Dufferin at Clandeboye Golf Club

The Dufferin Course at Clandeboye Golf Club sits in the rolling countryside near Newtownards in County Down, approximately ten miles east of Belfast. The club's land occupies part of the former Clandeboye Estate, and the course takes its name from the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, whose family held the estate. The layout was designed by the partnership of Dave Thomas and Peter Alliss, two prominent figures in European golf during the 1960s and 1970s who collaborated on numerous courses across Britain and Ireland. The course opened in the early 1970s as part of the club's expansion to complement its original Ava Course.

The Dufferin plays through mature parkland with a mix of open and tree-lined holes. The terrain features gentle elevation changes that provide natural movement to the routing, and the design incorporates strategic bunkering and water hazards that require thoughtful course management. The layout is generally considered the more challenging of Clandeboye's two eighteens, with greater length and more demanding approach shots to well-protected greens.

Clandeboye Golf Club maintains a traditional members' club atmosphere while welcoming visitors, and the clubhouse overlooks both courses with views across the County Down landscape. The club has hosted regional amateur competitions and serves as a venue for club golfers seeking quality parkland golf in Northern Ireland's eastern corridor.