1 Night, 2 Rounds
Royal County Down Golf Club has been testing golfers for well over a century and it still sits right at the top of most lists. It is often talked about as one of the world's very best courses, and for good reason.
As a true Northern Ireland links, the Championship Links runs through the Murlough Nature Reserve with the Mournes looming behind you, which, for many, is about as good as golf scenery gets.
Royal County Down doesn't give you an easy warm-up. The opening stretch throws you straight into the dunes and if the wind gets up you will earn every par. Expect a handful of blind tee shots, thick rough if you miss your lines and pot bunkers that can turn a good scorecard into a long day quickly. Yardages can deceive, the wind rarely relents and local knowledge counts for plenty.
The course has hosted some of the game's most prestigious amateur events, including The Walker Cup, The Amateur Championship and The Curtis Cup, as well as The Senior Open. In 2015, it welcomed The Irish Open, hosted by Rory McIlroy, where Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen triumphed in a playoff against Bernd Wiesberger and Eddie Pepperell at two under par. The tournament returned in 2024, where Rasmus Højgaard finished one ahead of Rory McIlroy.
This is a proper test, and one you will talk about long after the trip. It rewards strategy and shot-making. For golfers who relish a proper links challenge, few courses anywhere offer a more complete or memorable experience. It is easy to see why tee-times are secured here a year in advance.
If Royal County Down is on your list, we can help you build a Northern Ireland break around it with guaranteed tee times and the right base for the trip.
Who is this for?
Golfers planning a bucket-list Northern Ireland trip who want a classic links in a jaw-dropping setting with the elements ready to add risk and reward to your round.
Who is it best for?
Confident golfers with some links experience, plus groups and societies who want a headline round on a Top 100 icon and are happy to play sensibly rather than hero-golf all day.
1 Night, 2 Rounds
1 Night, 2 Rounds
2 Nights, 2 Rounds
Set against the backdrop of the spellbinding Mountains of Mourne, the links land at Royal County Down seems heaven sent for golf, and there are few more incredible places to enjoy a game. The layout was devised by Old Tom Morris, whose name will forever be inextricably linked to St Andrews, and is a pure test of links golf.
Most recently used for the Irish Open in 2024, Royal County Down is etched in the list of the most desirable courses anywhere in the world, and has garnered praise from the loftiest of golf's stars; Open Championship legend and links golf master, Tom Watson, said: "It is a tremendous test of golf and the outward half especially is as fine a nine holes as I have ever played."
Did you know? Peter Alliss said of the course- 'The best prepared links that I have ever seen'.
Signature hole-No. 9 (Championship): Par 4, 485 yards, SI 5
The 9th hole on the Championship course is one of the most photographed holes in golf. From the tee, you are greeted with spectacular panoramic views and beyond the line of the hole lies the magnificent Slieve Donard Peak. However, while beautiful, the 9th also stands the test as a challenging and thought provoking golf hole. The long par 4 starts with a blind tee shot to a fairway guarded by densely covered dunes either side. From there, it is important to hit the small green on the approach, since bunkers front, right and left mean that any miss could lead to trouble. The undulating green provides a great finish to a hole which will satisfy even the most demanding of golfers, both through its beauty and the challenge it presents!
Royal County Down is ranked as one of the best courses in Ireland
| Par | 71 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | George L. Ballie, Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Harry Colt |
| Opened for play | 1890 |
| Previously hosted | Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, The Home Internationals (1933, 1957, 1999), Senior Open Championship, Irish Open Amateur Championship, British Seniors' Open Amateur Championship |
| Championship | 7,186 yards | SSS 75 |
|---|---|---|
| Medal | 6,878 yards | SSS 74 |
| Stableford | 6,675 yards | SSS 73 |
| Ladies | 6,249 yards | SSS 77 |
Spanning the same turf as the hallowed championship course is the Annesley Links. Royal County Down's second layout is just as spectacular, but is not as challenging - the Annesley is very much a course to be enjoyed by everyone. Packed full of character, the Annesley is the perfect complement to the main event.
| Par | 66 |
|---|---|
| Designed by | George L. Ballie, Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Harry Colt |
| Opened for play | 1890 |
| Stableford | 4,682 yards | SSS 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Medal | 4,420 yards | SSS 63 |
| Ladies | 4,322 yards | SSS 61 |
Royal County Down has held the Irish Open five times, it was the 2nd course chosen to host the event after Portmarnock.
| Year | Winner | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Rasmus Højgaard | Denmark | -9 |
| 2015 | Søren Kjeldsen | Denmark | -2 |
| 1939 | Arthur Lees | England | 287 gross |
| 1935 | Ernest Whitcombe | England | 292 gross |
| 1928 | Ernest Whitcombe | England | 288 gross |
Ray
✓6 Jul 2019
Happy to finally play this famous course, which is ranked No. 1 in the world by the authoritative Golf Digest magazine. The course marshal/starter was super friendly. We hired a caddie, & he was fabulous. Very beautiful course!
Mike
✓7 May 2019
