As with everything in Malta, you can't escape history, not even on the golf course. Malta’s only golf club comes complete with a royal patronage and a past as interesting as its holes.

©viewingmalta.com - (Samuel Rondot @ vallettaphotography.com)

The Royal Malta Golf Club was established in 1888 by Lieutenant-General Sir Henry D’Oyley Torrens within a month of his arrival in Malta as governor of the island. One of the founding members of the club was the then Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, third son of Queen Victoria who was based in Malta as Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet. And the royal patronage has remained ever since.

Long before the club moved to its current splendid grounds at Marsa Sports Club just outside Valletta, the Royal Malta Golf Club started out in the most unusual of settings, among the fortifications of the capital. The clubhouse was established in St Anne’s Ditch, and a nine-hole course was laid out around the bastion. It wasn't your usual round of golf. There was hardly any turf, and the ‘greens’ consisted of puzzolana concrete covered with sand. The ‘fairways’ were 20 yards (18 m) wide stone walls, and in some cases, 150 feet (45 m) high on both sides. 

The club moved to Marsa in 1904, but even here, history was never far away. Across the road from the ninth tee is the old Turkish cemetery, a reminder of the Great Siege of 1565, and there is a 15th century chapel dedicated to Santa Maria ta’ Ceppuna next to the 10th Green. 

It started out as a 14-hole course, and the area had to be shared with tennis players and cricketers. In the 1950s, the course was extended to 18 holes, but a horse-racing track crossed seven of those holes, and the horses had priority. 

Fear not however, today, the 18-hole 68 par golf course is fully self-contained, and boasts a modern clubhouse with full amenities. The course is a good challenge for the more experienced golfer without being too demanding for the novice. 

Still, don't be fooled by its deceptive simplicity. It is a narrow course demanding accuracy off the tee and controlled approach shots, as the greens are small and well bunkered. Depending on the season, there is not much water on the course, but a few strategically placed water hazards lie in wait.

Visitors in possession of a valid handicap can book a tee time online and can also hire clubs from as little as €25. Green fees start from €65 for one round. The club does have a dress code, which must be observed even by visitors. Coaching for non-members starts at €50 for 45 minutes at any level or €399 for a five-day Malta Golf Clinic.