When you think of golf in Northern Ireland, it’s usually dramatic links, pot bunkers and Atlantic winds that come to mind. But tucked just behind the first tee of many famous courses sits something just as interesting: the clubhouse. These buildings tell the story of how golf in Northern Ireland evolved from a pastime for a few determined enthusiasts into a central part of social life and tourism today.
If you’re talking about history, one name has to come first: Ardglass Golf Club in County Down. Its clubhouse is widely recognised as the oldest golf clubhouse in the world, housed in a former castle complex whose origins date back to 1405.
What is today a welcoming clubhouse once formed part of a medieval coastal fortress, guarding the small harbour town. Thick stone walls and narrow windows make it feel very different from the typical Victorian or Edwardian clubhouse – more Game of Thrones than genteel afternoon tea. Yet this is precisely what makes Ardglass so special: the building’s original purpose had nothing to do with golf, but it has been brilliantly repurposed into the heart of a modern club while preserving its heritage.
While Ardglass can claim the oldest clubhouse building, Royal Belfast Golf Club holds another distinction: it is generally regarded as Ireland’s oldest golf club, founded in 1881.
The current clubhouse is Craigavad House, a stately home overlooking Belfast Lough. Built in the early 1850s in a restrained Italianate style, it features a symmetrical façade and a Doric portico that wouldn’t look out of place on a country estate. When the club moved here in the 1920s, the house was adapted to serve as a clubhouse – a pattern you see repeated across Ireland and Britain, where grand private homes became ready-made venues for golf clubs.
Inside, Royal Belfast still leans into that country-house feel: elegant dining rooms, high ceilings and big windows framing views across the lough. It’s a reminder that golf here was never just about the course; it was also about society, conversation and long lunches after a medal round.
As golf exploded in popularity in the late 19th century, more clubs began to build dedicated clubhouses rather than repurposing castles or manor houses.
At Royal County Down in Newcastle, the first clubhouse was built in 1894, specifically for golfers and commissioned by the Belfast and County Down Railway – which saw golf as a smart way to attract passengers to the seaside resort. Parts of that original 1890s building still survive within the modern clubhouse, even after several extensions and a major refurbishment in 2005.
Royal County Down is a good example of how clubhouses have grown with the game: starting as modest shelters with changing rooms and a small lounge, then expanding as competitions, visitors and expectations increased.
In the early days, many golf “clubhouses” were little more than sheds – somewhere to leave clubs, change shoes and perhaps grab a drink after nine holes. As the game became more organised in the mid-to-late 19th century, clubhouses across Ireland and Britain evolved into full social hubs: dining rooms, smoking rooms, bars, committee rooms and, later, professional shops and locker complexes.
Northern Ireland’s clubs follow this pattern. From:
…you can almost read the social history of the country by walking through their front doors.
Modern expectations – from visiting golfers, tour groups and members – mean many clubhouses now balance heritage with practicality. Historic buildings house slick pro shops, refurbished bars and event spaces. At some clubs, sympathetic extensions in stone or glass allow for more space and views without sacrificing the original character.
Yet despite all the renovations, the essence of the Northern Irish clubhouse hasn’t changed much: it’s the place where stories are told, putts are re-lived, and bad rounds are forgiven over a pint.
