Ardglass Golf Club: 2026 Access and Booking Update
Ardglass is the clifftop links in County Down where the Irish Sea is in play on hole after hole, and where the clubhouse is a fortified castle that claims to be the oldest in the world. For 2026 it is open to visitors, and it deserves a place on any Northern Ireland itinerary.
The news: open to visitors, and ideally placed for a County Down trip
The good news for 2026 is that Ardglass is a welcoming visitor club, not a closed members preserve. Tee times for travelling golfers are available through the club, and its location makes it easy to add to a trip, sitting around half an hour from Royal County Down at Newcastle, under an hour from Belfast and roughly two hours from Dublin.
That position is the heart of the pitch. Ardglass is the natural companion round to the marquee links of the region, a dramatic and affordable day that earns its place alongside the bigger names.
The course, and the oldest clubhouse in golf
Ardglass was founded in 1896 as a seven hole links and grew to a full eighteen over the following decades, with three holes added to a design by David Jones when extra land came in 1998. It plays as a par 70 of around 6,200 to 6,300 yards, modest on the card but a genuine test in the wind, with small firm greens that punish a loose approach.
The setting is the star. The links runs along the rocks and cliffs of the County Down coast, with the Irish Sea coming into play on a remarkable eight holes, and the opening stretch by the water is as exhilarating an introduction as links golf offers. Presiding over it all is the clubhouse, set in a fortified warehouse that dates to around 1405 and is widely claimed to be the oldest clubhouse in the world.
How to play it in 2026
To play Ardglass in 2026, book a visitor tee time with the club in advance, especially in the busy summer months. As a guide, recent high season green fees have run around 115 pounds on weekdays and 150 pounds at weekends and bank holidays, with lower rates in the shoulder seasons. Treat these as indicative for the 2026 season and always confirm directly before booking, as fees change year to year.
Links season on this coast runs from spring through to early autumn. May, June and September tend to bring the firmest turf and the best of the light, while the wind, which is always part of the test here, can blow in any month.
Our take
Our take is that Ardglass is one of the best value rounds in all of Irish golf. It offers a slice of the same wild coastline as its more famous neighbours at a fraction of the fuss, and the combination of clifftop drama and a six hundred year old clubhouse gives it a character entirely its own.
If you are planning a 2026 County Down trip, pair Ardglass with Royal County Down and the Causeway Coast for a links tour that is hard to beat. Tell us your dates and group, and we will route the whole thing, tee times and stays included.
Plan your County Down golf trip
From Ardglass to Royal County Down and the Causeway Coast, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the links tour, with no obligation.
Questions
Can visitors play Ardglass Golf Club?
Yes. Ardglass welcomes visiting golfers and tee times are booked through the club, ideally well ahead in the busy summer. Its location around half an hour from Royal County Down makes it easy to add to a County Down links trip.
What are the green fees at Ardglass for 2026?
As a guide, recent high season rates have been around 115 pounds on weekdays and 150 pounds at weekends and bank holidays, with lower shoulder season prices. Treat these as indicative for the 2026 season and confirm directly before booking.
Is the Ardglass clubhouse really the oldest in the world?
The clubhouse is set in a fortified warehouse dating to around 1405 and is widely claimed to be the oldest golf clubhouse in the world, which is part of what makes a round here so distinctive.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course, access and fee details verified June 2026 from club and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.