Royal County Down Golf Club is the number 1 ranked golf course in the entire world and is located in Northern Ireland. The course has a breathtaking layout, and features views of the ocean, as well as the pristine mountain ranges of Ireland. This course, similar to many others in England and Ireland, has a much different playing style than many courses found in the United States or traditionally warmer countries. Royal County Down was founded in 1889, and features two different 18-hole courses. The Championship course is the most famous, as countless professional golf tournaments, both on the European tour and the PGA tour, have been played on it. In the world, there are many different “tours,” or leagues, that professionals can play in. The PGA tour in the United States is considered to be the most prestigious with the highest levels of competition. There also exists the Korn Ferry Tour, which is an American tour but less prestigious than the PGA tour, and the European Tour, which largely has tournaments in Asia and Europe. Royal County Down usually serves as a destination for European Tour tournaments. 

But it’s not just the amazing views and quality of the course that make it so special. For many Americans, this course is a very different experience and requires high levels of skill to play. Many American Courses are played during warmer seasons, and the weather doesn’t really play a large role in the round. However, in Northern Ireland, the weather is quite cold and windy. These conditions have many effects on the course itself, but also the way it needs to be played. The colder conditions make the ground much more firm, which leads to difficulty when controlling the ball on the greens. Many times, the ball will bounce quite heavily on the green and roll off. Additional rollout on the fairways adds distance to players’ tee shots, but sometimes the ball will roll into the many sand bunkers or into the fescue. Fescue is a type of very tall grass commonly featured in Irish and English golf courses that can be very difficult to play out off. The tall grass makes it difficult to make solid contact with the ball, and it’s pretty much impossible to control the flight. Royal County Down is famous for thick fescue, high winds, and cold temperatures that can make it very difficult to play. 

Another interesting component of the course is its “royal” designation. There are only 69 courses around the world that have been given this designation. The course has to have special consent from the royalty of England, and most times, has members who are part of the royal family. Many courses every year apply to get this designation, but only a handful are given it every year. This makes Royal County Down especially unique because the royalty of England have recognized its prestige and beauty. Overall, this course is a bucket-list item for all golfers.