238 - Malone Golf Club

Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Rating: 8.3

Day 3 and possibly my favourite course on this journey to Northern Ireland. A short drive to the southern suburbs of Malone, sandwiched in between Dunmurry Golf Club and the Lagan Valley Nature Preserve lies this stunning course. As you approach the entrance to the golf club the anticipation builds. Similarly to Galgorm Castle, where we had played the day before, Malone has a grand entrance with a tree lined road leading up to stunning clubhouse that sits behind the 9th green on one side and the 18th on the other.

It has been referred to the Augusta of Northern Ireland and I can see why. 

After a quick hit on the range (of which there are two, one with a ball machine and another where you can bring your own) we headed onto the first tee. Playing the Drumbridge and Ballydrain loops we set off down the hill after having watched a few groups tee off before us. Despite this we managed to get around at a really good pace.

A tricky start with a dog-leg left par 4 with a significantly raised tee. Back-to-back par 5’s follow, the second hole a pretty straight par 5 that weaves around a set of bunkers and the third a dog-leg to the right with a huge drop and undulating fairways as you get towards the green.

The front 9 continues to move up and down these rolling hills, making excellent use of the natural landscape. The conditioning of which was excellent, the fairways like carpets. I found it hard to believe that being so close to the city, the area could be so calm. The Drumbridge 9, finishes with a 320 me par 4, moving uphill and to the left with the green sat in front of the clubhouse providing a very scenic backdrop.

The back 9 stays on the top of the hill with less dramatic changes in elevation, designed with more subtly undulating fairways and starts to bring the lake into play. Offering a different challenge to the tree-lined, parkland front 9. The 15th is a very pretty par 3, sitting right next to the lake it isn’t at all long (120 meters at the most) but with a green surrounded by water at the front and too the left it would bring out the nerves in most golfers. The 1 finishes with another great view of the lake hitting across a small inlet to the fairway most of us would bail out far left leaving a long approach to the green.

I really really enjoyed Malone, it had an aurora about it that I couldn’t really explain. Maybe it was the clubhouse, the drive in, the perfectly manicured fairways, the flowering in parts that resembled August or having 3 birdie putts in the first 4 holes (I’ll let you decide) but I would go back and play again in a heartbeat