Royal County Down Golf Club - Championship Course

I can’t add much praise for Royal County Down that others before me have not already recorded. Its decades of rankings near the top of the list of the world’s greatest golf courses speak for themselves. The opening trio of holes along the water is great, but the look back towards the clubhouse ant the Mountains of Mourne from the 4th tea is near-holy, and the up-and-over par-4 9th is one of many holes to which no number of photographs can do justice.

If there is a nit to pick, it is that County Down’s final five holes don’t quite match the splendor of the first 13, but it is not as if there is a bad hole in that set (though the 18th is a little linear for my liking). But any golfer who doesn’t come away from a round here thinking it is one of their favorite dozen or so golf courses likely needs an intervention.

We did a two week Ireland and Scotland golf trip and this was the best course by far. I had the highest expectations possible and it exceeded every single one of them. I’ve been fortunate enough to play many great courses but this was the best and it was remotely close. There’s 18 great holes, you play it once and remember them all. With that said I must say THIS COURSE IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. It’s 6350 from the shortest tees (please play them), a tough layout and the wind can blow. I am a scratch that hits it far and the into the wind holes were all I can handle and more. So with that said manage your expectations of your game and enjoy, cause there is no where else like it in the world.

I simply don't understand the fuss. A few nice holes with views of the sea, but overall RCD is an overpriced, overhyped, unfriendly place. Better choices elsewhere and nearby. Two of our foursome quit mid-round - kinda wish I had joined them, but my partner and I kept til the end hoping it would improve on the back 9. Spoiler alert - it does not.

From the practice range without yard markers to blind shots to inconsistent greens to the stuffy caddies who don't know their home course, this was a pompous and unfriendly place. The back 9 doesn't have a memorable hole on it, except for maybe 17 with its hidden bunker in the middle of the fairway..

A good walk spoiled by crappy service and caddies that barely know their course. Better rounds nearby at Royal Dublin, Royal Portrush, and County Louth. Skip the trip to Northern Ireland - save your Euros for better options elsewhere.

I’ve never wanted to love a course more and have never left more disappointed. The clubhouse is fantastic and a warm welcome. The front 9 holes are incredible but the back 9- particularly 4 or 5 of them are very poor.

No way is this the best course in the world, Portrush which is an hour or so drive up the road is 2x RCD.

Don’t get me wrong, still a phenomenal course and would recommend any keen golfer to play it and would go back and play myself on any occasions. But don’t be a sheep and buy into the hype like why one else seems to do...

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. Although a sunny day would have offered better views, easier playing conditions, and a greater appreciation for the layout itself, this was an authentic links experience, with my rain gloves surrendering somewhere around the 12th hole. RCD's reputation as one of the world's finest tracks speaks for itself, but what really spoke to me was the no-frills, walk-up nature of the place. Yes, the neighboring Slieve Donard will cater to your every need, but assuming you aren't a guest at the resort, RCD is the kind of place where you park your car, put on your spikes, pay your fee, grab a pull cart, walk to the first tee, and just go. It's very down-to-earth given its place in the game. For a public golfer, that's maybe RCD's most endearing quality relative to other clubs of a similar stature. It's a casual masterpiece.

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. Royal County Down was either rated #1 or #2 by all of us. 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. 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. We embraced it, actually. 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. It's a little out of the way (2 hours or so from Dublin), but if you are going to Ireland to play golf, Royal County Down is a must.

This was one I got to cross off my bucket list, and my expectations were high. 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. 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. Still, though it all, I never felt this course was unfair, and it's certainly memorable. In short, even with the expectations and difficult conditions, I wasn't disappointed -- just eager for a return trip in somewhat more favorable weather. As for the experience, I definitely recommend a caddie, though I didn't take one personally (my playing partners did, and I eves-droppped on their conversations from time to time). There are certainly nuances you need to be aware of, and there are a number of blind shots, which a caddie can help you navigate. Also, don't bite off more than you can chew. From any tees, this is a difficult course. From the tips at 7,186 yards, you need to be a high-level amateur or young professional. We chose the whites at 6,800 yards, and it played awfully long, especially into the wind.

Over rated. No idea how this is considered the best course in the world? Not even top 10 in Ireland. Staff is as stuffy as you get. Last 4 or 5 holes are terrible. Front side is ok. Definitely not worth the money.

