Founded in 1907 Scrabo Golf Club is situated high above Newtownards Northern Ireland, 500ft above sea level overlooking Strangford Lough. Scrabo Golf Club is a picturesque eighteen hole 6,227 yards par 71 golf course set in the beautiful County Down countryside.
The famous landmark Scrabo Tower overlooking the golf course was built as a memorial to the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry and commands impressive views over Newtownards town and the Northern part of Strangford Lough.

 Scrabo golf course itself is set in the shadow of its famous tower. With its own unique personality, challenge and charm it is a favourite amongst Northern Ireland golfers. The course offers magnificent views over Strangford Lough and the Mourne Mountains and on a clear day Scotland and the Isle of Man can be seen from many holes. Renowned for its links style, gorse-bordered fairways, accurate driving is essential, no more so than at the 424m par 4 1st hole  which Christy O'Connor Senior described as one of the best opening holes in Irish Golf.

A warm welcome awaits you in the Clubhouse. There are excellent bar and restaurant facilities, all with amazing views of the Ards Peninsula while you wine and dine. With two restaurants, a lounge and dance floor, the club can host any occasion from birthdays to weddings.

In the words of Kevin Markham (author of 'Hooked'), "Anyone considering golf around Belfast ... or Royal County Down should add Scrabo to the itinerary". 

Book your tee time now. (Pic courtesy of www.peterbennettphotography.com)

Early Days

Scrabo Golf Club began as a dream in the minds of two men. One was Gerald S Netterfield and the other was Hugh Simms. For months on end Hugh and Gerald combed the neighbourhood in search of a possible location for a Golf course in Newtownards.

 How Scrabo Golf Club was formed

A common drawback to all the suitable sites was that they all belonged to somebody and would have to be purchased, money in those days was not an easily acquired commodity. The utterly mad idea that it might possible to make a Golf Course on top of Scrabo was floated up out of the blue. Scrabo at that time was a wilderness of rock and whins. No sane person could ever have imagined that one day it might be a Golf Course. The main attraction was that it could be acquired cheaply.

A meeting was called in 1907 and a Golf Club was formed at Scrabo. On Thursday 11th May 1908 the course was opened. An energetic Council had enlisted seventy five members at an annual subscription of £1. Scrabo flourished over the next few years and the first Clubhouse was completed in August 1910 at a cost of £161.17.5.

The first few years

Scrabo started as a nine hole course and remained so until the 1960’s when 30 acres of ground was purchased for £6,000 to make the current 5th, 6th, 10th and 11th fairways.

During the change over period various combinations of holes were played depending on how quickly they became playable. In 1971 the new eighteen hole course was completed and play commenced on it on 20th March.