Belvoir Park
Clandeboye (Dufferin)
Thirteen miles east of Belfast, on the outskirts of Newtownards,
lies one of Northern Ireland’s top golf clubs. There are two very
different courses here and the Dufferin is the main event. It is a
quality course routed over heathland-like bumpy terrain at the
top before slipping down into more classic parkland mode. This is
where the big trees dominate and holes curve graciously between
them. Fairways are often generous but the trees need to be avoided
constantly. It is not long so be straight. The par four 4th is Dufferin’s
best and hardest hole, curling left, tightly through the trees. The
green is completely surrounded by trees and gorse, so a precise
approach is required. The second course, the Ava, is short, quirky
and has lots of spirit.
Belvoir Park
The design pedigree of Belvoir Park speaks for itself. Harry Colt
created this timeless parkland in the late 1920s. Even back then, Colt
was revered, and over the following decades the club embraced
his work and changed little. Tucked away in 21st century Belfast
suburbia, it means you can step back in time and experience a
classic. Your starting point should be the clubhouse balcony. It sits
high above the back nine and shows off the colourful setting below
and the distant Belfast Hills. This is a sedate, flowing course and one
that enjoys tremendous rhythm thanks to Colt’s layout… but the
pace is enhanced by the magnificent and dense trees that enshroud
the course. Expect lightning fast, perfect and heavily bunkered
greens.
148
Ardglass
With two sides embraced by ocean, with Van Morrison’s Coney Island
a backdrop to a stunning par three and with canons behind the 1st
tee, Ardglass sets temperatures soaring right from the word go. The
thrilling opening holes cling to the cliff tops with no quarter given.
Shots into turret-like greens (the 1st) and the chasm-crossing par three
2nd set the tone. It feels utterly wild to be up here. Ardglass combines
cliff-top, links and seaside holes to create a heady golfing mix and a
round heavily influenced by wind. The three links holes by the sea
arrive almost with a crashing of cymbals, such is their impact. Two par
threes and an inspiring par five squeezed between dune and ocean.
And don’t ignore the 18th leading back to the centuries-old clubhouse,
built on the ruins of a 13th century castle.
Royal County Down (Annesley)
The Annesley rarely receives the credit it deserves. Perhaps that
is due to its modest par of 66… but this sensational 66 will make a
fool of you if you think it is easy. It uses much of the same terrain
as its championship sibling (they intertwine), just with shorter
holes. Indeed, some green settings are even tighter and, while the
bunkering is less prevalent, the gorse gets far more friendly. The
longest par four is 349 yards so this is about laser-like accuracy…
and the good grace to accept that such tight fairway