When I first played RCD five years ago, I hated it. Despised it. Too hard. Too blind. Too much rough.
My most recent experience playing 36 holes on a "soft" Irish day couldn't have been more polar opposite. It was sublime, pure golf heaven.
The rough was shaved shorter. The wind laid down. My caddie helped me overcome my worst blunders. And finally I understood why Golf Digest would rank the links the top course in the world. I can't go that far, but I can suddenly appreciate and understand the love and respect for such a great links.
It has skyrocketed up my personal rankings, likely into the top 10. The blind shots are so much more forgiving the second and third time around. 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. It just doesn't get better than staying at the Slieve Donard next door and walking through that gate to play RCD. #bucketlist

Well if the weather gods were out then 72 degrees and 3 mph winds made this day perfect. Course was immaculate and caddies were best treat. Mine was a 2 hncp...extremely helpful. Has to be one of the top 3 courses I have ever played and played them all...except Augusta. This need to be in the British open rotation....I understand a driving range i going in soon so that might be the only obstacle it not. Front 9 is a tough and a beautiful a golf can be.....back 9 is challenging and majestic a well. Before you die play RCD!!

We could not have picked a better day to play. Had an earlt tee time and it was clear it was going to be a busy day. The opening hole is the best I have seen on any course. It was a dew covered modest par 5 that snakes along the bluffs overlooking the coast.This and every hole was impeccably manicured so that fairway shots were rewarded with pure firm lies.

The course has too many blind shots that without a caddy to guide you would be a nightmare. Of particular note would be #9 with its discontinuous and shifted fairway. A straight shot down the middle of the fairway would put you into the deep heather and Gorse on the other side of the dune. Our caddy climbed the dune and near the top told up to hit it over his head and be sure to carry 200 yds. This barely got us to the fairway on the other side. 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).

These blind shots are the only negative I had for the course. 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.

The views throughout the course were spectacular and often made it hard to stay focused on your game. The course is a stunning sweep of rough land that has been meticulously carved to form imaginative and challenging holes. The only hole that I found ordinary and well out of character for the course is 17 - a 400 yd downhill par 4 with an odd triangular pond in the middle.

The pro shop was very nice and as would be expected from a course of this caliber, well stocked with quality goods. The club house was very nice and the lunch we had afterwards was perfect. Our caddy however seemed to be going through the motions and showed limited interest in our group. He was probably the least engaged of those we used on our trip.

Without question this is deserving of it's #1 rating in the world. RCD is a breathtaking and demanding a course as I have played and look forward to doing it again.

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 dunes, the seascapes, the town in the distance are all magical -- not a thing out of place. 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). Don't try to card a career score; just bask in the dream until you wake up after putting out on the 18th.

There isn't a much better theater for links golf in GB & I than Royal County Down. I played it back in 2007 on a brisk but sunny March morning. We were first off and got around in about 3 hours, though this was a rare round I wish had taken a bit longer so I could soak it all in. This links has it all: exciting, challenging yet fair (for Irish standards) holes and incredible vistas.

In fact, RCD is home to what I can confidently say is my favorite hole in the world: the par-4 9th. After a tee shot entirely blind over a dune, you trudge up only to have one of golf's greatest reveals: a fairway well below, then the town of Newcastle and finally the Mountains of Mourne in the backdrop.

Much like Royal Portrush, the finishing holes aren't much, as the course begins closest to the sea and through some of the highest dunes. You may very well welcome the more subtle terrain, however, because on a windy day, this course could very well eat your lunch and the majority of your golf ball stash by the time you get to No. 16.

Is it better than Portrush? I really can't say. They're both very different (Portrush may be a little more playable in spots for the amateur), and are absolute must-plays if you're anywhere near Northern Ireland.

There are many ways to measure a great golf course. To some, it begins and ends solely based upon how they played upon it. Others will judge based upon more esoteric criteria such as routing, green complexes, shot values and views. 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? 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! High praise, indeed.

Built in the shadow of the peak of Slieve Donard, the fairways at Royal County Down dart and hide behind ancient and rugged, rolling dunes. While it’s beauty is nearly distracting, the course does not try to court your favor. 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). My favorite holes are the 9th and 4th. Rory McIlroy has said the view from the tee on the 4th are his favorite in all the world and the yellow-brick-road-like meandering and backdrop that define the 9th are equaling draw dropping. Royal County Down is special both for those who are not faint of heart and those who possess one.