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Royal County Down Golf Course

  • Newcastle, Northern Ireland, Ireland

Last updated: 21 March, 2024

Royal County Down is no ordinary links. It’s arguably the world’s best golf course you can play without being a member.

It’s the kind of course that people play in their most ecstatic dreams, with an abundance of blind shots, long carries and nestling greens laid out like a velvet carpet.

It’s a golfing stage with few equals, a riot of gorse and heather skirting the Irish Sea and backdropped by the Mountains of Mourne – the inspiration for one of Ireland’s most famous folk ballads.

RCD’s beauty, however, comes with a bite: this is not a place to miss too many fairways, nor is it advised to venture out without some local knowledge – many a first-timer has lost their way in the penal rough or looking for a line that is invisible to all but the lucky, or the more experienced.

One thing is guaranteed; whether it’s your first or fortieth time, RCD is a place you’ll want to come back to, again and again.

Logistics

Price from: £270
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: 4 hours

Getting there & doing it

You need to book tee times through the Secretary’s Office. The Slieve Donard Hotel is next door and is a great overnight and dining option. The course is only 45 minutes from Belfast – perfect to pair with a city break. See our Belfast guide for recommendations of where to stay.

When to do it

The course is open all year round, seven days a week, but the best time to play is between May and September, when the weather is at its best. Visitors are welcome all day Thursday mornings, Sunday afternoons and all-day Monday, Tuesday and Friday.