Port Royal Golf Course

I have a bit of mixed emotions about Port Royal Golf and I am not really sure what to think of this golf course... for sure it has something to do with the course design and the conditions we played in. Layout wise it is everything from average to excellent. The thing that confused me the most was the fact that we probably played it in such uncommon wind conditions that the course was "unplayable" or at least not fair as all layout characteristics were turned upside down. On 380 meters long Par-4 11th hole I had an excellent drive and the ball did not reach the downslope to get something out of this great drive so I was left with another driver off the deck,200 meter shot in to the heavy wind to the green which was way below and I was still short of the green... again, on 380 meters long downhill Par-4... that's how wrong the conditions were that day and why I think the course was not really fair. And if this wind direction comes into play often, then there must be something really really wrong with this layout.

Opening holes are nothing special and it will take 7 holes to get something special going on. 7th is a decent Par-5 with nice green and first glimpse of the ocean. Followed by very good Par-3 8th with volcano green and beautiful ocean views. I like the uphill Par-4 9th and the short dogleg left Par-4 10th. The best holes are definitely Par-4 15th along the coast line and the superb Par-3 16th on the western cliffs of Bermuda island and with stunning turquoise blue ocean below... real eye candy and their signature hole, and it sure deserves it. The round ends with a decent Par-5 17th with raised green and good uphill Par-4.

Usually I like Robert Trent Jones designs but this one didn't impress me much and if it wasn't for those few beautiful ocean holes it would probably be just one of those courses which you can play everywhere but for half the price. However those courses are not PGA Tour venues as Port Royal Golf is a home of Butterfield Bermuda Championship tournament and the winner gets a Masters invitation.

Course condition was good. The proshop and clubhouse are okay but nothing special.

The course is well worth playing if you are in Bermuda but I will sum up this review with their quote:

"Experience it for yourself and you too will understand why Port Royal is indeed the number one golf course in Bermuda. "

Now that is one of the boldest statements by golf course owners, especially if you have an absolutely stunning Mid Ocean Club just a few kilometers down the road!

Waarschijnlijk de mooiste golfbaan die ik ooit gespeeld heb. De ene prachtige hole na de andere. Glooiende fairways met aanzienlijke hoogteverschillen, verhoogde greens, hagelwitte bunkers en spectaculair uitzicht op de Atlantische Oceaan.

De baan is zeer goed onderhouden. Faciliteiten en clubhuis zijn in orde. Greenfee is aan de hoge kant voor een publieke baan.

Favoriete holes: 6,7,13,15,16.

Alles nett und freundlich. Der Platz wurde 1888 angelegt, alles ehrfürchtig, aber nett.

Die Herausforderung fehlt etwas und der Preis von 85 Euro und 45 Euro für ein Elektrocady ist eher am oberen Preisrand.

Port Royal Golf Course was designed in 1970 by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. After a $15.9 million renovation in 2009 by Robert Rulewich, a Jones protégé, it was lengthened to 6,842 yards so that it could host the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Port Royal has more of a modern feel with a new computerized irrigation, rebuilt TifEagle greens, professional Proangle sand that has been perfectly setup for tournament golf with wide fairways and big amphitheater greens. Even though holes 2 to 6 are relatively flat, for the most part this layout offers undulating terrain and dramatic ocean-side cliffs. Holes 7 through 9 have amazing ocean views but the 10th green and 11th tee block offer the best perspective of the entire course. Hole #16 is undoubtedly one of the all-time great par 3’s and very reminiscent of the infamous Pebble Beach #7. At 142 yards from the whites (or 180 from the blues), you are faced with a daunting iron shot that hugs the edge of a coastal cliff and needs to carry a chasm to a green perched on a cliff jutting out to the ocean. If the wind kicks, up as it usually does, then your club selection could vary by 4 or 5 clubs. This is definitely a Kodak moment!

This course was in perfect condition and one of the worlds’ premier public golf layouts offering breathtaking tropical landscape, sweeping ocean vistas and one of the greatest holes in golf. Port Royal is a public course that will set you back $180 USD for 18 holes including a power cart.

OK dit is de golfbaan met het mooiste uitzicht op de oceaan! Probeer je maar eens te concentreren bij dit fabelachtige uitzicht.

Vorig jaar gastheer van de GrandSlam of golf met de major winnaars.

Fantastische ontvangst, goede oefenfaciliteiten al vliegen je ballen wel een dal in zonder dat je ziet waar ze landen. Shop met erg veel leuke kleding en aandenken aan de Grandslam.

Hole 1 is direct al een mooie dogleg met veel hoogteverschil. Verderop in de baan veel hoogteverschil dus een buggy is een must. Vanaf hole 7 is het werkelijk waar schitterend een uitzicht zoals je nooit meer zal zien op een andere baan.

De baan speelt lang is lastig met mooie greens, PGA standard. Fairways zijn redelijk breed maar nergens vlak.

Heerlijke baan die je niet mag negeren als je in de buurt bent.