History of Scrabo Golf Club

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.

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.

Clubhouse early 1900's

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.

Putting on the 17th Green at Scrabo

In September 1971 a new clubhouse was constructed and was opened in 1972. Development since has gone on with the aim of making the Course fair and more amenable to visitors. A new automated sprinkler system has been added with the intention to make Scrabo a good test with views and history unsurpassed by any course.

In 2007 we celebrated our Centenary. We now boast a new Clubhouse offering the same hospitality we have offered over the last 100 years.