GOLF


Just a few miles down the road from Belfast, Clandeboye Golf Club boasts two 18-hole courses situated in the idyllic surroundings of Lady Dufferin’s Estate. Chris McCullough met with Course Manager Terry Crawford to find out more about life in this rather ‘soggy’ region of the UK


years later, Clandeboye Golf Club was formed and is now home to the Dufferin Course, one of the highest rated championship courses in Ireland, and the shorter Ava Course. William’s hard work, combined with a sound personal knowledge of the technical problems involved moving mountains of soil, boulders, bracken and gorse, laid the foundations of what has now become one of the most challenging golfing tracts in Ireland. Historically speaking, the name Clandeboye is anglicised from the Gaelic. In the year 559, the monks of St Comgall’s Bangor monastery grazed their flocks on what is now the Dufferin course. The original Clandeboye course played host to all the major Irish championships until the early 1970s when, after very fierce arguments among club members, Robinson’s original layout was changed. The present Dufferin Course emerged from a design by German architect Baron Von Limburger in association with former Ryder Cup stars Dave Thomas and Peter Allis.


B In keeping with the original vision of


ack in 1930, the first course was created by William Renwick Robinson, a local linen


merchant with a love of golf and a flair for landscaping. Three


Robinson, Clandeboye has continued to develop and improve its facilities. Set in 350 acres of land, this development has consolidated Clandeboye’s reputation as one of the finest golfing experiences of its kind in Ireland.


This is well borne out by the number of major golf events held over the years, including European Mens’ and Ladies’ tournaments, the European Challenge Tour and numerous top Golfing Union of Ireland amateur events.


And the latest news from Clandeboye Golf Club is that it is hosting the GolfCatcher PGA EuroPro Tour event this summer which the club hopes is the first step on the road to luring the Irish Open to the Ards Peninsula. The club’s inaugural EuroPro tournament will be played from 19th to 21st August, with a high profile Pro-Am to be followed by a three-day professional competition. With so many games on the go and more to come, Golf Course Manager Terry Crawford is a really busy man and, together with his team, always strives to have both courses at Clandeboye Golf Club looking their best. Terry, who also doubles up as the club’s facility manager, has worked there for almost thirty years and still enjoys the job every single day. “I worked at a number of golf clubs prior


PC February/March 2020 45


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