Royal County Down Golf Club (Championship Links)

Royal County Down Golf Club, located in Newcastle, Northern Ireland, is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland, established on March 23, 1889. Situated in the Murlough Nature Reserve with the stunning backdrop of the Mourne Mountains and overlooking Dundrum Bay, it is widely regarded as one of the finest golf courses in the world and has been ranked among the top ten globally. The Championship Links, a challenging links course, was originally laid out by Old Tom Morris and has seen subsequent modifications by notable architects including George Combe, Harry Vardon, Harry Colt, James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Donald Steel, and most recently, Tom Mackenzie & Ebert (Martin Ebert). The course is known for its narrow fairways lined with heather and gorse, challenging 'bearded' bunkers, and often concludes with fast, subtly contoured or domed greens. Notable holes include the par-3 4th and the par-4 9th, which is one of the most photographed holes in golf. The club has hosted numerous significant tournaments, including the Irish Open, the Senior British Open, the Walker Cup, and the Curtis Cup. Visitors are welcome on the Championship Links on designated days and times, and while buggies are not permitted due to the terrain, caddies are available and highly recommended, with a minimum of one fore-caddie required per group. The clubhouse offers a bar and dining facilities, and visitor locker rooms with showers and lockers are available.