Royal Curragh Golf Club

The Curragh,

nr Newbridge, Co. Kildare

  • Office

    +353 (0)45 441 238
  • Pro shop

    +353 (0)45 441 714
  • Golf pro

    Gerry Burke (Head Professional)

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Tree-lined & open heathland. Gently undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.

  • Surroundings:

    Open heathland.

  • Designer:

    Original course at the Curragh laid out by David Ritchie from Scotland (1852).

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
6586
6246
5513
Par
72
72
72
SSS or slope
71
69
71

Location

Latitude:

53.146822

Longitude:

-6.811541

How to get there:

4 km S of Newbridge / 50 km SW of Dublin.

Royal Curragh Golf Club

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.

Est. 1858

Royal Curragh Golf Club is now recognised as Ireland's oldest golf club, and home to Ireland's oldest golf course. Located just a furlong or two from Ireland's premier horse racing track ("The Curragh"), golf has been played here since at least 1852.

This predominantly open area of heathland is liberally dotted with small copses of trees and gorse bushes, which on many occasions line and define the holes. Bunkering along the rolling fairways and around the greens is relatively limited, and the length of the grass beyond the fairways is controlled by the grazing habits of local flocks of sheep.

Surrounded by historic sites and the famous race course, The Curragh is not amongst Ireland's top-rated golf courses, but it is the oldest.

List of courses: Around Dublin

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.

Must book in advance.

Green fees

Contact club for green fee details.

Other information

Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire.

Practice facilities

Excellent

Did you know?

Royal Curragh lays claim to being the oldest golf course and golf club in all Ireland. Until recently it was generally thought that Royal Belfast (1881) was Ireland's oldest golf club. In 2013 records were discovered indicating that the Curragh Golf Club was originally established in 1858 by the 2nd Battalion, Royal Lanarkshire Militia from Scotland. With 115 officers in the battalion, the golfers among them played on a course that had been laid out in 1852.

Edward VII conferred the Royal prefix on Curragh Golf Club in 1910, at a time when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom (1801–1921). The prefix was subsequently dropped when Ireland gained independence from the UK. Members voted to revive the Royal title in 2013. By royal prerogative, two Irish golf clubs can use the "Royal" title, namely: Royal Curragh and Royal Dublin.

Published ranking

Ireland's 70th best course (Golf World, 2023).

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