Ardglass Golf Club
Few clubs can rival Ardglass for sheer atmosphere. You tee off beside a fortified clubhouse that has stood since 1405, the oldest in the game, then play a clifftop links where the Irish Sea crashes below and comes into play hole after hole. It is a short, thrilling counterpoint to the County Down giants up the coast.
Photo: Ardglass Golf Club via Google, contributor Hao Ding.
The verdict
Ardglass is one of golf's true originals. The club was founded in 1896 and made its home in a fifteenth century fortified warehouse, dated to 1405 and reckoned the oldest building used as a clubhouse anywhere in the world. The course began as a modest nine and was extended to a full eighteen in 1970, with later refinements, and what it now offers is a clifftop links of real drama strung along the rocky County Down shore.
This is not a long course, and it does not need to be. The Irish Sea is in play on numerous holes, the wind is relentless, and the cliffs and inlets turn even short par 4s into heart in mouth examinations of nerve. For the travelling golfer it is the perfect change of pace from the heavyweight links nearby, a half day of pure coastal exhilaration with a sense of history you will find nowhere else.
Ardglass at a glance
- Founded
- 1896
- Eighteen holes
- 1970
- Type
- Clifftop links
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- 6,268 yds
- Green fee
- From £115 to £150
Founding date, the 1970 extension to eighteen holes, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases. The links plays to a par of 70 at around 6,268 yards. Green fees are indicative, roughly 115 pounds on weekdays to 150 pounds at weekends for a peak season round, with off peak and group rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Ardglass throws you straight into the deep end. The opening holes hug the cliff edge above the Irish Sea, with carries over rocky inlets that focus the mind from the very first swing. The early stretch, played hard along the coast, is among the most exhilarating starts in Irish golf, beautiful and intimidating in equal measure.
The sea is a constant presence, in play on hole after hole, and the wind off the water means the yardage book only tells half the story. Short par 4s become brutes into a stiff breeze, and well placed bunkers and humps punish the loose shot. Ardglass asks for clever, controlled golf rather than brute force, and rewards the player who can flight the ball and pick a sensible line.
Through it all, the views across the Irish Sea toward the Isle of Man and back over the harbour are simply glorious, and the ancient clubhouse waiting at the end adds a sense of occasion no modern build can match. Ardglass will not tax your length, but it will test your nerve and steal your heart, which is exactly why it earns its place on any County Down golf trip.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A welcoming members club that takes visitors and societies with a booked tee time throughout the season |
| Green fee | Around 115 pounds on weekdays and 150 pounds at weekends in peak season, with off peak and group rates (indicative) |
| Booking | Reserve through the club ahead of a County Down trip; summer weekends are busiest |
| On the day | A walking clifftop links; the historic clubhouse, dating to 1405, serves good food with sea views |
| Getting there | On the County Down coast about 35 minutes from Royal County Down at Newcastle and around an hour from Belfast |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and the kindest weather, though the wind is never far away |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with Ardglass Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The seaside town of Newcastle, half an hour up the coast, is the natural base, home to Royal County Down and a good range of hotels and guest houses beneath the Mountains of Mourne. The fishing village of Ardglass itself and nearby Downpatrick offer quieter, characterful stays for those who want to be on the doorstep.
Ardglass shines as the supporting act on a County Down trip built around the big two. Pair it with the championship links at Royal County Down and a run up to Royal Portrush on the Causeway Coast, and you have a Northern Ireland week that balances world ranked tests with one of the most charming and historic rounds in the game.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Ardglass.
Add Ardglass to a County Down golf trip
We pair Ardglass with Royal County Down and the Causeway Coast links, book the tee times in the right order and handle the hotels and the driving. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Ardglass questions
Why is Ardglass clubhouse famous?
Ardglass Golf Club is housed in a fortified warehouse dating to 1405, widely regarded as the oldest building in use as a golf clubhouse anywhere in the world. The club itself was founded in 1896.
What are the par and length of Ardglass?
Ardglass is a par 70 clifftop links of around 6,268 yards. It is not a long course, but the Irish Sea, the cliffs and the wind make it a far sterner and more thrilling test than the card suggests.
Is Ardglass worth playing alongside Royal County Down?
Absolutely. It sits about 35 minutes from Royal County Down and offers a completely different, shorter and more intimate clifftop experience. Most visitors rate it among the most enjoyable and atmospheric rounds in Northern Ireland.
How much does it cost to play Ardglass?
Indicative peak season green fees run around 115 pounds on weekdays and 150 pounds at weekends, with off peak and group rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.