Royal County Down Golf Club
36 Hole Links   


Course Facts:
Address
Golf Links Road
Newcastle
Co. Down
Secretary/Manager: James H. Laidler
Captain: Brian Turtle
Lady Captain: Liz Bailie
Telephone: 028-437-23314 President: Mrs. R. Hunter
Public No: 028-437-23314 Vice-Captain: D. M. McAuley
Fax: 028-437-26281 Hon. Secretary: David Nicholson & M. Moore
E-mail: golf@royalcountydown.org Club Pro: Kevin J. Whitson 437-22419
Website: www.royalcountydown.org Hon. Treasurer: J. C. Morton & G. Taggart
Founded: 1889 Designed by: Donald Steele & Tom Morris (Old)
Not open for membership. Societies are welcome and group rates are available.
Membership: 201 Course opening hours: Daylight hours
Green Fees Midweek: £135 Clubhouse opening hours: 8.00am to 9.00pm
Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: £150 Mobile phones: Not on course or in clubhouse
Green Fees With a Member: N/A Dress Code: Neat casual, no denim
Green Fees For Opens: N/A Catering: Full catering facilities
Practice Area: Yes Days to Avoid: Wednesdays & Saturdays
Club Hire: Yes Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Other days
Buggy Hire: No Pre-booking for open tournaments: 14 Days in advance
Soft spikes: No    




Course Description:

Royal Co. Down is the second oldest Golf Club in Ireland founded in 1889 and designed by Old Tom Morris and later redesigned by Vardon and later by Harry Colt. The club has 36-holes the Championship Course measuring 7,037 yards Par 71 with a standard scratch of 74 off the blue tees and the somewhat shorter Annesley Links at 4,708 yards Par-66.

There are a half-dozen or so blind shots and the feature hole is considered by most people to be the 9th. The tee box is perched on a heather-strewn hill, measuring 486 yards Vardon described it as "exhilarating and terrifying". The view from the tee box is truly magnificent with the Mourne Mountains, the peaks of Slieve Bearnagh and Slieve Donard, in the distance. To the left is Dundrum Bay, extending to the lighthouse at St. John’s Point. This is one of the most photographed views in the world. Other feature holes are the 13th and especially the Par-3 4th requiring a 200-yard carry to a green protected by no fewer than 10 bunkers.

Royal Co. Down has a magnificent clubhouse catering for the golfers every need, a strict jacket-and-tie applies at this one of the finest links to be found anywhere in the world, many would argue it is the Number One and few would disagree.

Voted the No. 1-ranked golf course in Ireland, by “Golf Digest Ireland” in 2008.

Royal Co. Down was voted No. 1 Links/Shoreline Course in Ireland by "Backspin" Irelands leading Golf magazine in 2008, the panel comprised of a selection of 52 Professional and amateur golfers throughout Ireland.





Open & Major fixtures 2008:

Event

Start

Finish

Type

Duration


No fixtures until 2009.
       




Club History

Instituted 1889, affiliated 1891. Royal County Down has the distinction of being on of the nine founder members of the GUI, on 13th November 1891, when George Combe and Dr. Magill attended the inaugural meeting. George Combe was the first Hon. Secretary of the Union and was a major influence in golf affairs during his seven years in office. He was also Captain of Royal County Down in 1895-96, and again in 1904.

"The Field" on the 23rd March 1889, records that Lord Annesley presided over the first meeting of the club, which had over fifty members, “many of them leading gentlemen". Old Tom Morris was called in at a fee not to exceed £4 in July 1889; he suggested an additional three holes be added and he mapped out six other holes. The ladies club was formed in 1894 and the clubhouse was opened in 1897; a second eighteen-holes, were opened in 1900. After Ben Sayers made a visit in 1907 and some alterations were made to the course.

In 1908, King Edward VII confirmed the title "Royal" making it the fourth Irish club with the prefix Royal. G. L. Baillie was joint Hon. Secretary until 1890 and the first Captain was Mr. Armar Loery-Corry.

In 1899, the Ladies British Amateur Open Championship was held here and in 1970 the British Amateur Open Championship was, won by Michael Bonallack on this famous course. Royal County Down consistently ranks as one of the top golf courses in the world.





Location

Newcastle on the north side of town.






