October 14, 2020

Royal Belfast Golf Club – Review and Rating

Bo Sjosten

Royal Belfast is the oldest golf club in Ireland, founded in 1881.

Royal Belfast is the oldest golf club in Ireland, founded in 1881. The current course was designed by Harry Colt and opened in 1925, after the club had to move after WWI. As part of the move the club acquired a Victorian era palace of a clubhouse with magnificent dining rooms and impressive stained glass windows. It's easy to get the impression that this is a real royal palace, not 'just' a golf club.

Photo: Bo Sjosten

Remember to wear a suit and tailored shirt with a tie if invited to eat in the formal dining room (if you forgot your suit and tie, there is also a more casual dining room and bar).

Royal Belfast Golf Club Information
Address	Station Road, Craigavad, BT18 0BP Holywood, , Northern Ireland (View map)
Phone	+44 (0)28 9042 8165
Email	[email protected]
Website	www.royalbelfast.com
Total # of holes	18

The course at Royal Belfast is an 18 hole parkland course.

The first few holes are surrounded by forest, but then the course opens up, with wider fairways and a view of the sea. It is supposed to favor strategic rather than powerful play, but we certainly found a few holes that required long tee shots if we were to to conquer them. The greens are quite deceptive in that they often give the impression of being rather flat, while in fact they slope more than your eye will tell you. The rough is kept high, requiring a lot of power to get out. All in all, it’s a course that is quite a bit more demanding than what the pretty landscape and views may first cause you to believe.

Royal Belfast Golf Club Information
Number of holes	18
Greenfee, 1 (low) - 5 (high)	5
Course Availability	Limited tee times available to Public
Course Type	Parkland
Course Designer	H C Colt
Year Opened	1881
Website	www.royalbelfast.com