golf, Ireland, Ulster, where to play, what to see, where to stay, information

From County Down to Portrush, The Royal Golf Giant's Causeway

Belfast February 2001
My God! It's so green!… That would certainly be your first impression while entering the Irish territory. Afterwards one would tell you that if the golf rules have been written down at Saint Andrews in Scotland, its here in Ulster at Armagh "my gentle hill", spiritual Irish capital, that Saint Patrick, golfers saint patron, built his stone church. So, things being clear, you are here, as well in Scotland, in a mother country of golf.

Furthermore when you know that in the land of the mythic Giant's Causeway Royal County Down and Royal Portrush are among the five best courses in the United Kingdom and that, for the time being, more than eighty courses have already been designed on the small territory of Ulster.

Where to play ?
What to see ?
Where to stay ?
Information

Some of those courses are centenarian and well known not only for their very special character like the famous links of Royal Portrush or Royal County Down but also for their historical background like Belvoir or Malone. But in between those monsters where the Irish Open has gained his reputation, does exist a full range of playable courses where to enjoy golfing in a specific Irish environment. We have visited some of those places but there are many others to discover.

AROUND BELFAST

In the immediate Belfast surroundings, about two dozen of courses - often centenarian - have been designed, some of the eldest inside the black granite stone walls of old patrician properties.

This is the case of the Belvoir Golf Club (contraction of bellevue but pronounce beaver) which is located in the ancient domain of a Belfast's mayor nearby the forest of the same name. It's just at 3 kms from the city centre along the city ring. From the old club house one dominate the immense green groundsheet of the course and the city of Belfast, the spires of churches, the immense crossbeam of the most important European ship hold - where the Titanic has been built - and the wooded hills of the Belfast Lough. The course has been redesigned and is as much pleasant as the club is welcoming.

A few minutes away from there, straight in the middle of a luxurious residential quarter, the Malone Golf Club stands in front of the Lady Dickson Park known for his roses and camellias. It has been open on the 29th of April 1895, as the Belfast News Letter, which still exists until 1703, has reported it. This course is one of the most beautiful you can imagine for his privileged environment.

It's an immense hilly property with river and lakes, pluri centenarian trees and many flowerbeds of camellias, daffodils, rhododendrons… And occupying the place of honour, the clubhouse located in the ancient residence, a sort of castle with a square tower where flows the club's flag. Here too, the course has been redesigned to meet the criteria of a modern championship able to host the Irish Open. Today there are in fact three nine-holes. Some of them, all along the main water piece with swans and ducks, are very spectacular, especially the 15th par-3 which is the signature of the club and the 18th tee.

Royal Portrush

Royal County Down.

Belvoir at Belfast

Malone Golf Club