Gracehill Golf Course is considered to be one of the top 18 hole parkland courses in Ulster, if not all Ireland. Nestling in beautiful parkland outside the village of Stranocum near Ballymoney it offers golfers the opportunity to sample American style water hazards as well as bringing many mature trees into play.
Some of the greens are strategically placed near to water hazards while other holes are played through mature woodland or over heathland making it one of the few courses in Ireland to offer such variety.
Golfers who wish to enjoy a challenging round in very rural surroundings will find Gracehill the ideal choice.
Only after a long accurate tee shot is it worth going for this green in two as there is water everywhere. Even the most carefully thought-out layup can prove troublesome. On this hole par can feel like a birdie.
Black out the water from your mind and this hole is a doddle. Depending on the tee and flag position all you have to do is hit a short to mid iron 140-170 yards straight.
If you play this hole in three strategic stages a par should hopefully be the outcome. However, if your concentration should waver or you try and bite of more than you can chew, there is plenty of water to catch you out, especially as it is all carry to the green.
Arguably the toughest hole on the course. If you want to keep your medal score intact leave the driver in the bag as precision of the tee is paramount. Miss the fairway and it’s reload time. Treat this hole with caution or 13 could be unlucky for you.
Not a par 3 for the faint hearted. Make the long carry to the undulating green and with a good putting touch you may be rewarded with a par 3. Alternatively bail out to the right and hope for a chip and putt.
Reachable in two for the big hitters on a calm day. However, with out of bounds down the left-hand side of the fairway all the way to the green and heather and bog everywhere on the right, manoeuvring your ball around the ‘S’ shaped fairway is the percentage play.
Looks like a very straight forward hole but add a little wind or pressure and things can become very interesting as there is little, or no fairway should you miss the green.
From the elevated front tee this is a drivable hole for those who like to give it a rip. However, the two well placed greenside bunkers offer some protection.
A gentle dogleg which requires accuracy as well as length with out of bounds on the left. On a windy day this can be a monster, as the hole plays uphill. The mature trees form an extra defence to an already well-placed green side bunker. Make a par here and you certainly deserve a drink at the 19th.
240 yards from the back tee to the water. Due to the position of the tee a ‘power fade’ is the ideal shape to avoid the mature trees and find the middle of the fairway.
A second shot over the lake and river through a narrow opening in the trees to an elevated green will severely test your skills and nerve.
From the elevated tee you might think that the course designer has made at least one straight forward hole. However, appearances can be deceptive, an accurate short iron second shot is still required to this shallow green guarded by bunkers left and right.
A slight dogleg right, which requires a drive left of centre. Accomplish this and you will have an approach with a short to mid iron. The green is guarded by bunkers left and right and drops away severely at the back.
The fairway slopes from left to right so keep this in mind when aiming your tee shot. Play this hole conservatively and you will get a par more often than not, get a little greedy and the cavernous fairway bunker is just waiting to swallow up those mishit shots.
A long par 4 which requires accuracy as well as length, with out of bounds down the right-hand side of the fairway. Even after a good drive you will need all your skill to find a green which is guarded with deep bunkers and water through the back and on either side.
The ideal line is over the hawthorn tree down the right-hand side of the fairway as this opens up the three tiered sunken green. Failure to do so can lead to a blind approach and with sand and water to the right of the green an accurate approach is required.
Both aesthetically and golf wise a great par 3. Depending on the wind and flag position the tees hot can play anything from a fairway wood to a short iron. The ideal tee shot is down the right-hand side with a touch of fade, keeping well away from the water on the right.
Once you have avoided the water on the left and out of bounds on the right, congratulate yourself on a job well done. Accurate club selection is required for the approach to a green which is deceptively long.
Avoid the out of bounds down the right-hand side of the fairway and the rest should be plain sailing. Two big hits and you could be using the putter for your third. However, if you play short of the group of bunkers you will be left with an 80 to 100 yards wedge shot from an uphill lie to a two tiered green.