The Royal Dublin Golf Club
Few great links sit this close to a capital city. Royal Dublin occupies North Bull Island, a nature reserve in Dublin Bay barely ten minutes from the city centre, and plays as a classic out and back links in the old Scottish manner. Founded in 1885 and long the home club of Christy O'Connor Senior, it is history, convenience and proper links golf in one round.
Photo: The Royal Dublin Golf Club via Google, contributor Peter Wortmann.
The verdict
Royal Dublin is Ireland's third oldest club, founded in 1885 and settled on the links of North Bull Island, known as Dollymount, since 1889. The championship routing is the work of Harry Colt, opened in 1920, and was modernised by Martin Hawtree between 2004 and 2006, who added two new holes and around 450 yards to bring it to a par 72 of 7,269 yards. It runs out along one side of the island and back along the other, so the wind that helps you out punishes you coming home.
It suits the golfer who wants a great links without leaving the city, an easy round to bookend a Dublin trip or to open a tour of the east coast and the southwest. Flat by links standards and walkable, it is all about position off the tee and the running approach, a subtle, strategic test rather than a brute.
Royal Dublin at a glance
- Designer
- Harry Colt
- Founded
- 1885
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,269 yds
- Green fee
- From €270
Founding date, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. Green fees are indicative recent main season figures from the club, around 270 euros Monday to Thursday and 295 euros Friday to Sunday, with lower winter rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The closing eighteenth, known as the Garden, is the hole that decides matches. A dogleg played around an out of bounds down the right, it tempts the brave to cut the corner over trouble for a short pitch in, while the cautious lay back and face a longer shot. It was here that Christy O'Connor Senior famously played the stretch in a flurry of birdies and an eagle to win the Carrolls International in 1966.
The out and back routing is the course's defining feature. The front holes run with the prevailing wind toward the far end of the island; the back holes turn and grind into it, so the same breeze that flatters your driver on the way out tightens every approach on the way home. Managing that swing in difficulty is the whole game at Royal Dublin.
The links sits low and fairly flat across the island, which puts the emphasis on flight and the ground game rather than elevation. Keep the ball under the wind, find the right side of the fairway, and the firm, true greens reward an honest approach. Stray, and the rough and the wind make you pay.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A private members club that welcomes visitors most days, with limited weekend access |
| Green fee | Indicative main season: around 270 euros Monday to Thursday and 295 euros Friday to Sunday, lower in winter |
| Booking | Reserve through the club; a deposit is required and full payment is due before play |
| On the day | A flat, walkable links; caddies available by arrangement. Smart traditional dress expected |
| Getting there | On North Bull Island at Dollymount, about ten minutes from Dublin city centre |
| Best months | May to September, though its city location makes it a year round option |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Royal Dublin or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Dublin city centre is ten minutes away, so you can stay in the heart of the capital and still be on the first tee in good time. Clontarf, on the mainland side of the causeway to Bull Island, is the closest neighbourhood and puts you almost on the doorstep.
For golfers building an east coast links run, Royal Dublin pairs naturally with Portmarnock and County Louth at Baltray just to the north, so a Dublin base works for the whole cluster.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Royal Dublin.
Add Royal Dublin to a Dublin golf trip
We pair Royal Dublin with Portmarnock and the best of the east coast links, book the tee times and arrange a city base and the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Royal Dublin questions
Who designed Royal Dublin and when was it founded?
The Royal Dublin Golf Club was founded in 1885, making it Ireland's third oldest club, and moved to its present home on North Bull Island in 1889. The championship course was laid out by Harry Colt and opened in 1920, then modernised by Martin Hawtree between 2004 and 2006.
What is the par and length of Royal Dublin?
Royal Dublin is a par 72 links measuring 7,269 yards from the back tees, played as a classic out and back routing across North Bull Island in Dublin Bay.
How much does it cost to play Royal Dublin?
Indicative recent main season green fees are around 270 euros Monday to Thursday and 295 euros Friday to Sunday, with lower rates in winter. These change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play Royal Dublin?
Yes. Royal Dublin is a private members club that welcomes visitors most days, with limited access at weekends. A deposit is required at booking and full payment is due before play, so reserve through the club in advance.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding date, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club. Last reviewed June 2026.