just west of Portrush is a gem of a course, Castlerock Golf Club. The course is wedged between the town of Castlerock, the River Bann, the North Channel, and a railway line. Castlerock has it all; dunes, blind shots, water, sea views, and a fun layout!
The course begins with two dog leg right par 4s. Number 2 is fun as it requires a blind second shot over the corner of the dog leg. Holes 3, 4, and 5 run along the railway line and punish anything to the right.
My favorite portion of the course, and something I think is unique to Castlerock is the creek running through holes 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 14. For the most part the creek does not come into play, but it is beautifully manicured and adds a bit of “cool” factor. The short par 3 6th hole is first time the creek is truly a hazard. The hole plays roughly 350 yards, but the green is protected on the front by the creek and bunkers on the right and left.
Creek cutting across 4th fairway
The 10th hole, absent of water hazards, sand traps, or OB, plays much more difficult than you might think. The fairway is tight with penalizing rough on either side. If you are safely in the fairway off the tee, the green does offer ample landing space for a birdie attempt.
The 11th hole opens up a bit, with only light rough to the left. The green (below) is similar to the 10th, long and narrow. This time, though it is protected by bunkers right and left. The creek runs behind the green, but really is not much of a hazard except for a bad flyer.
The 12th fairway rises slightly with a large mound just short of a good tee ball.
One of my favorite holes is the par 5 17th. The hole offers a sample of many links course staples. From the tee, anything left ends up in heavy gorse and heather. The fairway is undulating which can produce unforeseen bounces and difficult lies. The two bunkers, pictured below, line the right side of the fairway, the deep of the two can easily be a 1 shot penalty. A good tee shot allows for a run up 2nd shot and a chance at eagle. This is links golf at its best!
As a side note, if you get the chance tee it up on the Bann Course. It is only 9 holes, but is excellently designed and so much fun to play. It is a great warm up for the Mussenden Course.
Course Rating
History: 2 / 5
Course: 4 / 5
Experience: 4 / 5
Total: 10 / 15