Royal County Down

The toughest course in Ireland? No contest - Royal County Down.

The most picturesque course in Ireland? No contest - Royal County Down.

Situated on a rugged piece of links land below the Mountains of Mourne lies one of the most spectacular courses on the planet. However, for all it's aesthetic delights, Royal County Down is not for the faint-hearted. Japan's Noburu Sugai won the 2002 Senior British Open here with a 72 hole score of only -3, while the impressive names of Watson, Irwin and Co. were blown away with the wind. Had they played from the tips, it is a certainty that no player in the field would have broken par. Rumour has it that even the great Tiger Woods got through half a dozen balls on his last visit.

The difficulty here lies three-fold. Firstly, Royal County Down is one of the most demanding courses off the tee that you are likely to find. On several occasions you will find yourself hitting driver to a blind fairway. Secondly, many of the greens boast treacherous undulations. If the green keeper happens to be in a particularly bad mood, the pin positions can be brutally difficult. Add some Northern Irish wind and the odd shower of rain into the mix, and you are left with one of the world's most difficult courses. If you manage to play to your handicap on your first visit, you've been sandbagging off a high handicap for far too long.

I think one of the great tests of a course's greatness is how you feel about it after a bad round, or having played it in inclement weather. Believe me, you will walk away from this place astounded even if you end up shooting the dreaded three-figures. If you're blessed enough to catch it on a calm sunny day, there is no finer place to be on earth.

It doesn't earn it's No.1 position on The Top 100 Rankings for no reason... It's everything a golf course should be, and more.