The club
Founded in 1881, Royal Belfast is the oldest golf club on the island of Ireland. It is one of just three clubs in Northern Ireland to carry the ‘Royal’ prefix – alongside Royal Portrush and Royal County Down – and one of five on the island; the Prince of Wales became its patron in 1885. The course sits on a 140-acre estate at Craigavad, on the south shore of Belfast Lough near Holywood, with mature parkland trees running down to the water. Belfast city centre is about 20 minutes away, the harbour and George Best City Airport around 15.
The course
Harry Colt laid out the present course in 1925, with help from Walker Cup player W.A. Murray, and the routing has barely changed since. It measures 6,309 yards and rewards placement over power: four of the five par-threes are over 175 yards, and two of the closing three are testing par-fives. Fast, subtly contoured greens and well-placed bunkers do most of the defending. Padraig Harrington has called it a hidden gem and it sits on Tourism Ireland’s top-30 list; Irish Golfer ranked it 60th in the country in 2026, and it holds the IGTOA Parkland Course of the Year award.
The clubhouse
Craigavad House was built in 1852 by the architect Thomas Turner for John Mulholland, later Lord Dunleath. When the club moved to Craigavad in 1925 it took the house over as its clubhouse rather than build new, and it was named Golfer’s Guide to Ireland Clubhouse of the Year in 2024. Inside are a lounge, a dining room and the pro shop, where PGA professional Andrew Ferguson stocks apparel and crested merchandise.
Visiting and booking
Royal Belfast welcomes visitors, but it is a members’ club and you should plan ahead. The club asks that guests belong to a recognised golf club, and a handicap certificate may be required before play. Green-fee rates and tee-time bookings go through the website; a Golf Ireland member rate is available on request. Visitor tee times are limited to set windows – broadly before 8.50am and again from late morning to late afternoon on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with tighter slots midweek and at weekends – so confirm the current times before you travel.
One practical warning if you’re arriving in a tall vehicle: the bridge at the entrance has an 11-foot height limit.
Before you play:
- Dress code: Golf Ireland’s standard of smart dress on the course and in the clubhouse. No denim.
- Hire: clubs, motorised buggies and battery-powered caddies can be hired – arrange ahead of your tee time.
- Practice: two putting greens and a short-iron practice range.
- Parking: ample on site.
Getting there and nearby
The club is easy to reach on the south shore of Belfast Lough, 15 minutes from Belfast Harbour and George Best City Airport and about 40 minutes from Belfast International. The Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra is minutes away, as is Crawfordsburn Country Park. Bangor and Bangor Abbey lie a short run east along the coast, and golfers can add Ardglass Golf Club further down the County Down coast.
Sitting between Royal Portrush (1½ hours) and Royal County Down (1 hour), Royal Belfast makes an easy heritage stop on a Northern Ireland golf trip – just book the tee time before you set out.