Royal County Down

There are few places in the world where natural beauty and golf come together in more stunning and dramatic fashion than Royal County Down. The looming Mountains of Mourne, the peak of Slieve Donard, and the spires of the hotel that shares its name come together to form a magnificent canvas along the sands of Dundrum Bay. When combined with the rolling terrain and gorse covered dunes, it’s little wonder that here we find one golf’s most celebrated masterpieces.

Through the years, multiple artists have signed their name to the layout of Royal County Down, and each owes a piece of their legacy to these venerable links. It began with Old Tom Morris, who extended the club’s original 9-hole course for the princely sum of £4. Old Tom’s work remained in play for nearly a decade before George Combe, the club’s authoritarian “Convenor of The Green,” made significant alterations to the links. Combe was a well known figure in the Irish game, and is largely credited with forming the Golfing Union of Ireland, as well as golf’s first handicap system. In his quest for perfection at Royal County Down, however, his role was absolute and no hole was left untouched.

After the Great War, the club brought in Harry Colt to help eliminate many of the blind shots throughout the course that had suddenly become out of fashion. Colt was largely successful with the task at hand, yet half a dozen blind tee shots remain in place to this day, along with the uncertainty that comes with them. Also intact are the two holes that Colt introduced largely from scratch, which are comfortably seated among the finest in all of golf.