Martin Ebert helps bridge the gap at Royal County Down

Most clubs that have more than one golf course have a pretty clear hierarchy. Sunningdale, where opinion is divided as to whether the Old or New course is the better, is very much the exception. Where links courses are concerned, Royal Troon tries hard to mandate that visitors wanting to play the Open-hosting Old course also pay for a round on the Portland. Though Cruden Bay’s nine hole St Olaf course has its fans, few would say it compares to the big course. The closing holes on Burnham & Berrow’s Channel course are very worth playing, but not worth forsaking a round on the main links. And, while Royal Portrush’s Valley course is perhaps the purest remaining example of a Harry Colt-designed links, it pales into comparison next to the mighty Dunluce.

Plenty of good judges have Royal County Down’s championship links as one of the very finest golfing experiences the planet has to offer. The truly spectacular front side, in particular, is frequently mentioned as the best stretch of nine holes in existence. In such a location, surely no second course is going to be worth a second look? And, indeed, County Down’s Annesley Links is a very different experience to its big brother, short and tricky where the main course is huge and epic. But that’s not to say the Annesley isn’t worth a look. And, thanks to some new work by architect Martin Ebert, a game on the Annesley is likely now to be even more rewarding than ever before.

The first few holes of the Annesley make it feel like something of an afterthought, occupying ground inland from the main course. Though still linksland, this land is flat and relatively featureless – it has the air of something that might, if needed, be used as a practice range. The holes are crammed in between those on the main 18, with a fair bit of tracking back and forth. It feels very much the baby brother, perhaps a course on which juniors or other beginners can learn the game before setting forth to tackle the real challenges of County Down.

Further out on the links, though, and it becomes clear that this initial reaction was unfair. Like many older links, County Down has quieter ground nearer the clubhouse, before reaching the real meat of the course a little further out. This is commonplace; consider the opening and closing holes at St Andrews, fine golf but hardly compelling terrain, or the closing stretch of Machrihanish, something of a comedown after the rollocking dunes the course has previously traversed. In days of yore, golfers took what they were given, starting either in town, or at least where a road allowed access to the links. If many of these properties were developed today, access roads would surely be built through these bland areas, enabling the whole course to be located within the better land. But back in the 19th century, budgets and ambition did not allow for such extravagance. Such too is the case at County Down.

The Annesley is short, playing only around 4,600 yards, with six par threes and twelve par fours. It is not a course that anyone would ever set against the championship links as a real test of a golfer’s game. But, though the holes may be short, many of them are both tricky – the greens are mostly small – and extremely picturesque. In particular, the set of six par three holes includes several that would not be out of place on any course, anywhere.

Right in the far north eastern corner of the club’s property, though, lay a triangle of unused land with a single huge dune at its centre. Stretching for some 300 yards along the beach, architect Ebert realised this patch of land offered an exciting opportunity to build new holes that would enhance the Annesley’s golfing qualities while also freeing up space at the other end of the links that could be used to provide much needed practice facilities.

Ebert has built three holes in this area. They form an anti-clockwise loop around the big dune, which has been left completely alone – essential to achieve planning consent, as dunes, which are sensitive and important environments, are typically highly protected. The new holes will play as the ninth, tenth and eleventh of the course, and comprise a short dog-leg left par four, which works its way along the inland side of the dune, a mid-length four along the beach, and a fine par three playing directly away from the North Sea.

Mostly, the new holes were draped onto the natural contours of the ground. There was one significant piece of earthmoving – on the proposed ninth hole, a ridge came through the carry area, resulting in ground that was too steep and would have made the hole entirely blind. But investigations revealed that this ridge, far from being a natural dune formation, was man-made, created some years ago by the deposit of spoil from some other project. It had little or no ecological value, and so the planners were happy to see it removed.

The new holes have added very slightly – only between 50-100 yards – to the Annesley’s overall length. But length is the least important aspect of their effect. By taking the golf course further into Royal County Down’s dramatic dune system – and losing three holes on the flat ground – they will have a dramatic impact on the total quality of the short course experience. Not only that, but the new tenth takes players as close to the sea as they go anywhere at Royal County Down. It is a tremendous addition, for members and visitors alike. Visitors too? Yes, certainly – for many, no matter how magnificent the club’s championship links is, it is too big, brawny and difficult to make for an enjoyable 36 hole day. Now, visitors not looking to receive a good kicking can play the big course in the morning and then, after a good lunch, perhaps including a few glasses of wine, can go out for a more leisurely, less brutal spin round the Annesley in the afternoon. What could be nicer?

This article first appeared in Golf Course Architecture magazine - Issue 42.

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