With a choice of three great golf courses, and facilities including the largest indoors-golfing academy in Europe, and a fantastically well stocked pro-shop, The Portal Hotel has established itself as a world-class championship venue, ideal for all standard of player.

Championship Course

The Championship Course at Portal is relatively unknown to a wide audience, but having opened in 1990, it is one of the best courses to be completed in England in the modern era. In fact, it was named ‘Golf Course Of The Year' in 1995, and is the star of Portal's golfing complex. Designer Donald Steel has created a challenge that is characterised by unique and distinctive holes; expansive water hazards and cascading waterfalls are among the tests. The signature is typical of Steel's magnificent 7,037 yard layout - the long third tips the scales at 607 yards, with a green guarded by a beautiful lake.

Signature hole- No. 14: Par 3, 136 yards (White), SI 17 (Men), 4 (Ladies)

The Championship signature hole plays to almost an island green, with water around the front, side and back of the green and a couple of waterfalls too. The best entrance would be straight down the middle, as this would avoid two large trees which overhang either side, and could easily rebound your ball back into the water.

Arderne Course

The Arderne Course at the Macdonald Portal Hotel is a 9 hole par 30 golf course and is a fantastic test of your short game. The course comprises of 3 par 4’s and 6 par 3’s and has a total yardage of 1724. There are two sets of tee’s so this course can be played twice. The Lee Westwood Golf School use this course for practicing so you never know who you might catch a glimpse of!

STATS

Par: 30

Designed by: Donald Steel

Opened for play: 1990

TEES

White: 3472 yards, SSS 30

Yellow: 3248, SSS 30

Premier Golf Course

While the Premier Course at Portal will always be in the shade of its award-winning sibling, it is a cracking course in its own right. Overlooking the Cheshire Plains, the par-71 parkland track is shorter than the Championship Course, measuring 6,538 yards, but benefits from the same stunning water and woodland backdrop. Both courses are consistently maintained in immaculate condition, and together form the basis that has made Portal one of the best destinations for a golf break in the north west.

If you're feeling strong, have a crack at the 607 yard third hole on Donald Steel's Championship Course.

Signature hole-No. 15: Par 3, 205 yards (White), SI 11 (men), 17 (ladies)

The 15th on the Premier is a breathtaking hole. Playing very high up, the elevated tee is almost on a cliff face and the approach has to be judged well, due to a sheer drop to the low-down kidney shaped green. Accuracy is paramount on this hole as there are trees which overhang on both sides and bunkers to the left and right of the green.