Play Golf

OK, so there’s heroin and cocaine and other such drugs but with a spot of cold turkey and immense determination you can kick those habits. Once golf has you in its grasp though, it has you for life! Hopelessly addicted golfers, like myself, will by now be nodding sagely in agreement for they will recognise the description of their addiction above. So before you read on, think twice, save yourself!

This advice is particularly pertinent if you get as far as laying your eyes on the historic Royal Malta Golf Club. This, the island’s only course, gives you an opportunity to play one of the oldest golf courses in Europe (outside the UK) in almost guaranteed perfect conditions. It’s an enticing prospect.

The club was founded by British servicemen way back in 1888 and moved to its current site in 1904. It has been described as "a gem created out of a relatively small parcel of land" and can be found at the Marsa sports grounds where it has its clubhouse. The great battles on the course now take place where there was once a great battle between the Knights of Malta and the army of the Ottoman Empire.

In a strange quirk, centenary celebrations will be held in 2013, which is actually 125 years after it was formed. The true centenary in 1988 was abandoned through violent storms and the course centenary in 2004 coincided with all the greens being re-laid.

Joining the RMGC is not a straightforward thing. Under a long-standing arrangement, which goes back to the early 1900s, those wishing to join the club are required to be members of the Marsa Sports and Country Club (MSCC). This is rightly perceived as an added value for members as they are able to make use of the dozen or so sporting and other facilities that the MSCC offers. Among these are the large outdoor swimming pool, bars and restaurants.


Luckily, visitors are always welcome to play at the RMGC, with Thursday and Saturday mornings being the only exceptions. Clubs, trolleys and scooters are available for hire and visitors can request tee time online by filling in a request form on the club website The Royal Malta Golf Club offers eighteen holes of golf on a very well maintained course and has recently undergone a layout change to improve the flow of play. 


Malta's temperate climate and the island's proximity to central Europe make it an ideal venue for off-season golfing breaks as its worst conditions are never that bad.

Unfortunately, the luxury of playing a grass-based game on an island where grass won’t grow without the help of much artificial watering comes at a price. A round of 18 holes at RMGC costs between €60 and €70 depending on the time of year with club hire costing another €18 to €25 on top of that.

Marsa can be found on the northern side of the island at the base of the headland that Valletta stands on. It sits at the end of harbour that serves the capital and is well serviced by main road links and numerous local bus routes.