The Newcastle club was founded in 1889 by a group of what was described as a “group of influential business and professional men from Belfast” and was granted its royal status by King Edward VII in 1908.
There is some evidence to suggest that a rudimentary form of golf had been played by the townsfolk before then on the rabbit warren at Newcastle.
Legendary designer Old Tom Morris produced the original layout and amid six architects making refinements to the links over the years, Royal County Down has consistently remained at the very top when the subjective matter of calling the world’s top golf course has arisen.
As recently as July this year, the highly respected Golf Digest rated Royal County Down as the world’s top course with Royal Dornoch, St Andrews and another great Northern Ireland links Royal Portrush filling out the top-four positions.
“On a clear spring day, with Dundrum Bay to the east, the Mountains of Mourne to the south and gorse-covered dunes in golden bloom, there is no lovelier place in golf,” stated the Golf Digest appraisal.
“Though the greens are surprisingly flat, as if to compensate for the rugged terrain and numerous blind shots, bunkers are a definite highlight, most with arched eyebrows of dense marram grasses and impenetrable clumps of heather.”
And the par-71, 7,186-yard course looks certain to be a tough test again this week after Dane Kjeldsen finished at only two under par when he triumphed nine years ago.