Malone Golf Club, alongside Belvoir Park, is Belfast’s big parkland course… and what a beauty it is. Its muscularity comes from its space and length, the density and colour of the trees, and the remarkable 27-acre lake around which the back nine are framed.
And then there’s the 1840s Tudor Revival clubhouse overlooking the lake (and 15th and 18th greens), the double glass doors of the bar opening onto a patio and a stunning vista. Step inside and it oozes class.
This is a smart golf course – in strategy and nature. The big trees lining the long driveway give you a taste of what’s to come and they shadow the 1st tee and your descent to the fairway below. They cling to you the whole way around creating a wonderfully embracing atmosphere as the undulating terrain offers lots of variety, especially on approach shots.
The signature stretch of holes starts as early as the 13th, when you’ll have your first encounter with the lake, but it is the 15th and 18th holes that make Malone extra special: a par three over the lake and a long tumbling par four right beside it.
Favourite Hole: the par three 15th is one of the most tempting par threes you’ll ever play.
What's in the Bag? The common sense to avoid the trees.
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