Members Achievements

Danielle and Shauna McVeigh were selected on the Ulster ILGU Team for the Interprovincial's. Played at Ballybunion Golf Club from 18th to 20th August 2004.

Royal Co. Down Ladies set out to defend the ILGU Senior Cup at Balbriggan Golf Club on 7th September 2002, having won the Ulster Championship. They were drawn against Munster Champions Douglas in the All-Ireland Semi-Final the team was Alison Coffey, Emma Dickson, Anita McCaw, Vikki McWilliams and Jill McAuley. They were, captained by Cynthia Boston. In a most exiting match they were, edged out by Douglas by 3 matches to 2 matches. Alison Coffey won the top match by 1-hole. Emma Dickson lost her match 2 and 1. Jill McAuley lost her match on the 19th, while Vickie McWilliams went all the way to the 24th and Anita McCaw won her match by 4 and 3.

Emma Dickson was selected on the Ulster Ladies team for the AIB Interprovincial Championships at Mount Wolseley Golf Club from August 7-9 2002.

Royal Co. Down Ladies won the ILGU Senior Cup in 2001 at Douglas Golf Club on September the 8th. They beat Douglas in the final by 3.5 matches to 1.5 matches. The squad was Anita McCaw, Jill McAuley, Joanne Black Angela Bradley, Fiona Brown, Alison Coffey and Emma Dickson.

Joanne Black was selected on the Ulster Ladies team in the AIB Interprovincial’s at the Island Golf on the 8th to the 10th August 2001.





Card of the Championship Course (yards)
 
Hole No Blue White Yellow Par Index Red Par Index
1 539 523 505 5 13 487 5 13
2 444 424 387 4 9 342 4 3
3 477 477 457 4 3 435 5 9
4 213 213 175 3 15 144 3 15
5 440 417 407 4 7 398 4 7
6 398 374 359 4 11 338 4 7
7 145 135 125 3 17 116 3 17
8 430 430 428 4 1 403 5 5
9 486 428 428 4 5 434 5 11
Out 3,572 3,421 3,258 35   3,102 38  
10 197 189 182 3 18 173 3 16
11 440 428 428 4 8 387 4 2
12 527 480 472 5 16 456 5 8
13 444 422 422 4 2 406 5 12
14 212 202 202 3 12 195 3 14
15 467 453 453 4 4 407 5 4
16 337 317 298 4 14 255 4 18
17 435 419 406 4 10 372 4 6
18 550 550 530 5 6 490 5 10
In 3,609 3,460 3,393 36   3,141 38  
Total 7,181 6,881 6,651 71   6,243 76  
SSS 74 73 72     75    

Men's Course Record: 66 J. Bruen & J. M. Jamison & H. B. Smith (am)
Ladies Course Record:

Card of the Annesley Course (yards)
 
Hole No White Yellow Par Index Red Par Index
1 285 262 4 11 258 4 13
2 320 320 4 13 302 4 11
3 426 369 4 1 417 5 7
4 399 364 4 5 364 4 3
5 127 103 3 17 103 3 17
6 267 256 4 9 256 4 5
7 278 266 4 7 258 4 9
8 338 315 4 3 304 4 1
9 152 124 3 15 113 3 15
Out 2,592 2,364 34   2,375 35  
10 264 251 4 10 243 4 4
11 290 278 4 4 285 4 6
12 144 126 3 8 126 3 14
13 139 107 3 14 107 3 16
14 277 256 4 12 256 4 8
15 364 339 4 2 339 4 2
16 162 153 3 16 148 3 18
17 161 147 3 6 141 3 12
18 315 304 4 18 298 4 10
In 2,116 1,961 32   1,943 32  
Total 4,708 4,322 66   4,318 67  
SSS 65 63     65    



Roll of Honour
Dr. P. B. Johnston 2000 Men's Captain
G. Menary 2001 Men's Captain
Dr. David D. Boyle 2002 Men's Captain
G. R. Perrin 2004 Men's Captain
Mrs. L. Thomason 2005 Ladies Captain
V. A. Hewitt 2005 Men's Captain
Liz Nixon 2006 Ladies Captain
D. M. McAuley 2006 Men's Captain
Brian Turtle 2007 Men's Captain





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