Royal Belfast
Founded in 1881, Royal Belfast is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland. The present course at Craigavad was laid out by Harry Colt and opened in 1926, a parkland par 70 of about 6,306 yards that tumbles down to the shore of Belfast Lough beneath a grand Victorian clubhouse.
Photo: The Royal Belfast Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Northern Ireland is famous for its links, so it is easy to overlook that the province also holds the oldest club in the country and one of the most charming parkland courses in Ireland. Royal Belfast was founded in 1881 and moved to its present home at Craigavad in 1925, with Harry Colt routing the course that opened the following year. It plays to a par 70 of about 6,306 yards, never overlong but full of subtlety.
The setting is the draw, mature woodland tumbling toward Belfast Lough with the water glinting through the trees and a baronial clubhouse presiding over it all. This is not the wild duneland of Portrush or Royal County Down, it is a refined, historic parkland round, ideal as a relaxed counterpoint on a Northern Ireland golf tour. Treat it as a half day of pedigree and views rather than a brute, and you will leave charmed.
Royal Belfast at a glance
- Founded
- 1881
- Course
- Harry Colt, 1926
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- About 6,306 yds
- Green fee
- Visitors, indicative
Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Royal Belfast Golf Club and leading course databases. The club was founded in 1881, moved to Craigavad in 1925, and the present Harry Colt parkland course opened in 1926, a par 70 of about 6,306 yards. Royal Belfast is a private members club that welcomes visitors at limited times. Visitor green fees are indicative for 2026, so always confirm current rates and tee availability directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Colt set the course on a sloping, wooded site running down to Belfast Lough, and the result is a parkland that uses its trees and contours rather than length to defend par. Tee shots must find the right side of tilting fairways, and the greens, many of them perched or fallaway, ask for control and a clear head over the read.
The lough is a constant companion, visible through the trees on the holes that fall toward the water and bringing a breeze that can stiffen the inward half. At about 6,306 yards off the back tees it is a fair fight for most handicaps, with the premium on positioning and touch around the greens rather than raw power.
It is the atmosphere as much as the golf that lingers, the mature woodland, the sea views, the sense of more than a century of history, and the welcome at one of the most storied clubs in Ireland. Plan it as the gentler, civilised day on a links heavy itinerary and it earns its place.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; visitors welcome at limited times, typically midweek, subject to member play and competitions |
| Green fee | Indicative visitor green fees roughly forty five to one hundred pounds depending on day and season (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Contact the golf office in advance to arrange a tee time; societies and groups should book well ahead |
| On the day | Walking parkland on a sloping site; the historic clubhouse and dining are part of the experience |
| Getting there | Craigavad, Holywood in County Down, about twenty minutes east of Belfast city and the airports |
| Best months | May to September for the driest turf and the longest evenings on the lough |
Access arrangements and fees verified June 2026; Royal Belfast is a private members club and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit through the golf office or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Most golfers visiting Royal Belfast base themselves in Belfast itself or along the County Down coast toward Holywood and Bangor, all within a short drive of Craigavad. Belfast offers the full range of city hotels, dining and the wider attractions, while the coastal towns put you closer to the water and the quieter side of the lough.
Royal Belfast also sits naturally on a wider Northern Ireland tour, an easy parkland day between the great links of the Causeway Coast and the dunes of Royal County Down further south. It is an ideal region to build a multi course trip around, pairing pedigree parkland with the best links in the game.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Royal Belfast.
Build a Northern Ireland golf trip
We secure the Royal Belfast tee times where access allows, pair them with the great links of the Causeway Coast and County Down and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Royal Belfast questions
Who designed Royal Belfast and when did it open?
The present parkland course at Craigavad was laid out by Harry Colt and opened in 1926, after the club moved to the site in 1925. Royal Belfast itself was founded in 1881.
Is Royal Belfast the oldest golf club in Ireland?
Royal Belfast, founded in 1881, is widely cited as one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland and is often described as the oldest still active club in the country.
What is the par and length of Royal Belfast?
Royal Belfast is a parkland par 70 of about 6,306 yards, set on a wooded, sloping site running down to the shore of Belfast Lough.
Can visitors play Royal Belfast?
Yes, at limited times. Royal Belfast is a private members club that welcomes visitors, usually midweek and subject to member play. Contact the golf office in advance to arrange a tee time.
Related
The Tee Sheet
Tee time windows, course access changes and the trips worth taking. Every other week.
Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.