Royal Dublin Golf Course - Links Golf in Dublin City

The excitement builds as you cross a wooden bridge to get to the club house, where one of the friendliest check-ins in golf awaits. The staff took their time to show me around the practice facility, point out some landmarks on the course and organized a packed lunch, which was delivered to us on the course (as a late tee time meant it would be too late to take advantage of the meal included in the green fee).

Teeing off in the afternoon with the wind on your back, you will head out towards Howth Head on a fairly straight track for about two and a half miles. The dunes of Bull Island offer all sorts of lies off the narrow fairways. Even in April, the ball carried a long way and the greens were fast with all sorts of undulations, meaning laying up short often meant running over the back. Staying left kept you out of trouble, and before you knew it, it was time to make the turn. The front nine is another Irish marvel where golf almost comes second as you take in the surroundings.

A short par 3 takes you to the 10th, where the wind turns from friend to foe as you make your way back towards the city with the sun coming down over Dublin's mountains and the iconic power station guiding you home. Arriving on the 16th, you will be greeted with a sign challenging you to match Irish legend Christy O’ Connor Junior, who won the 1966 Irish open with an eagle, birdie and birdie finish. Sadly, a par, bogie, triple was all the author could manage, ruining a good round with a risk/reward shot over OOB on the 18th.

Before you know it - it’s over and maybe on a different day it’s not so enjoyable, but when the weather is calm, it’s hard to beat.

The elevated clubhouse has stunning views both inside and out of Howth Head. The Guinness is good and the members are friendly. Royal Dublin was the last course on this Irish trip and in many ways the best. Green fees are steep, but they are in every capital city and few are so close and so unique.

We stayed at the Intercontinental Dublin, located in Ballsbridge, which was a 20-minute drive from the course and convenient to reach the airport the following day. Royal Dublin is a bucket-list course and well worth the green fee. It will have you planning your next trip before this one ends.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Dublin. In need of further inspiration? Check out Aaron Richards’s guide, Three Perfect Days in Dublin: Your Insider's Itinerary.