Irish Open 2015 - Royal County Down

[Fender]

Not to worried about making the coin in 2015 - approx 40,000 at RDC compared to 110,000 at Portrush in 2013!! Good to see all the same!!

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/royal-county-down-to-host-2015-irish-open-1.1697631

[Aristo 60]

Not to worried about making the coin in 2015 - approx 40,000 at RDC compared to 110,000 at Portrush in 2013!! Good to see all the same!!

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/royal-county-down-to-host-2015-irish-open-1.1697631

Start thon bridge at narra water now 

[DownFanatic]

Royal County Down has for years been named in the Top 10 courses in the world and rightly so.

However, infrastructure is a huge problem. There is actually only one defined entrance into the place and the likes of parking will be scarce.

It's great to see it coming to my hometown but the organisation of it will need to be military planned if the event is to succeed.

[Walter Cronc]

Why would numbers be less at RCD? Less room for Grandstands or not enough hotels to accommodate spectators?

[DownFanatic]

Why would numbers be less at RCD? Less room for Grandstands or not enough hotels to accommodate spectators?

Newcastle only has two big hotels, one small one and then a rake of B&B's. Apparently in the past when the Royal and Ancient have checked RCD against their criteria for hosting the Open, it always fell down on road infrastructure and lack of accommodation.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

The infrastructure thing is a myth it never stops Turnberry which is basically one golf hotel and a village with only a few small towns some distance away, ie in the middle of fecking nowhere and yet no-one seems to think The open shouldnt be there. Good to see RCD get this and hopefully Portrush will get The Open soon!!

[Lecale2]

Newcastle is only 45 minutes from Belfast. No need to worry about accommodation.

[thewobbler]

I don't think infrastructure is a problem. Newcastle is better served for accommodation than Portrush, and is a lot closer to Belfast.

Access is though a major issue, and I'm guessing they'll create a back door in through Murlough for the week. Either way, anyone familiar with Sunday summer traffic in Newcastle will fear the worst for getting around town that week.

I'm guessing the Annesley course will become a practice range for the pros.

Spectators will need limited as the front 9 in particular are mapped through huge dunes, which would neither be safe nor environmentally friendly to make into spectator areas. So you're looking at sides of fairways, plus a handful of small grandstands.

[Walter Cronc]

Good stuff lads. Thanks for the info!

[Lazer]

I can rent my house out - only £500 for a room for the week

Sounds like a good money spinner

[Jeepers Creepers]

Theres a Caravan park called the Lazy BJ. Can see this quite popular with the tourists

[DownFanatic]

I don't think infrastructure is a problem. Newcastle is better served for accommodation than Portrush, and is a lot closer to Belfast.

Access is though a major issue, and I'm guessing they'll create a back door in through Murlough for the week. Either way, anyone familiar with Sunday summer traffic in Newcastle will fear the worst for getting around town that week.

I'm guessing the Annesley course will become a practice range for the pros.

Spectators will need limited as the front 9 in particular are mapped through huge dunes, which would neither be safe nor environmentally friendly to make into spectator areas. So you're looking at sides of fairways, plus a handful of small grandstands.

Its a quite a delicate ecosystem in places. A lot of areas will need to be protected especially around the dune areas.