4 Golf Courses You Need to Play in Belfast
In late May, Golf Digest released its biennial list of the best courses in Northern Ireland. Predictably, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush finished No. 1 and No. 2. The former also took the top spot on the publication’s prestigious World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses list, while the latter’s Dunluce Course came in at No. 5. This marks the sixth consecutive time Royal County Down has finished No. 1 in the World rankings and the second consecutive time Royal Portrush has placed in the top five.
While neither course is exceptionally far from Belfast, time-crunched travelers may not have the time to venture to either when staying in the Northern Ireland capital. Fortunately, Belfast and the area immediately surrounding it is home to a number of top-quality courses where golfers can get a round in. Let’s look at four of the best.
Royal Belfast Golf Club
Royal Belfast Golf Club is full of surprises. Despite being located on the Irish Sea and featuring two holes running along the coastline, it stands apart from many of its higher-profile “Royal” counterparts as a parkland layout, not a links.
Also somewhat surprising is that, although short by modern standards, Royal Belfast is no pushover. Designed by the legendary Harry Colt, it succeeds at putting golfers through the wringer. The front nine opens and closes with a pair of long par-fours, while two of its three final holes are tough par-fives. If you manage to score low, you’ll have done very well.
Believed to be one of Ireland’s the oldest golf clubs, Royal Belfast was among the clubs involved in establishing the Golf Union of Ireland, which was created in 1891. Its clubhouse, located inside a 1850s Victorian manor, has been recognized as one of the finest in the world.
Malone Golf Club
Over its long history, Malone Golf Club has hosted a number of well-known tournaments. The Irish Senior Masters, which Gary Player won in 1993, was contested here, as were several prestigious amateur events. Located only five miles south of Belfast, it’s a convenient stop for golfers staying in the Northern Ireland capital. Despite these factors, it remains an underappreciated golf destination.
Ranked No. 7 in Northern Ireland by Golf Digest, Malone’s course stretches for approximately 6,600 yards across a 330-acre plot of land bordered by the River Lagan on one side and Ballydrain Lake on the other. The 27-acre lake comes into play on a few holes, none more memorable than the par-3 15th, which requires a short but nerve-racking tee shot over the water. A parkland layout, Malone is replete with mature trees, which add to its natural beauty.
Malone was founded in 1895, and it moved several times before settling in its current spot in the lower Lagan Valley. If you’re in Belfast, don’t hesitate to stop in. You’ll find one of the best parkland layouts in all of Ireland.
Belvoir Park Golf Club
Belvoir Park Golf Club was designed by Harry Colt and sits on a 63-acre plot of land outside Belfast. Opened in 1926, it has changed very little since then. The consistency is a point of pride for the club’s members, who appreciate the tree-heavy parkland layout. Colt himself called Belvoir “a course affording an excellent test, and at the same time, one that will give maximum pleasure to golfers.”
One round here, and you’ll surely agree with Mr. Colt. With winding streams, lush fairways, impeccable green conditions, and jaw-dropping views of Belfast, Belvoir Park is a joy to play. The undulating terrain, bunkering, and dense trees, meanwhile, make the layout challenging. Mature beach, oak, and fir trees stand guard across the course, while the stretch of holes from the 7th to the 15th are replete with cypress, larch, and Scots pine.
If Belvoir Park has a signature hole, it would probably be the par-3 8th. Short and heavily bunkered, it’s superb.
Holywood Golf Cub
Holywood Golf Club’s main claim to fame is being the childhood golf course of Rory McIlroy. A six-time major champion, McIlroy learned the game here and has spoken fondly of the club as he ascended to the highest levels of golf.
Holywood, however, existed long before McIlroy joined as a seven-year-old, opening in 1904. The fact it’s been welcoming golfers as long as it has is a testament to how good of a course it is. Measuring just over 6,000 yards, the 18-holer runs across terrain that constantly rises and falls, providing great variety to golfers. A parkland layout, it features tree-lined fairways that require accurate tee and iron play.
Along with high-quality playing conditions, Holywood Golf Club offers stunning views of Belfast Lough. None of the views is more memorable than the one on the course’s signature hole, the par-four 12th, where the lake slowly unveils itself as golfers make their way down the fairway.