This week, some of the top players on the DP World Tour, including Rory McIlroy, Sean Lowry, Aaron Rai and Robert MacIntyre, will descend on Newcastle, Northern Ireland, for the Amgen Irish Open, where the spectacular Royal County Down Golf Club will be waiting for them.
The course is challenging and unpredictable, with scenery that rivals Pebble Beach. The Mourne Mountains overlooking the golf course make it one of the most beautiful places in the world, leaving everyone who plays in awe of its beauty.
Voted the greatest golf course in the world by Golf Digest, Royal County Down last hosted the Irish Open in 2015, when Denmark’s Soren Kelsen defeated England’s Eddie Pepperell and Austria’s Bernd Wiesberg on the first playoff hole, the par-5 18th. They finished at 2 under, with only two others, Rafael Cabrera Bello and Tyrrell Hatton, finishing in the red after 72 holes. The players struggled on this course due to unpredictable conditions, but the otherworldly layout is Open Championship quality.
Yes, it is that difficult.
After the par-5 first hole, there was a great scoring opportunity, but a blind shot on the par-4 second hole immediately made players uncomfortable. The towering sand dunes above this golf course present many such situations, where players must rely on yardage books, imaginary targets and a glimmer of hope. Add in a strong breeze off the Irish Sea or a cold wind blowing in from the mountains, and these blind shots can be more awkward than a junior high school teenager.
The 3rd hole offers a breather from the tee, but the blind play makes this hole very difficult to play – it measures 475 yards. A huge pole stands tall behind the green, acting as a beacon of purpose and hope – a common sight at Royal County Down, as there are many blind plays here. The greens are fairly flat, as are most of the putting surfaces at Royal County Down, but they are by no means bad. However, once you complete the par 4 3rd hole, you turn towards the Mourne Mountains and the first par 3 on the golf course will hit you in the face. The 4th hole at Royal County Down is the first hole to face the Mourne Mountains, and it is one of the greatest par 3 holes in the world. It is long, difficult and beautiful, three adjectives that perfectly describe this golf course as a whole.
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After four of the most spectacular holes you can imagine, there are 14 more heavenly views ahead. The 5th is a dogleg right, another feature of this hole that is a blind play. Don't go too far to the right or you'll find gorse – a thorny shrub native to the British Isles that can be found everywhere. The 6th is a scorable par 4, the only hole on the front nine that's less than 400 yards, but it's another blind play. Then, as you return to the mountains and the clubhouse, you turn to the short 7th. You can use a wedge or short iron on this par 3, which is the shortest hole on the course. But the front nine ends with two extremely difficult par 4s, the last of which is one of the most photographed holes in the world.
The 10th is a par 3 that plays to just under 200 yards and can be played much shorter or longer than indicated, depending on the weather. But the 10th does have an interesting anecdote. Whenever there is a thick fog over the sea or the mountains, the Royal County Down Golf staff immediately walks out on the course to see if they can see the pin on the 10th green without obstruction. If they can, they play. If not, the course is closed. With its proximity to the clubhouse, the 10th is a barometer of the game – the deciding factor when Mother Nature becomes uncontrollable.
This is also the introduction to Royal County Down’s back nine, which is admittedly the weaker of the two holes but would still be one of the best in all of Ireland if it weren’t for its thrilling start. The 11th is another blind tee shot that will have you praying again, while the par-5 12th is the best scoring opportunity you can have. The 13th is another gem, a slightly downhill dogleg right surrounded by gorse. Depending on the time of year, you might see yellow or purple flowers surrounding this challenging par 4, leaving you to wonder, am I at the Irish version of Augusta National Golf Club? Yes, you are.
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The final five holes at Royal County Down Golf Links are slightly different from the first 13 holes, as they are furthest from the Irish Sea and therefore away from the huge sand dunes that give this course its character. But every hole is stunning. The 14th is a long, downhill par 3 in the far corner of the course. Accuracy is essential, as short and left bunkers guard this putting surface. Then, as with the last three holes, you'll play through the final four holes to the clubhouse.
The 15th is a dogleg right, a beautiful golf hole where you can see your target but, due to the sloping contour of the fairway, you can’t see where your tee shot will land. This leaves you with more doubts than you’d like to admit, because the same mantra applies to your second shot – but it also applies to nearly every shot you face at Royal County Down.
After the 15th, you come to the only par-4 hole on the course, the 16th. This is one of the last two great scoring opportunities, as the par-5 18th can also make a lot of birdies. But the more difficult par-4 17th hole is in between.
Of course, it would make for another fantastic finale to this week’s Irish Open, giving golf fans one last taste of true links golf in the 2024 season. If only we could see Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and other PGA Tour stars take on this course… but that’s just a dream.
How to watch the Amgen Irish Open (all times are Eastern):
Thursday, September 12
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel) (NBC Sports App)
Friday, September 13
3am-6am (Golf Channel) (NBC Sports App)
6:30-8 a.m. (NBC Sports App)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (NBC Sports App)
Saturday, September 14
7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (NBC Sports App)
Sunday, September 15
7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (NBC Sports App)
- 12pm-3pm Golf Channel (tape delayed)
Amgen Irish Open odds:
Here are the latest odds from FanDuel on which player will win the Amgen Irish Open:
Rory McIlroy +500
Sean Lowry +1000
Aaron Ray +1400
Robert McIntyre +1800
Højgaard in Rasum +2200
Seamus Strength +2500
Sriston Lawrence +3000
Thomas Detry +3300
Nicola Hoijgaard +3500
Bernd Weisberg +3500
Ryan Fox +3500
Tom McKibbin +3500
Eric Van Rooyen +4000
Matteo Manassero +4000
Guido Migliozzi +4000
Sebastian Soderbergh +4500
Niklas Norgaard +4500
Thorbjorn Olsen +5000
Jack Milko is SB Nation's Playing Through golf columnist. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @JackMilco Same here.