Royal County Down Golf Club
Newcastle, Northern Ireland
About Royal County Down Golf Club
Royal County Down Golf Club is a golf club in Northern Ireland, located in Newcastle, Newry, Mourne and Down. It opened 137 years ago on 23 March 1889 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland. Approximately 30 miles south of Belfast, it has two 18-hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Annesley Links.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Tournament History & Records
Architecture
- • Old Tom Morris (original 1889)
What Should You Expect to Shoot?
These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.
Championship
Rating 75.5 · Slope 145 · Par 71 · 7,183 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 11 | 86 | +15 |
| 10 | 17 | 93 | +22 |
| 15 | 24 | 99 | +28 |
| 20 | 30 | 106 | +35 |
| 25 | 37 | 112 | +41 |
| 30 | 43 | 118 | +47 |
Medal
Rating 73.0 · Slope 138 · Par 71 · 6,700 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 81 | +10 |
| 10 | 14 | 87 | +16 |
| 15 | 20 | 93 | +22 |
| 20 | 26 | 99 | +28 |
| 25 | 33 | 106 | +35 |
| 30 | 39 | 112 | +41 |
Forward
Rating 74.0 · Slope 135 · Par 71 · 6,350 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 9 | 83 | +12 |
| 10 | 15 | 89 | +18 |
| 15 | 21 | 95 | +24 |
| 20 | 27 | 101 | +30 |
| 25 | 33 | 107 | +36 |
| 30 | 39 | 113 | +42 |
Club
Rating 70.0 · Slope 125 · Par 72 · 6,000 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 74 | +2 |
| 10 | 9 | 79 | +7 |
| 15 | 15 | 85 | +13 |
| 20 | 20 | 90 | +18 |
| 25 | 26 | 96 | +24 |
| 30 | 31 | 101 | +29 |
Ladies
Rating 73.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 5,400 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 80 | +8 |
| 10 | 13 | 86 | +14 |
| 15 | 18 | 91 | +19 |
| 20 | 24 | 97 | +25 |
| 25 | 30 | 103 | +31 |
| 30 | 36 | 109 | +37 |
Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 539 | 444 | 475 | 229 | 440 | 396 | 144 | 429 | 483 | 3,579 | 196 | 442 | 525 | 446 | 212 | 468 | 337 | 443 | 548 | 3,617 | 7,196 |
| Stroke Index | 7 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 12 | 14 |
Holes That Decide Your Round
Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →
Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.
Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.
Expected par or better. If you drop a stroke here, it's usually a mental mistake — which is trackable.
Pre-Round Checklist for Royal County Down Golf Club
Your Game Plan for Royal County Down Golf Club
The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.
Tee Sets
Championship
- Yards:
- 7,183
- Par:
- 71
- Course Rating:
- 75.5
- Slope:
- 145
Medal
- Yards:
- 6,700
- Par:
- 71
- Course Rating:
- 73.0
- Slope:
- 138
Forward
- Yards:
- 6,350
- Par:
- 71
- Course Rating:
- 74.0
- Slope:
- 135
Club
- Yards:
- 6,000
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 70.0
- Slope:
- 125
Ladies
- Yards:
- 5,400
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 73.0
- Slope:
- 130
Play the Irish Links Trail
Royal County Down, Portmarnock, and Royal Portrush — Ireland's three world-top-25 links.
See the full Irish Links Trail guide →Other Notable Courses near Newcastle
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the par at Royal County Down Golf Club?
Royal County Down Golf Club is a par 71 course with 18 holes measuring 7,196 total yards. Front nine par 35 (3,579 yards), back nine par 36 (3,617 yards).
What is the longest hole at Royal County Down Golf Club?
The longest hole is hole 18, a par 5 playing 548 yards.
Which hole is hardest at Royal County Down Golf Club?
Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 4 playing 396 yards.
What should I shoot at Royal County Down Golf Club?
Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.