Gracehill Golf Course opened in 1995
Course Designers – Frank Ainsworth & Jim Gillan
A Brief History of Gracehill Golf Club
The 210 acres of land which Gracehill Golf Course now stands was originally the home of the Gillan family. Jim Gillan, a keen sportsman although only a social golfer believed he had a wonderful site to develop a golf course. At that time all golf club memberships were full and the local town of Ballymoney had no course. It was a huge undertaking and financially, very risky. After much deliberation Jim decided to go ahead and construction started in the spring of 1992.
Jim Gillan along with Frank Ainsworth a well-known course designer used the natural landscape and whilst creating a challenging par 72-hole golf course did a tremendous job in preserving the natural topography of the land.
The first areas to develop were the lakes. Carefully planned and set, the lakes are fed from the local Doughery Burn. The first ten holes were completed in the Autumn of 1994 when the focus then shifted to the clubhouse. The course opened on the 13th of May 1995 and work commenced on the second nine holes in early 1996. The full eighteen holes opened in the Spring of 2000.
Regardless of your ability Gracehill Golf Course will provide you with a true test of your golfing skills and if you have a bad golfing day you will still surely enjoy the walk because the abundance of wildlife the natural beauty of the lands and the friendly members who will always make you feel most welcome.
Now, some twenty years later Gracehill Golf Course has continued to develop. The estate now boasts The Dark Hedges Hotel, The Pantry coffee shop and sits on the edge of the now famous Dark Hedges. These iconic trees used in the filming of HBO’s epic series Game of Thrones were used to film the scene known as The Kings Road.
Why are they called The Dark Hedges?
For now, there are two popular answers. One pertains to the obvious; how the trees lining the road, blocks the light therefore making it dark. The dark tunnel that is formed looks like hedges so it’s easier to call it such. Another explanation says that the hedges are haunted by a spirit known as the Grey Lady.
Anyway, why not draw your own conclusion, visit, and experience for yourself.