Work progressing well at Royal Portrush despite recent wet spell

Work in progressing well at Royal Portrush as we move even closer to the much anticipated return of the Open Championship in 2019.
Work nears completion on the seventh.Work nears completion on the seventh.
Work nears completion on the seventh.

The work has been going on for the last 12 months under the watchful eye of Course Manager Graeme Beatt.

The course will undergo a significant transformation ahead of the return of the Open Championship.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The overall length of the course will be increased by just under 200 yards to 7,337 yards, while a number of new bunkers will be added to bring the total to 62.

The new seventh and eighth holes will utilise land from the adjacent Valley Course to develop a new par-five, playing down into the valley encompassing that course’s sixth hole, and then a par four, playing back over its fifth hole into some beautiful duneland.

The work has been progressing well and Graeme has been keeping everyone up to speed with the developments every week via his blog.

In his most recent post last week Graeme said work was progressing well despite the recent wet weather.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The team have been busy re-building bunkers and building new ones,” he said.

“The bunker short of the first green was started today and should be finished tomorrow. The practice bunkers were also started and we will endeavour to have them done for the weekend.

“After such relentless rainfall the water table is effecting play on the Valley course. We have been pumping water from the sump and have now moved almost 1000m3 which to put in perspective is the equivalent of 30 times the large irrigation tank at the 2nd. More days like today will be more than welcome.

“The new greens are improving week on week and received some hand topdressing yesterday to improve smoothness.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“When the turf begins to root they will be spiked to 10mm with a blunt tine and over seeded. Topdressing of all new areas will be done whenever weather and growth allows.”

The new second is complete with bunkers and the seventh nears completion.

Related topics: