The Royal County Down Golf Club

Annesley Links serves as the second eighteen-hole course at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, situated along the same dramatic stretch of Northern Ireland coastline that hosts the club's celebrated Championship Links. Designed by George Combe and opened in 1970, Annesley was created to accommodate the club's growing membership and provide an alternative routing that, while distinct from the Championship course, shares the same remarkable setting beneath the Mourne Mountains and along Dundrum Bay. The course occupies terrain that is somewhat less severe than its famous neighbor, with a routing that moves through gorse-lined fairways and features more forgiving topography in places, though it retains the characteristic duneland movement and coastal character of the area. Annesley measures shorter than the Championship Links and presents a different strategic challenge, with several holes playing closer to the shoreline and others moving inland through the property's natural contours. The design incorporates the site's native grasses, heather, and gorse, and the views toward the Mournes remain a constant presence throughout the round. Royal County Down members use Annesley Links regularly, and it provides an opportunity for visitors to experience a second round at the club when Championship Links tee times are limited. The course has undergone periodic refinements over the decades to maintain playing quality and strategic interest. While it operates in the shadow of one of golf's most revered links courses, Annesley offers a legitimate test in its own right and extends the golfing experience available at this historic County Down location.