McIlroy confirms he will play the Irish Open at Royal County Down in 2015

Post from golf writer and golf blogger Kevin Markham.

Royal County Down will host the Irish Open in 2015, between May 28th and 31st. It is fitting that one of the best courses on the planet will host the best player on the planet. Indeed, the Rory McIlroy Foundation is hosting the event, putting up the finance to make it a reality. And with the involvement of the Northern Irish Tourist Board (NITB) and the European Tour, and their combined experience of hosting the event so successfully at Royal Portrush in 2012, the tournament is generating a lot of excitement.

Tickets are selling and, given Royal County Down’s location and proximity to Belfast and Dublin ports and airports, a large contingent of golf fans from Great Britain is anticipated. It is certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world’s best players playing a links which last hosted a major event in 2007. Back then it was the Walker Cup, when Rory McIlroy came face to face with Rickie Fowler and won. It is hoped that more members of that US Walker Cup team will make an appearance, including Webb Simpson and Dustin Johnson.

The small town of Newcastle, south of Belfast, boasts a stunning setting on Dundrum Bay, with the Mourne Mountains rising dramatically above where the peak of Slieve Donard is often cast in cloud. Royal County Down is an extension of the town, and the mountains are never more than a glance away. It makes the town an ideal base for the tournament, either with fellow golf fans or with family.

The only downside, perhaps, is that daily ticket sales will be limited to 20,000. It means that they’re in demand already. And given that tickets are available before December 31st at a special discounted rate of £25 (normally £35), there is sure to be a burst of sales before Christmas. There are other huge advantages:

• Grandstand seating for 5,000 will make the experience as positive as possible for spectators.
• Tickets have a re-entry policy so fans can leave the venue and enjoy the charming town of Newcastle before returning to the action on the golf course. The town has an excellent reputation for food, while events have been organised to keep families entertained during the day.
• Up to four children under the age of 16 will enjoy free entry with every fee paying adult.

The NITB has spent over £300 million on infrastructure and tourism upgrades in recent years and it has targeted golf as a key income driver. Last year golf generated £27 million for the economy. There is little doubt that the Irish Open at Royal County Down will exceed that figure in 2015.

For accommodation, visit http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/accomfinder/. Special offers are also available at http://www.discovernorthernireland.com/offers. Alternatively, call +44 (0)28 9023 1221 as the NITB will have up to the minute information on accommodation availability and prices.

Tickets are available at www.irishopen.ie

Click here (/course/news/6507/Royal_County_Down_Feature_Review.html) for the Golfshake Feature Review

Kevin Markham is an Irish golf writer, blogger and photographer who writes for a number of Irish and UK golf websites & magazines. His book 'Hooked: An Amateur's Guide to the Golf Courses of Ireland' was published in 2011 and reviews all 350 golf courses which he played whilst travelling round Ireland in a campervan.

To read his blog visit: www.theirishgolfblog.com