The first is an excellent starting hole that presents a fair challenge without being too difficult. With fairway bunkers and deep rough on the right, golfers should keep their tee shot to the left. By doing so, the green opens up, allowing for a better approach angle. However, greenside bunkers wait for players who misjudge their approach shot and leave it short. Any shots that end up in these traps make for a tricky up and down for par.

A straight drive is paramount on the second tee, as trees line either side of the fairway. For those who fade their tee shot, be aware of the fairway bunkers on the right. Approach shots on this hole tend to bounce right, meaning that many prefer to utilise the higher ground at the left side of the green. Players can therefore chip the ball onto a fast green that slopes downhill from back to front and left to right. Approach shots that pitch past the flag will leave a treacherous downhill putt that is not for the faint-hearted. A heavy touch can see your ball roll off the front of the green entirely.

The third golf hole at Bangor is a short, downhill par four. The tee box presents a stunning view as you take stock of your tee shot that must clear the trees on the right. A drive that is placed anywhere on the fairway or light rough will allow for a standard pitch over a series of greenside bunkers, guarding approach shots that come up short.

The opening par five golf hole welcomes those who step onto the fourth tee. Positioning your tee shot is crucial to ensure a solid contact on your second, as the steep uphill climb drastically reduces yardage. By aiming for the mobile phone mast, players will have a line of sight for a long second with a fairway wood or a blind third shot towards a narrow green. With greenside bunkers left and right, accuracy is critical. Therefore, your club selection is vital to avoid a challenging two-putt from over forty feet on a two-tiered green.

The fifth hole is stroke index one and presents a test for anyone who steps onto the tee. A dogleg to the right ensures that golfers must choose their club carefully. Longer hitters can choose to cut the corner over the trees or play a fade to shape the shot accordingly. Depending on the position of the tee shot, players can choose to lay up short of the path or go for the green in two. Golfers who prefer to lay up face a deft pitch shot to leave a close putt for par. However, walking away with a bogey is a welcomed result for most on Bangor's most challenging hole.

Hole six is a short par four that requires accuracy off the tee. A tee shot on the left of the fairway ensures the player gets a flat lie. A leaked drive to the right can present the golfer with a lie that is below their feet with overarching tree limbs that can drastically limit shot choice. Approach shots onto an undulating green are made more challenging by two greenside bunkers and trees to the back of the green. There is no doubt that par is a solid score on this particular golf hole.

The seventh hole is the most demanding and lowest stroke index par-three on the course. Guarded by three bunkers to the front of the green, a solid strike is vital. Therefore, if players hit a straight tee shot, they stand a chance of finding the green and making par. By going long, golfers face a challenging pitch from thick rough to a green that slopes from back to front. In summer, the putting surface can quicken and present a challenge to get the ball close to the pin.

Players should savour the majestic views over Bangor and Belfast Lough when they step onto the eighth tee. Consider where to position the tee shot as you tee the ball up. Here, a drive placed to the left side of the fairway takes out an aged Hawthorne tree, perched like a sentry before the green. The green runs from right to left and can be problematic in dry conditions, especially if the pin is on the raised tier on the right. Therefore, an approach shot pitched short of the green ensures that the ball doesn’t run through the back and into thick rough. Bunkers frame the green left and right, capturing approach shots that drift offline. Play the eighth hole strategically, and golfers can walk off with a respectable score.

This par four begins a downhill tee shot that offers an advantage when positioned in the centre or the left side of the fairway. Trees can block out any tee shots that fade right towards the tenth fairway. As the fairway is corrugated, a good tee shot does not always mean players will have a good lie. As the ball can be above or below feet, golfers need to consider their stance for the approach. Approach shots play onto an elevated two-tier green with bunkers either side. This challenging close to the first nine is a golf hole that tests every aspect of a player’s game from tee to green.

The second nine holes at Bangor are introduced by a challenging uphill par four. The green complex sits on top of a sizeable hill, meaning many are unable to reach it in two. Out of bounds runs the length of the hole on the left, meaning that hooked drives are not an option. A well-positioned tee shot is essential to give players the best chance of choosing where to land their approach. If an approach shot lands on the front of the green, or just short, excess spin can cause the ball to roll back down the steep hill. With a small green, sloping from back to front, putting downhill in dry conditions can be a scary prospect for a heavy-handed putt.

The eleventh golf hole is a short par four that entices longer hitters from the tee. For many, a well-placed tee shot to the left of the fairway allows for a more straightforward approach. However, tee shots that come up short are forced down the hill and to the right. This leaves an unsighted approach shot from a challenging lie, making a par more difficult. Bunkers guard the long green on the eleventh hole, sloping from back to front and left and right. Hole eleven at Bangor is deceptive, making par a respectable score for many players.

The second par three at Bangor Golf Club is a golf hole with two personalities. When the pin is at the lower half of the green, players have a near-tangible chance to make birdie with an accurately placed tee shot. However, when the pin is on the upper green, the necessity for players to flight an accurate long iron can lead to indecision. This par three is a hole that challenges a player’s ball-striking ability, accuracy and club choice.

This long, dogleg right is a par four that is easier for those who can reach the plateau at the top of the hill. Bunkers guard the left side of the fairway. With long, knee-length grass covering much of the left-hand side, it makes finding an errant tee shot difficult. A tee shot shaped to the right allows the golfer to take advantage of a sloping fairway. A ball pitched onto the sloped bank is guided back towards the centre of the short grass. With a narrow, bunker-flanked entrance, the thirteenth green is one that needs an accurate approach shot. For those who make the right choices from tee to green, par is achievable.

This short, tree-lined par three golf hole is next. For those who can hit a straight iron from the tee, par is definitely within reach. However, a leaked tee shot can find bunkers that guard the left side of the green. Thick rough and trees on the left wait for players who hook a tee shot. For those golfers, finding their ball is a bonus and bogey is a good score.

This challenging dogleg left requires a tee shot threaded through a narrow chute of trees towards the left of the fairway. Hooked tee shots can be in danger of going out of bounds if they stray too far left. For drives that leak right, there is still the chance to make par. However, your approach shot could be as much as forty yards longer to a raised green on the left. Protected left and right by bunkers, and a steep slope at the front, this two-tiered green tests a golfer’s game from tee to green.

Bangor’s final par five presents members and visitors with panoramic views of Belfast Lough and the Antrim Hills. This picturesque sight is a beautiful way to begin the final three holes. A long, straight drive to the bottom of the hill gives players the option of either going for the green with a fairway wood or laying up for a wedge approach. For golfers who choose to lay up, they must navigate a fairway bunker, allowing the ball to release towards the green. A long narrow green awaits. The putting surface is flanked by deep bunkers on either side, making an up and down challenging. With sloped runoff areas at the back of the green, approach shots need to be accurate and played with enough spin to stop. However, playing for the front of the green allows for an uphill putt, where players can take a more aggressive approach as they chase par.

Two bunkers protect the green of the final par three. With an accurate iron off the tee, players can find a sloped, tiered green that tests their green-reading skills from all angles.

The closing par four at Bangor is a golf hole that prioritises a well-placed tee shot. On the right, thick trees line the fairway, blocking any approach shot to the green. The raised, two-tiered green is protected by three bunkers, the toughest of which is a pot bunker at the back left. Positioning an approach shot on the appropriate level is paramount to allow any chance of a birdie on the eighteenth hole.