Portstewart Golf Club in Northern Ireland has appointed European Golf Design to develop and improve its three contrasting 18-hole layouts and practice facilities.
Portstewart’s Strand course is ranked in the top 100 of all three main GB&I course ranking lists. The links, popular with international golfing tourists, was originally laid out by Willie Park Jnr. and currently features one of the most spectacular opening stretches of holes anywhere. It notably hosted the 2017 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, with winner Jon Rahm commenting: “The golf course is amazing. It’s probably one of the most beautiful golf courses I’ve ever seen, if not the most.”
Over the last 20 years, European Golf Design (EGD) has masterminded and created over 60 new golf courses and overseen remodelling and improvement works to a further 39 existing layouts. The company’s remit at Portstewart prioritises the development of fit-for-purpose practice facilities; enhancements to the Strand course with a focus on holes 16-18; and potential improvements to the Riverside course.
“We are immensely proud of our golf courses and heritage at Portstewart Golf Club,” David Lamont, Captain and Trustee commented. “Working with a company of European Golf Design’s international renown will help cement and enhance our championship Strand course as one of the world’s truly great links courses. Their input will also assist us in continuing the development and improvement of our other two courses and in providing a first-class practice facility for the benefit of our members and international visitors.”
General Manager David MacLaren added: “We know that European Golf Design’s proven skill at improving already great golf courses will enable us to further refine the Strand course. We also have ambitions to build on our already rich tournament heritage, across both the professional and amateur ranks.”
EGD Managing Director Jeremy Slessor commented: We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work with Portstewart to look at its three distinctive golf courses and practice facilities,” , enthused. “To have the chance to elevate the Strand course’s reputation to even greater heights is a genuine privilege. There’s enormous potential to add value to the Riverside course, too, by giving it even more of its own identity and character and we hope that the Old Course, with its dramatic, sea-edge location in town, can also benefit from a fresh, modern eye.”