Royal Dublin Golf Club: Under the spotlight

Located on North Bull Island to the east of Dublin city, you will find the links at The Royal Dublin Golf Club. Founded in 1885 as the Dublin Golf Club, the course was originally located in the western park of Dublin in a place called Phoenix Park. In 1889, the club was moved to its present-day location on Bull Island in Dublin Bay and 2 years later, the club officially received its “Royal” designation by Queen Victoria.

The club is the oldest in Dublin and has hosted more than 50 amateur and professional tournaments. After the original layout was destroyed during World War I, Harry Colt was brought in to rebuild the course and then Martin Hawtree redeveloped the golf course in 2006 as it is seen today.

The course offers golfers the choice of four sets of tee boxes that range in length from 5,987 yards from the shortest tees to 7,297 yards from the tips. With coastal views, strong winds, thick rough, and strategic bunkers, the golf course plays as a true links experience.

The layout itself plays as a traditional “out and back” layout with most of the golf course playing in the same north/south direction with holes 7, 8, 9, and 18 being the exceptions. Although the course is built on an island, the only ocean that comes into play is on hole 17 for any wayward shots going to the right. There are, however, a few small burns that can be found throughout the course.

Royal Dublin is relatively flat, but large dunes help to contour the fairways and greens. The fairways offer large landing areas off the tee, but tend to narrow approaching the greens. There is an abundance of bunkering throughout the course and they are strategically placed in the fairways and by the greens making golfers take a different approach to their game.

For those looking to do a golf trip to the Dublin area, The Royal Dublin pairs extremely well with the likes of Portmarnock Links, Portmarnock Old, The Island Club, and the European Club is about a 90-minute drive further south of Dublin.

For accommodation in the area, we would recommend staying just north of Dublin in the Malahide as most of the golf courses being accessible within an hour’s drive of the city. In terms of accommodation, the Grand Hotel is your best bet in the Malahide area, but there are also plenty of other hotel options in the city of Dublin within walking distance to the bars, restaurants, and nightlife.

Recommended package

• 7 nights’ accommodation at the Grand Hotel, Malahide
• 5 rounds of golf at: Royal Dublin Golf Club, County Louth Golf Club, Portmarnock Old Course, The Island Club, Portmarnock Links

View Package: 7 nights 5 rounds in Dublin

Location:

• Dublin, Ireland
• 11 miles from Dublin Airport