Despised it. Royal County Down is special both for those who are not faint of heart and those who possess one. Full disclosure - I played here after an overnight flight and two-hour drive from Dublin. Not even top 10 in Ireland. And finally I understood why Golf Digest would rank the links the top course in the world. I played it back in 2007 on a brisk but sunny March morning. Note the caddiy on top of the dune. Of particular note would be #9 with its discontinuous and shifted fairway. Simply put, the course might be the most difficult you will ever play (this is directly influenced by the mighty winds it is subject to off the Bay of Dundrum and the Irish Sea, but even in the rare occasion of little wind there is no respite). We hope you enjoy the site! Please choose a different date. The huge dunes, oceanside location, beautiful (but tricky) layout and the aura of greatness combined to make us all fall in love with this course. There are several blind shots, which could frustrate you the first time you play, but a caddie would've remedied that problem. To some, it begins and ends solely based upon how they played upon it. My caddie helped me overcome my worst blunders. The course is a stunning sweep of rough land that has been meticulously carved to form imaginative and challenging holes. For that matter, think of the best golfers in the world and universally they will all sing the praises of Royal County Down with many declaring it the “best in the land” and still others convinced it numbers among the Top 10 in all the world! The blind shots are so much more forgiving the second and third time around. Still, though it all, I never felt this course was unfair, and it's certainly memorable. Before you die play RCD!! 18 Holes — Scorecard Par Length Slope Rating; Pro 71: 6939yd/ 6335m 113 74 Par Length S.I. Green Fees. He was probably the least engaged of those we used on our trip. Royal County Down was either rated #1 or #2 by all of us. Unless you play it several times it is too hard to understand what you are facing and failing to hit the fairway can be really punishing. Wind, rain and cold were all part of the formula for this difficult classic links test, and that certainly got the better of me scoring-wise. It's very down-to-earth given its place in the game. 36 Golf Links Road, Newcastle, Northern Ireland, BT33 0AN, +44 (0) 28 4372 3314, +44 (0) 28 4372 2419, WE AND OUR PARTNERS USE COOKIES ON THIS SITE TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE, PERFORM ANALYTICS, PERSONALIZE ADVERTISING, MEASURE ADVERTISING PERFORMANCE, AND REMEMBER WEBSITE PREFERENCES. But I only played them both once. All of Ireland was in the middle of a heat wave, so everything but the tees and greens was brown, but this did not impact the playability or the attractiveness of the course. That was our line! Without question this is deserving of it's #1 rating in the world. The pro shop was very nice and as would be expected from a course of this caliber, well stocked with quality goods. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. If I played both multiple times, my view likely would change. Just got back from a golf trip with some buddies to Northern Ireland/Dublin and all 4 of us were blown away by the experience. Over rated. 16. We did not, and it was a big mistake. Visitors are welcome every day. Click on 2D, 3D or Mobile Planner to see the course layout in more detail. I loved everything about it, even though I needed to buy golf balls after the round. Walk out the back door of the Slieve Donard Resort, across the parking lot, and under the sign for Royal County Down Golf Club, and you feel like you're entering a golf storybook. The scorecard is based on the tee, pin and target positions shown on the map. The ProVisualizer Team No idea how this is considered the best course in the world? Last 4 or 5 holes are terrible. The club house was very nice and the lunch we had afterwards was perfect. Is it better than Portrush? Seller of Travel Ref. Regardless of what combination of these approaches one cares to employ regarding Northern Ireland’s Royal County Down, I would humbly suggest another for consideration: Think of the best golfers you know who have played the course? My favorite holes are the 9th and 4th. I hit it all over the place that day, and lost so many golf balls in the infamous gorse bushes. From the tips at 7,186 yards, you need to be a high-level amateur or young professional. We could not have picked a better day to play. If you believe Golf Digest that makes this course the top ranked links, 36 Golf Links Road, Newcastle BT33 0AN Northern Ireland. Fla. The dunes, the seascapes, the town in the distance are all magical -- not a thing out of place. There were several hole that had shifted fairways and narrow landing areas on the other side of an elevated carry (# 2, 3, 6, 11, 13 and 15). Too hard. All of Ireland was in the middle of a heat wave, so everything but the tees and greens was brown, but this did not impact the playability or the attractiveness of the course. Royal County Down Golf Club, Newcastle Picture: The starter gives a scorecard - Check out Tripadvisor members' 1,727 candid photos and videos. The ponds on the back nine are still points of contention, but they're perfectly legit when it comes to strategy on each hole.The club has a reputation for being stuffy, but the staff couldn't have been nicer to us. This is easily one of the top 5 courses I have played anywhere in the world. Get a caddie to help you find your golf balls -- for many could be lost here (though i actually didn't lose a one, despite my poor play). Our caddy climbed the dune and near the top told up to hit it over his head and be sure to carry 200 yds. Unfortunately, on my weeklong trip through Northern Ireland and the northwest Irish coast, I played the Championship Links Course, which was just a couple hundred yards from the hotel, under the most trying conditions. 18 Holes — Scorecard Par Length Slope Rating; Champion 67: 4487yd/ 4093m 113 71 Par Length S.I. I would have enjoyed it even more were it not for the 52 that I shot on the back - to go with my 41 on the front. For a public golfer, that's maybe RCD's most endearing quality relative to other clubs of a similar stature. Not even a two-hour delay and four more hours of steady rain and wind could dampen the love I have for my first (and hopefully not last) crack at Royal County Down. Royal County Down was either rated #1 or #2 by all of us. This was one I got to cross off my bucket list, and my expectations were high. Too blind. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. These blind shots are the only negative I had for the course. There isn't a much better theater for links golf in GB & I than Royal County Down. The views throughout the course were spectacular and often made it hard to stay focused on your game. The huge dunes, oceanside location, beautiful (but tricky) layout and the aura of greatness combined to make us all fall in love with this course. Tee Par CR Slope Length; Yellow (Men) 67--4940 yards: Red (Women) 67--4318 yards: Visitors. Mine was a 2 hncp...extremely helpful. By the Numbers . While it’s beauty is nearly distracting, the course does not try to court your favor. Caddies and pull carts are available for hire as you embark on one of the world's finest links courses. Well if the weather gods were out then 72 degrees and 3 mph winds made this day perfect. Golf Digest lists Royal County Down at #4 in its list of the top 100 courses in the world while Golf magazine has it at #6. We chose the whites at 6,800 yards, and it played awfully long, especially into the wind. I've been to golf heaven and it's Royal County Down, The top ranked golf course in the world outside United States is Royal County Down.