Magnificent new holes at Royal County Down

Magnificent new holes at Royal County Down

27 April 2016

THE first phase of a major improvement scheme at Newcastle’s world famous Royal County Down Golf Club has been completed.

The club has carried out a series of significant alterations to the Annesley Links, the club’s No 2 course.   

Three new holes have been created at the northern end of the course and improvements have been carried out to some of the existing holes.

Construction was completed in November 2014 and the new greens and tees were left to grow until yesterday when the newly altered links were opened for play.

The second phase of the scheme will comprise the creation of a new full-sized practice ground.

Work is scheduled to begin in the autumn and the club anticipates that the practice area will available for use next spring. 

The changes to the Annesley Links started with the re-alignment of the second hole to finish at the old fourth green.  This takes out of play and releases the existing thirrd and fourth holesl which will be incorporated into the practice area.

Subsequent holes are re-numbered — 5 to 10 become 3 to 8 — through to the completely new holes which are holes 9, 10 and 11.

These new holes have been built on land owned by the club and are routed around a large sand dune at the northern end of the links. 

The new ninth hole is at the high point of the links and plays directly towards the Mourne Mountains from high to low and then a dogleg around the dune to the green. 

The tee for the 10th hole is again an elevated tee by the shore and the hole plays along the shore line.  The 11th hole is a short par three from the furthest corner of the course and right by the shore to a bowl shaped green.

Existing holes 11 to 15 are renumbered 12 to 16. 

The 17th hole starts from a new tee adjacent to the new second green and plays as a short par four to the existing 17th green.  The 18th hole is unchanged.

Club secretary David Wilson said: “It is quite clear already that these three new holes will be a stunning addition to the Annesley Links and will provide some of the best views of sea and mountains at Royal County Down.”

Martin Ebert, of McKenzie and Ebert, designed the alterations and the construction work was completed by SOL Golf.