The oldest golf course in Ireland, Royal Curragh dates back to 1858, with the current course having been constructed 150 years later. 

 

The Curragh Golf Club, as it was originally known, received its royal charter in the early part of the 20th Century, becoming Royal Curragh. 

 

Patrick Merrigan designed the current course, which opened in 2007, and the course is wide but there are dangers on the way.  

 

  

Visit the Royal Curragh website here.  

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Dating back to 1858, Royal Curragh is the oldest golf club in Ireland, with golf having been played in Curragh for the six years prior to the club being founded as well. 

 

Originally known as the Curragh Golf Club, the venue was granted a royal charter, thus becoming known as Royal Curragh in 1910. 

 

After reverting back to Curragh Golf Club following the Irish Free State being established in 1922, it was almost a century before the club’s members voted for it to be named Royal Curragh once more. This followed a visit from Queen Elizabeth II in 2013.  

 

The current course was designed by Patrick Merrigan and built shortly after the turn of the 21st Century, officially opening in 2007. 

Merrigan’s design at Royal Curragh is an intriguing one, making the most of the space afforded to him in the grounds of the estate. The current course, which features four par 5s and four par 3s, almost touches 6,600 yards. It is not the longest Par 72 layout in the world, but there is enough to keep you concentrating throughout a round.  

 

The course opens with one of the easiest holes on the course. A 520-yard par 5 gets you going, one that longer hitters will be aiming to reach in two despite it being their first hole of the day. The 2nd is a mid-length par 4, before you get to the drivable par 4 3rd. The 3rd is just 295 yards from the tips, putting it in reach for some. A slight dog-leg right, trees on the right side may put some off, with the other option being a long iron or hybrid to the fairway, and then a wedge to the green. The 4th is the first of four par 3s at Royal Curragh, and the only one on the front nine. At 200 yards, it is a tricky hole to navigate.  

 

From there, five of the next six holes are par 4s, with the only exception being the par 5 7th, which at 548 yards is in three-shot territory for most amateurs. 5, 6 and 9 are relatively short, with the 9th only hitting 350 yards. Meanwhile, the 8th pushes past 420 yards and is one of the hardest holes on the course. The 10th kicks off the back nine with another tricky par 4, but as long as you find the fairway on this dog-leg left, you should be all good. 

 

After crossing the road, you come to the par 3 11th, the first of three short holes on the closing side at Royal Curragh. It is also the first of two on this side of the road, with the 14th playing in the opposite direction. In between these two short holes are two par 5s. They are two of the three hardest holes on the course, with the 13th hitting 580 yards. Playing as a dog-leg left, if you can find the fairway, then you’ve got a good chance of making par on the longest hole on the property. 

 

The first hole after you come back across the road is the par 4 15th. A dog-leg left with a wide fairway, it is not the most difficult of holes, but it is one that cannot be ignored. The 16th is the shortest hole on the course at just 130 yards, but club selection is crucial. The penultimate hole is the hardest at Royal Curragh, a 450-yard par 4 that seems to continue winding its way round to the left, if you can par 17, then you have done well! Get through that, and you hit the final hole and it's another dog-leg left. Another wide fairway is on offer, but it does narrow the further down your ball goes. Find the putting surface with your second and give yourself a chance of a birdie on 18! 

Where is Royal Curragh located?  
Royal Curragh Golf Club is located in County Dublin, less than a mile or so from Curragh Racecourse, the home to all five Irish Flat Classics – the Irish 1,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas, Irish Derby, Irish Oaks, and Irish St. Leger. The golf club is situated between the M7 and M9, providing great road links, and it sits just an hour’s drive from the centre of Dublin, the Irish capital. 

 

Dublin Airport is just over an hour away from Royal Curragh, and it is the biggest and busiest airport in Ireland, with flights to a wide range of destinations. For those catching the train, Newbridge Station is the closest to Royal Curragh, sitting three miles away by road. Trains run through Newbridge from Dublin, through to Waterford, Galway and a range of other destinations.  

What golf facilities does Royal Curragh offer?
Along with the 18-hole layout, Royal Curragh Golf Club is also home to a 250-yard-long driving range, along with a pair of practice nets. There is also a practice putting green and chipping green, along with bunkers to work on those annoying sand shots from around the greens.  

What are the green fees at Royal Curragh?  
The price of a green fee at Royal Curragh changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Royal Curragh, visit their website here. 

 

  

Visit the Royal Curragh website here. 

Go Back To NCG's Top 100s Homepage.