Royal County Down has edged out a host of world-renowned courses to claim the number one spot in National Club Golfer’s Top 100 Golf Courses in Great Britain and Ireland for 2025.
The famous links course was lauded for its stunning natural scenery and challenging yet rewarding layout, with picturesque features—from windswept sand dunes to vivid heather-lined fairways—that feel lifted from a painter’s canvas.
A highly sought-after destination for golf tours and holidays, the course’s intricate design, which makes full use of the sublime landscape it occupies, helped secure its top ranking.
It narrowly edged out iconic courses including Scotland’s Old Course at St Andrews and Trump Turnberry (Ailsa), which placed second and third respectively.
The rankings, compiled by a panel of seasoned golfers, course raters, and journalists at National Club Golfer, assess courses across Britain and Ireland based on layout, conditioning, heritage, setting, and facilities.
Described as “a course that can melt the imagination in photographs,” Royal County Down was credited with a layout that not only looks the part but plays it too, offering a true test for even the most seasoned golfer.
“Take one peek at the Mourne Mountains, the Murlough Nature Reserve and the Irish Sea and try to stop yourself from immediately adding this course to the bucket list,” said Dan Murphy, editor at National Club Golfer and chairman of the NCG’s Top 100 golf course rankings.
In the current issue read what else he had to say about the course.
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