Royal County Down Golf Club

Golf Links Road, Newcastle, County Down, BT33 0AN

Nearest main town: Belfast

 

Along with Royal Dornoch in the nether reaches of Scotland, Royal County Down is arguably the finest links never to have held an Open Championship. Praise for this beautiful links, which is towered over by the spectacular range of the Mountains of Mourne, has come from far and wide.

Dai Rees felt it to be second only to Pine Valley as the toughest course in the world. Tom Watson, as qualified as anyone to comment on the merits of links courses having won the Open on five different ones, commented after his 1989 visit that the first eleven holes were the finest consecutive holes of links golf' he had ever played.

County Down's charm lies in the old-fashioned flavor of both the terrain and the layout. Some other courses are blessed with a similar mix of rugged dunes colored by a blend of purple heather and yellow flowering gorse, but few combine them to such dramatic effect.

The fairways and greens are no less than you would expect from a championship seaside course, but the rough has a delightfully unkempt appearance which gives the feel of playing golf in the last century. Sea grasses grow from the lip of the bunkers in such thick tufts that it is better to land in the traps than to just clear them. The huge spines of dunes that bisect the course have resulted in the five blind tee shots, which are naturally a target of criticism in these days of laser-measured yardage charts.

But at County Down they add to the drama. Take the 486-yard 9th, where, following a blind tee shot, you walk to the top of the ridge to see the glory of one of golf's most photographed fairways unfold far below you, with the 2300-foot peak of Slieve Donard in the distance overseeing proceedings. The short par-4 16th, driveable with a big blow from a hilltop, has also come in for criticism, but perhaps the only thing out of place at County Down is the small lake in the middle of the 17th fairway, which seems unnecessarily contrived.

 

Secretary: Mr J. Laidler

Tel: 028 4372 3314 Fax: 028 4372 6281

Professional: Mr K. Whitson

 Tel: 028 4372 2419

Playing: Midweek: round £110 (am), £95 (pm); day n/a. Weekend: round £125 (Sunday only); day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 12pm-3pm. Bar snacks.

Comments: Weekend play only on Sunday from 1 pm-2.30pm ... Best course in British Isles... Deserving of its ultra­challenging reputation... Inspiring setting... The best first 11 holes on any course in the world, but a shame about the rest... Stunning, breathtaking... Hard to concentrate on your game in such surroundings... Friendly, well-informed pro... Best course I have ever played... The course is a dream and the 9th hole is the pick of the bunch... Maybe the best course in Ireland . . . Not a bad hole here. .. Breathtakingly beautiful, but don't take your eyes off the course. .. Very narrow, very dangerous... Too long, too hard, especially in the wind and rain - but I love it.

 

Royal Portrush Golf Club (Dunluce) *****

Dunluce Road, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8JQ

Nearest main town: Portrush

 

Few approaches to a golf course stir the passions more than the road to Royal Portrush. Shortly after passing the ruins of Dunluce Castle, you turn a corner and there, spread before you, is an expanse of crumpled links, rolling out towards the shimmering sea. In the distance are the brooding headlands of Inishowen and, on a clear day, you can see the Scottish landmarks of the Paps of Jura. It is a marvelously evocative setting.

Royal Portrush held the Open Championship in 1951 (the only course in Ireland to do so), but as the demands on space for hospitality grew, so its viability as a venue fell. It is certainly a course worthy of the event, and players walking off the 18th breathe a heavy sigh of satisfaction after what is an incredibly imaginative experience.

Essentially it is a driving course. The curves of the fairways and slopes of the terrain are intimidating from the tee and, although there are very few bunkers, the wind is a constant factor, and the rough is untamed and unruly, gobbling up any loose shot. The opening holes run fairly straight away from the clubhouse and it is not until the turn that the course starts to show its teeth. The holes swing back and forth, doglegging around dunes and greens backing onto the sea, most spectacularly at the 5th. What strikes you is that, although this is the most difficult part of the course, there are very few greenside bunkers, the small putting surfaces protected purely by small hummocks and hills.

The 14th, named 'Calamity Corner', is Portrush's mostfamous hole, a par-3 that is played to an elevated green located on a spine of rising land. All along the right is a hideous drop into a valley of bushes and scrub and, on the left, dangerous rough clinging to the banks.

 

Secretary: Miss W. Erskine

Tel: 028 7082 2311 Fax: 028 7082 3139

Professional: Mr G. McNeill

Playing: Midweek: round £90.00; day n/a. Weekend: round £110.00; day n/a.

Facilities: Bar: 11 am-11 pm. Food: Lunch from 11 am-3pm. Dinner by arrangement.

Comments: Magnificent links. . . Great setting... Grandiose...Take the Open Championship there as soon as possible...You need the heart of a lion for this one. . . A must-play course with great views and wonderful company. . . Must be played... Gruelling... Just magic... An unbelievable experience for the overseas golfer.