Prestigious golf club to relocate with course sold for housing

It has come as a “shock” to residents, but has left the club captain “absolutely delighted.”

And that is despite the fact that members of one of the most storied golf clubs in the Northern Ireland will soon have to relocate to a brand new venue.

But such is the precarious state of clubs across the UK right now, any sort of reprieve in a battle for survival was welcome – at least for some of those concerned.

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That appears to be the case at Balmoral Golf Club in Belfast, which has sought out various rescue options in recent weeks to avoid financial freefall.

The cash-strapped club has now secured its long-term future, but only after agreeing to move four miles from its current base on Lisburn Road in Belfast to a yet-to-be-built championship course in Drumbo.

Balmoral, which has been open since 1914 and was the longtime home of former Open champion Fred Daly, will move for the first time in its history after an “overwhelming majority” at an extraordinary general meeting voted in favour of the plan.

According to the Irish News, it will see Balmoral enter a partnership with the Dublin-based Merrion Property Group, with the 75-acre course now set to be used for hundreds of new homes.

And within the next three to five years, Balmoral members will move to a new 18-hole course designed by the former Ryder Cup winning captain Paul McGinley.

Club captain Michael Ewings said: “I am absolutely delighted with the decision made by the membership to secure the future of Balmoral Golf Club for generations to come.

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“Balmoral has a proud history and a very loyal membership, and we look forward to an exciting venture on our new and modern facility.”

Not everyone is on board, however.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one member told the Irish News that he was rushed into a decision about the future of his club.

“Irrespective of how we reached this cataclysmic financial position, it would appear that members were knowingly kept in the dark,” he said. “Council surely have a duty of care to the members they serve to keep them apprised of any existential threat to their club. This clearly didn’t happen.”

Residents who live in the proximity of Balmoral Golf Club also claim to have been blindsided by the development.

“This has come as a shock to neighbours,”  one resident told Belfast Media.

“You’d have thought that we’d have been kept up to date with such developments. But no, we were kept in the dark the whole time.”

bunkered.co.uk has reached out to Balmoral for comment on their move.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.