Monday 12 August - Royal Portrush

Our second round was played at Royal Portrush, the host club for the 2019 Open Championship.  Portrush holds the distinction of being the only club to host the Open, that is not in either England or Scotland.  It has now hosted twice.

As you can see, the pack down process in still underway, with many grandstands, and corporate marquees remaining in place.

The club was founded in 1888 as the County Club, and was originally only 9 holes.  It was extended to 18 holes the following year, and became a "royal" club in 1892, The Royal County Club.  In 1895, the club became Royal Portrush.

In 1929, the great Harry Colt laid out plans for the Dunluce links.  It is this course that is the Championship course.  The club has a secondary course, the Valley, which is home to the town club, The Rathmore Club.  The Rathmore club was the home club for 1947 Open Champion, Fred Daly and also for 2010 US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell.  Darren Clarke grew up in Bushmills, only a few miles away, and Royal Portrush is his home club.

The above shot is of the stunning par four 4th hole.  Although relatively short, with no bunkers, any shot that is even one metre long of the green is OOB, and likely down on the beach.  The remains of the Dunluce Castle can be seen along the coast to the right of the green.

The par five 7th hole is pictured above.  This is one of the newly created holes, required as part of the Open Championship return.  In order to accommodate the massive infrastructure near the clubhouse for media, merchandise and corporate hospitality, the original 17th and 18th holes needed to be used.
Two new holes were created, using part of the Valley course, and were slotted into the routing as 7 and 8.  It is this hole, that David Duval managed to score a 14 on.  I managed to beat him by 10!

This is the second new hole, the 8th.  A short par four.  The original holes 7-16 are now holes 9-18.

Andy Melin playing into the par three 13th.

Christine Cookes, Andy Melin and Noeleen Hayres with a stunning rainbow behind them.  We very quite fortunate with the weather, only being bothered by an occasional shower.

Christine Cookes putting on the 15th green.

The 16th hole.  Calamity Corner.  A beautiful brute of a par three, stretching to over 200 metres from the tips.  Quite a challenge played into a stiff breeze.  Just in case you can't tell, don't go right!

Noeleen Hayres plays her tee shot from the 18th tee.

This is the view back down 18 from the top of the grandstand.  Probably should not have been up here, but they left it here!

Ian Coddington found the course to his liking, claiming the winner's prize.