Tom Watson, who learnt a thing or two about links golf over five Open wins, calls the front nine at Royal County Down Golf Club Championship Course the finest nine holes he has ever played. The course was established in 1889, with the fare found to bring Old Tom Morris himself across from Scotland to advise on design. Old Tom stayed for two days and the 18 holes he recommended were opened within months. That speed is, perhaps, proof of how perfect this stretch of links land is for golf. Harry Vardon, the most successful Open golfer of them all, and Ben Sayers both gave further advice on improving the course before the Great War and Harry S Colt made a few alterations in later years. Not a bad quartet of designers for any course to call on. Royal County Down is laid out in two loops of nine with generations of golfers praising the heavens on realising that both nines start and finish within a stones throw of the delights of the clubhouse. Less used now as a professional venue than it was some years ago Royal County Down still attracts the best, Tiger Woods joining Tom Watson as a fan. The course has come in for some criticism about the number of blind shots but these have been reduced over the year and what remains is a stunning and pure test of links golf. As the architect Donald Steele wrote Royal County Down Championship Course is "golf on a heroic scale."