Castlerock Golf Club is the home to the 18-hole Mussenden Course, and this, the 9-hole Bann Course, which plays along the northern coastline of the country.  

 

The Bann Course is a stunning short course, and despite only measuring 2,500 yards, it is a difficult track to collate a score.  

 

The Mussenden Course also earns a place on the NCG Top 100s: Ireland list, as the 18-hole offering at the club. 

 

  

Visit the Castlerock (Bann Course) website here.  

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage. 

The original meeting about the founding of Castlerock Golf Club took place in 1900, with the club officially being founded a year later.  

  

Nine holes were originally built, with a further nine added by the end of the 1900s, after more land was leased from the council.  

  

The 9-hole course is named after the River Bann, which flows in between Castlerock and Portstewart Golf Club. 

The Bann Course at Castlerock is the 9-hole offering, but even so, it provides different challenges to the Mussenden Course. Playing as a Par 34, with three par 3s and just a single par 5, the course has a proper links feel to it, but can also be enjoyed as a warm-up to the main event, or even if you have a few hours spare. 

 

The opening hole on the Bann Course is a straight away par 4 of just 300 yards. In the summer, with hard fairways, plenty of golfers will be able to reach the green with their drives. No bunkers, just fescue and thick rough to deal with on the first. The 2nd is the hardest hole on the Bann, playing as a dog-leg left with a very narrow fairway. If you can find the fairway then you are in exceptionally good shape. If not, you might be struggling to find the green with your second shot. 

 

The 3rd is the easiest hole on the course, and can play anywhere from 75 to 100 yards long. The shortest hole on the Bann is a par 3 and plays with a long and narrow green. It is followed by another par 3, 150 yards this time, but to a shallow green. Two vastly different short holes to contend with. The 5th then follows, and it is the only par 5 on the Bann Course. It plays with the River Bann on its right, winding around the banks of the water. At 491 yards, it is not the longest in the world, meaning most can reach in two with a solid drive.  

 

6 is a dog-leg left par 4 which has a small pond in front of the green, while the 7th is another drivable par 4. It is just 290 yards but there is plenty of fescue and thick rough in the way. The safe play would be to hit a long iron to the fairway and have a wedge to the green. 8 is also drivable at just 275 yards, but for the same reasons, it might be safer to lay up. The last on the Bann is a par 3, which has a dell in the back right of the green. If the flag is in there, then your ball might end up close at the last! 

Where is Castlerock located?  
Castlerock Golf Club is situated in Northern Ireland, just a few miles down the road from Royal Portrush and Portstewart, two of the most famous golf courses in the country. The River Bann runs down the eastern side of the property, coming into play several times on both courses at Castlerock. Coleraine is the nearest town, less than ten miles away, while the capital city of Belfast is around 60 miles to the southeast of Castlerock.  

  

The town of Castlerock has its own train station, which offers hourly services operated in both directions. Trains from Belfast Great Victoria Street to Derry-Londonderry run through Castlerock every hour. Just 60 miles from the Northern Irish capital means that Belfast International and Belfast City Airports are the two main airports in the country. The City of Derry Airport is also 30 miles to the southwest but does not provide as many flights as the airports in Belfast.  

  

What golf facilities does Castlerock offer?  

Along with the two courses (Mussenden & Bann), Castlerock also has a great practice area. There is a driving range and a wonderful short game area, which features a two-tiered green, two bunkers and plenty of space to chip and putt from. 

What are the green fees at Castlerock (Bann Course)?  
The price of a green fee at Castlerock (Bann Course) changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Castlerock (Bann Course), visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit the Castlerock (Bann Course) website here. 

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.