Going for Golf

Castlerock

Castlerock is a fabulous 18-hole links course in rolling sand dunes which embrace the River Bann – and it’s also worth taking in the shorter nine-hole Bann course.

The main course, the Mussenden, started out as a nine-holer in 1901 but Ben Sayers expanded the original layout to 18 holes seven years later. Further changes were made by Harry Colt in 1925 and then Frank Pennink also did some re-modelling. The result is a real cracker. The Mussenden Course has five par-fives, four par-threes and nine par-fours with a par of 73 and the nine-hole Bann course has a par-five which has been described as one of the most scenic holes in Irish golf.

The feature hole on the Mussenden has to be the fourth, called the Leg o’ Mutton, and it’s a 200-yard, par-three with a railway line to the right, a burn to the left and a raised green… not easy. The 15th is also a fine par-five with a blind tee shot and the 18th is a great finishing hole as it dog-legs right and has a two-tiered raised green.

There are no bunkers on the Bann course – and it doesn’t need them with its small greens, rollercoaster fairways and blind shots galore. It’s simply great fun, with the par-five fifth the pick of the holes – sandhills on three sides and the River Bann all the way down the right.

Castlerock also has a very impressive and extensive practice and short game area with a two-tier green and two bunkers constructed to a high specification.

Again there is reason to leave the fairways here for a bit – or should that be a nip? For the world’s oldest distillery, Bushmills – having been granted a licence in 1608 – is in the nearby village of (appropriately) Bushmills.