Travel Shop Ireland

Located on an island in Dublin Bay, we are a private members club with a warm welcome for visitors from home and abroad. We believe we have one of the finest golf links in Ireland, but really that’s for others – including our visitors - to judge.

The golfing challenge

Originally designed by the renowned architect, Harry Colt, 2006 has seen the completion of the final phase of the magnificent programme of improvement by the doyen of links development, Martin Hawtree. In addition to a radical redesign of the 6th, 7th and 8th holes, over three winters Mr Hawtree has adjusted the architecture of every hole. His team has raised all of the greens, adding beautiful contouring. The course in it's new and challenging form has been open for play since May 1st 2006.

Our treasured location

Bull Island, home to The Royal Dublin Golf Club, is a protected wildlife habitat with a fabulous range of flora and fauna. Despite this, it is only three miles from Dublin city centre. This ensures visitors have the opportunity of high-class links golf and the benefits of entertainment in a major European capital.

Formed in 1885 and receiving its royal designation in 1891, The Royal Dublin Golf Club is steeped in the history and tradition of Irish golf. It has been home to many championships, amateur and professional, with the highlights being three memorable Irish Opens staged from 1983 to 1985.

For the record, Seve Ballesteros won in 1983 and Bernard Langer in 1984 with huge crowds in attendance. 1985 proved a showdown between the two. It took a 40 foot putt across the 18th green (the fourth hole of a play-off) for Seve to edge out Bernard for that year’s title. Even Langer smiled while the crowds cheered wildly. Nobody who was there will ever forget it. The Royal Dublin Golf Club is that sort of place.

Remarkably, it wasn’t without precedence. In the Carroll’s Professional tournament in 1966 (the forerunner of the Irish Open) our very own and much-loved Christy O’Connor Senior produced an eagle, birdie, eagle finish to claim the title in a hugely popular home win. Nobody who was there has ever forgotten it either. The Royal Dublin Golf Club really is that sort of place.

In more recent years, The Royal Dublin was host to the Irish Amateur Open for three years and regularly welcomes participants in GUI cups and shields. Among our many interesting visitors in 2004 was former US President Bill Clinton.

The Irish Amateur Open returns to the links in 2007 and we look forward to welcoming the finest amateurs from Europe and America, just as we regularly welcome golfers from all over the world.

Pictures and content courtesy of The Royal Dublin Golf Club Website.