Newcastle, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
30 Miles from Belfast, the sleepy seaside village of Newcastle holds what is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Tom Watson is quoted as saying that the front nine are the best he has played, but don’t we all wish we shared his skills. Redesigned in the early 1920’s, the links course slinks through the natural contours and vegetation of the sandy terrain. If you haven’t played the course or can’t walk it ahead of a game, taking a caddie is a necessity; there are many blind tee shots and only a local caddy will be able to locate a stray ball in the thick gorse.
County Down starts off with a drive to the narrow fairway of the opening par 5 and finishes with a monstrous 560 yard dogleg left par 5, often played into the wind. The best par 4 is the short 4th; a dramatically elevated green demands a perfect tee shot over an expanse of tangled rough to a green guarded by a mass of bunkers and trees. Take a camera for the view and someone strong to carry your clubs to the tee. Everywhere in between, you will find sufficient visual distractions to give you a good reason for not breaking par.
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