DG IRELAND TOP150 – 2024
MALONE
Editor, Kevin Markham
Malone Golf Club is Belfast’s big, glorious parkland course… and what a beauty it is. Its muscularity comes from its space and length, the density and colour of its ancient 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). 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 (new) 14th, 15th and 18th holes that make Malone extra special: a curling par four down to the lake, a par three over the lake itself and a long tumbling par four right beside it. In 2021 an extensive new short game area was added and upgrades to the course included the perfectly framed 14th green complete.
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.
Direct link to feature; https://joom.ag/LVnd/p128
