Ardglass Golf Club
Founded in 1896 on the cliffs of County Down, Ardglass is one of the most thrilling cliff top links in the game and home to the oldest clubhouse in golf. A par 70 of about 6,268 yards, it opens with a run of holes hung over the Irish Sea, none more famous than the par 3 second across a rocky inlet.
Photo: Ardglass Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Ardglass is the great value thrill of the County Down coast. Founded in 1896 and built out from a short seven hole links into a full eighteen over the following century, with three holes added by David Jones on land bought in 1998, it gives you something the famous championship neighbours cannot match for the money: an opening stretch played right along the cliff edge, with the Irish Sea crashing below and the Isle of Man on the horizon on a clear day.
It is not long at about 6,268 yards to a par of 70, and it does not need to be. The drama is in the setting and the exposure, the wind off the water, and the carries across rocky inlets that ask for nerve as much as length. Add the oldest clubhouse in golf, a part fortified stone building older than the game itself, and Ardglass becomes an essential stop on any Northern Ireland links tour, easily paired with the bigger names of County Down.
Ardglass at a glance
- Founded
- 1896
- Design
- Evolved, David Jones holes 1998
- Type
- Cliff top links
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 6,268 yds
- Green fee
- From about 120 pounds
Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Ardglass Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1896 as a seven hole links and grew to eighteen, with three holes added by David Jones on land acquired in 1998; it plays as a par 70 of about 6,268 yards from the medal tees. Green fees are indicative for the 2026 high season, starting from around 120 pounds on a weekday with higher weekend and bank holiday rates; always confirm the current fee and availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Ardglass throws its best at you early. The opening five holes wind along the lip of the cliffs, and you are barely out of the car park before the course delivers its calling card. The short second, known as Howd's Hole, is the signature: about 167 yards played from a tee on the rocks across a sea inlet to a green set on the far cliff, with nothing but air and water in between. Miss it and the ball is gone; hit it and the round is made.
From there the links climbs and falls across the headland, several holes running atop the cliffs with long views over the Irish Sea, others turning inland through tumbling, natural links ground. The greens are firm and true, the bunkering modest, and the real defense is the wind, which can swing a club or two between the exposed coastal holes and the more sheltered turns.
It is a course that rewards a sense of adventure and a steady nerve over the carries, and it sends you back to the ancient clubhouse with a card that depends as much on how you handled the cliffs as on how far you hit it. For sheer scenery to score ratio, few links anywhere give you more.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitors welcome by advance tee time around member play; green fee and society packages available |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 high season from about 120 pounds on a weekday, with higher weekend and bank holiday rates |
| Booking | Reserve through the golf shop or a trip planner; book ahead for summer weekends and society days |
| On the day | Walking links; carts limited; sensible cliff top footwear and smart golf attire advised |
| Getting there | Ardglass on the County Down coast, about 30 miles and under an hour south of Belfast |
| Best months | May to September for the warmest, driest links conditions and the longest evenings |
Access and fee details verified June 2026; rates and policies change, so always confirm directly with the golf shop or your trip planner before booking.
Where to stay nearby
The fishing village of Ardglass and the nearby town of Downpatrick offer characterful local lodging, while a base around Belfast or the Mourne coast keeps the whole of County Down's golf within an easy drive. It is an ideal region to build a multi course week around, mixing the cliff top drama of Ardglass with the championship links a short way along the coast.
Pair Ardglass with the other great links of the island. To the south the Mourne coast and to the wider east coast lies a wealth of seaside golf, and a planned trip can string Ardglass together with names like County Louth at Baltray and Portmarnock for a full week of classic links.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Ardglass.
Build a County Down golf trip
We secure the Ardglass tee times, pair them with the best of the County Down and east coast links and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Ardglass questions
When was Ardglass Golf Club founded?
Ardglass Golf Club was founded in 1896, originally as a short seven hole links. It grew over the decades into a full eighteen, with three holes added by David Jones on land acquired in 1998.
What is the par and length of Ardglass?
Ardglass plays as a par 70 of about 6,268 yards from the medal tees, a compact cliff top links where the wind and the coastline, rather than raw length, provide the challenge.
What is the signature hole at Ardglass?
The short par 3 second, known as Howd's Hole, is the signature, a tee shot of about 167 yards played across a rocky sea inlet to a green on the far cliff, one of the most photographed one shot holes in Ireland.
Does Ardglass have the oldest clubhouse in golf?
Ardglass uses a part fortified building dating from the 15th century, originally connected to the Earls of Kildare, and it is widely described as the oldest clubhouse in the game.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.