In the summer of 1881, Thomas Sinclair discovered golf during a visit to St Andrews, Scotland. Inspired, he returned to Ireland and joined forces with George L. Baillie, a schoolteacher and experienced golfer from Musselburgh. Together, they secured land from Captain John Harrison, Laird of Holywood, to create a 9-hole course at Kinnegar.

The first competition was played on Boxing Day, 1881, marking the birth of what would become Ireland’s oldest golf club.

Just four years later, the Club received Royal status when the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) accepted an invitation to become Patron during a visit to Ireland.

As golf’s popularity soared, the original course became too busy, prompting a move to a new 9-hole layout at Carnalea, near Bangor, in 1892.

After the First World War, the Club relocated to its current home at Craigavad House, a stately 140-acre estate overlooking Belfast Lough.

Originally built in 1852 by John Mulholland (later 1st Lord Dunleath), the estate provided the perfect setting for a new chapter. The Club commissioned legendary golf architect Harry S. Colt to design an 18-hole layout. The course opened in September 1926, and remains largely unchanged — a lasting tribute to Colt’s vision.

Royal Belfast continues to evolve while honouring its rich traditions. The Club has enhanced its facilities — including its award-winning Victorian clubhouse — and enjoys a thriving Membership.

The course is now widely regarded as one of Ireland’s top parkland venues, earning recognition for both its playability and its heritage.

A century at the Club’s historic Craigavad home will be marked with special events, commemorations, and a celebration of Harry Colt’s enduring legacy.

Royal Belfast will proudly celebrate 150 years of golfing excellence and tradition — a remarkable milestone as Ireland’s oldest golf club looks to the future.