What's a must play near Royal County Down?

[Jason Blasberg]

Please name one MUST play if you're at Royal County Down (beside RCD and the short course at RCD, for those wise-guys out there ).  

Must be within a 1 hour or so drive as I'll be travelling with a little one.  Also, we're heading up to Bushmills later in the week so something that you would play while staying at RCD, not while staying up near Portrush.

[David_Tepper]

Jason -

There are no MUST plays near RCD. If you want a fun, scenic course, play Ardglass. Otherwise, you would be better off playing another round at RCD.

DT  

[Tim Pitner]

Baltray (County Louth Golf Club) can't be too far away, to the south near Drogheda.  

[Kevin Pallier]

Jason

There was a thread about courses near RCD just recently - suggest you do a search.

I agree with Tim on a course I enjoyed = Baltray

[Lou_Duran]

When I grow up I hope to be like Jason Blasberg.  RCD is very, very high on my MPBD list.

[David_Tepper]

County Louth (Baltray) is a fine links course. It is either a MUST play or very close to it. However, I am pretty sure it is at least a 50 mile drive from RCD in Newcastle to County Louth (Baltray) near Drogheda and it will take more than an hour.

I don't know how long it takes to cross the border these days, but I would be very surprised if you can drive from one course to the other in less than an hour, even if they are waving cars straight thru the border crossing at Newry. I would plan on it taking 75 minutes to get from one course to the other.

[Nick Pozaric]

After playing it a month ago ill say what some of the others said, play RCD again, you wont regret it

[Paul Richards]

Play RCD as many times as you possibly can.

Nothing else compares.

 


There's Heaven,
There's Cypress Point,
There's Royal County Down

and then there's everything else.....

[Dan Moore]

I'm with Paul on this.  Royal County Down merits multiple plays.  County Louth is also top notch.  

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Jason, You are already going to Portrush. I would play RCD until you know it better than you know Engineers. It is one of the great must plays in the world. I played it twice a day then would go off with whoever would join me and play to sunset each day.

[Eamon Lynch]

There is no border crossing at Newry anymore - hasn't been in a number of years. Plus there's a new highway that you can catch 5 miles south of Newry and take to within a couple of miles of Baltray. Total drive time from RCD would be about 45 minutes.

[Jack_Marr]

I'd also say Baltray. Not far away at all.

Also, when you're in Bushmills, they have a 12 year old that's only available in the distillery that's very good.

[Ally Mcintosh]

looks like you've a load of advice here which all says one of two things:

either play RCD again as it's the best course in ireland... or drive approximately 50 minutes to play County Louth (Baltray) which is an absolutely fantastic course and would be considered a MUST play in most people's books... it just doesn't get quite the publicity that some other famous links courses get

[Jonathan Cummings]

Are you guys kidding me??  No mention of Ardglass just 15 minutes to the east and within sight of RCD!?  After the addition/re-do of the 4 oceans holes this place is a strong second echelon Irish course and a wonderful respite from RCD.  I've played Down a dozen times or so over the years and love it as much as any here but the fact remains it can be a murderously difficult tract for any but the better golfers.

Warrenpoint is another (parkland) course to the west of RCD and much closer than Louth.  Warren is pleasant enough but a full Doak point or two below Ardglass.

JC

[Ally Mcintosh]

depends what you want i suppose, jonathan...

i've never played ardglass but it does look quite spectacular on the cliff-tops...

...it may be a "strong second echelon course" but baltray qualifies as top tier...

...not that ratings mean much i suppose but it's generally considered the best course in ireland after down, portrush, portmarnock, ballybunion, waterville and perhaps lahinch and the european... i love it anyway

[Jason Blasberg]

Are you guys kidding me??  No mention of Ardglass just 15 minutes to the east and within sight of RCD!?

Jonathan:

My sense is that I could always hop a ride over to Ardglass around 4-5 pm. or so and get a round in without an advanced tee time, is that accurate?

Jason

[Jason Blasberg]

When I grow up I hope to be like Jason Blasberg.  RCD is very, very high on my MPBD list.

Lou:

The guy you actually want to grow up to be is Jason Jr., who will most likely be playing Engineers and Prairie Dunes by age 6-7!  That is if Daddy gets his way  When I was a kid I had to scrape it around on munis and settle for caddies day at the club (not to mention walking to school up hill both ways with no shoes).  BTW, the munis were Timber Point, Bethpage Black and Montauk Downs.  

Jason

[Jason Blasberg]

Jason, You are already going to Portrush. I would play RCD until you know it better than you know Engineers. It is one of the great must plays in the world. I played it twice a day then would go off with whoever would join me and play to sunset each day.

Tiger, et al.,:

Many thanks for confirming my initial thought which was to pitch a tent at the first tee of RCD and just keep going round and round!!

[jeffwarne]

probably not must plays, but anyone know anything about Larne GC and Kirkistown Castle?
Larne's not near RCD but the two might be combined for  the ride up to Portrush area after leaving Ardglass
Thanks,
Jeff

[Tom Scupholm III]

I just got back to Michigan after going to the Ryder Cup and playing 8 days of Golf.  RCD is the best.  Ardglass is about 20 minutes away, it is a quirky and fun to play golf course.  Many holes are right along the Irish Sea.  The course is not maintained like RCD or Royal Portrush.  Baltray (County Louth) is about an hour drive and I recomend staying in the clubhouse.  The have 6 very small rooms upstairs.  Seapoint is next to Baltray and has a nice place.  14 tee at Balltray and 16 tee at Seapoint are almost touching.  You could play both courses in one day.  
It you go up to Royal Portrush, make sure you play Portstewart, the could have the best opening 7 holes in golf.

Enjoy, PM me if you want more info from my trip

[archie_struthers]

 


Just returned from the Emerald Isle and thought Royal County Down was just unreal. Portrush also was special, maybe even a little harder in some ways.

Some of the locals were just raving about a course named Mirva, but didn't have time to check it out, perhaps someone can say if this is indeed a must play?

regards

[JESII]

In the 1999 British Amateur the alternate medal play course was called Kilkeel (sic). It was probably 25 minutes down around the mountains. An inland parkland style with a couple really quirky holes. Was Ardglass around then? Why would the R&A have used Kilkeel instead? Have any of you locals or frequent visitors ever heard of the course?

Jason,
Play RCD 100 times in a row versus one time around Kilkeel.

[mike_malone]

 Archie,

   Could you mean "Murvagh" in Donegal?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

You are welcome Jason, County Louth is a wonderful course as is Portstewart. However at the end of the day you will not regret one moment spent at RCD. My group could not undersand why I would get up at the course opening and would not come back till dark each day. Why go sleep with a Duke cheerleader when you can have that Tennessee Vol one over and over. lol same story with USC Cheerleader over say a Stanford one. I purposely left out LSU so no one could accuse me of being a homer.

[archie_struthers]

Mayday,

Yes, Murvagh must be it. any knowledge out there?