The Royal Dublin Golf Club

Der Royal Dublin GC ist einer der ältesten Golfclubs Irlands. Er teilt sich eine Insel mit dem St Annes Club die man über eine historische Holzbrücke erreicht. Das Gelände ist sehr flach ohne größere Dünen und nicht so stark onduliert wie andere Links. Auch die Bunker sind nicht die eher üblichen gesodeten Pottbunker sondern mit unregelmäßigen Rändern und eher natürlichem Erscheinungsbild. Allerdings ist der Sand eher linksuntypischer, grober und heller Quarzsand was mir persönlich nicht sonderlich gefällt aber das Herausspielen erleichtert. Auch der Boden ist weniger sandig und dunkler als bei anderen Linjsplätzen und drainiert deshalb schlechter. Das herausragende des Platzes sind die Grüns von Harry Colt, die wunderbar angelegt sind. Der Club gilt auch nicht zu Unrecht als extrem gastfreundlich und das Clubhaus strotzt vor Historie.

In recent years, the club has returned to Harry Colt’s designs during restoration projects, helping it to rise in the ratings Unfortunately, we didn’t experience optimal conditions, as a strong wind was blowing in the opposite direction to normal during our visit. This made the opening holes much more intimidating—at least, that is my excuse for some dreadful early scoring. With the breeze in our faces, opening drives pulled up 50 yards short of their expected landing zones, as staying upright became as much of a challenge as weaving between sand traps. We had been advised to drive over the mound on the left side of the third fairway, but my ball ballooned 50 yards wide towards another one by a tee box on the back nine! However, a moment of good fortune sparked my game into life on the par-five sixth. I thought I had faded the ball around a blind corner towards the green, only to find it in a greenside bunker. Fortunately, it was ground under repair, allowing me to putt and knock it in from close range for par. The par-three seventh, with its green beside a pond, was downwind and therefore a much friendlier proposition than usual. The drop-offs around the greens are often dramatic—none more so than on the par-four eighth, where any shot to the left is punished. Hole nine is the prettiest of the par threes, with bunkers guarding the front and bright yellow gorse bushes to the rear. The back nine features much wider fairways because the holes usually play against the wind. They offered us some relief, although holding the greens with the breeze at our backs presented a different challenge. The tenth—a long par-four with a stream in front of the target—is one of Royal Dublin’s best holes. My tactic of laying up before the hazard worked perfectly. The greens were running beautifully, and having judged the pace, I wasted far fewer shots on the inward half. The course has a fascinating finish, beginning with the very short par-four 16th, which even we should have reached from the tee. The 17th lures drives down the right towards the stream and road, whereas the left-hand route is longer but remains the smart play. I lost a ball attempting the ‘Tiger line’. A ferry entering Dublin Port sounded its horn as we stood on the 18th, as if to acclaim the finale of our round. The hole we had watched so many times over lunch is a 90-degree dogleg, offering players the chance to carry an out-of-bounds area of undergrowth, ironically dubbed “the garden”. My tee shot was too short to consider such an adventure, so I took the circuitous route on the way to two Stableford points. Fortune favoured the brave, and you certainly needed courage on this tough but enjoyable day at Royal Dublin.

Giocare per la prima volta su un links è stata un’emozione indescrivibile, e farlo al Royal Dublin ha reso l’esperienza ancora più speciale. È un percorso che trasmette subito la sensazione di trovarsi in un luogo di grande storia, parte integrante del patrimonio golfistico irlandese. Il campo è lineare, senza fronzoli, ma con il vento forte diventa una sfida di altissimo livello: i colpi devono essere sempre controllati e qualsiasi imprecisione viene punita. L’atmosfera è autenticamente “links”, con festuca alta, fairway duri e green che richiedono sensibilità. Un dettaglio che ricorderò a lungo è stata l’accoglienza: lo starter mi ha intrattenuto per dieci minuti sul tee della 1 raccontandomi l’edizione dell’Irish Open del 1985, vinta da Seve Ballesteros proprio qui. Un episodio che ha aggiunto un sapore particolare al giro, facendomi sentire parte di una tradizione viva. Anche la clubhouse è all’altezza della storia del club: ricca di cimeli, accogliente, con un ottimo bar dove ho assaggiato un beef burger davvero gustoso.

The Royal Dublin golfbaan (1885) is een (1) van de oudste golfbanen in Ierland en is werkelijk een prachtige echte linksbaan (ontworpen door golfarchitect Colt) en heeft vele Ierse kampioenschappen georganiseerd met o.a. winnaars Seve Ballesteros en Bernhard Langer. Tot zo ver de historie want ook vandaag de dag is golf op deze baan van een hoog nivo. Golf is hier echt een “way of life” met een zeer vriendelijke ontvangst. De “dure” greenfee is meer dan 18 holes golf en omvat gratis gebruik driving range (ballen), een aluminium drinkbeker met logo en een clubmaaltijd na afloop in het restaurant. De gasten kleedkamer (met lockers) ademt ook deze golfhistorie uit. De baan zelf ligt er prachtig bij met zeer vlakke tee-boxen, goed onderhouden fairways en super greens (snelheid van de green is uitzonderlijk). De afstandspalen zijn in yards tot voorkant green (dus ongeveer meters tot midden green). De baan is ook traditioneel 9 OUT (wij hadden wind mee) en 9 holes IN (wind tegen!) met op draaipunt een water tappunt. De first cut rough is prima en de second cut rough (hoger en helmgras) betekent bijna altijd “lost ball”. Het advies (veel jonge caddies beschikbaar) op deze baan : “LEFT=right en RIGHT=problem” 🤗. Echt een aanrader om een keer te spelen.

Super mooie goed onderhouden links baan. Vriendelijke ontvangst zowel in de shop als bij de starter.