Famous Members

Many famous golfers have been members or had affiliations with Bangor Golf Club over the years. Here are the most noted players to have played Bangor.

Situated in the heart of North Down, Bangor has had many famous golfers walk its fairways. If you are considering a golf membership, there is no better place to tee it up than Bangor Golf Club, especially with illustrious past players.

Browse the list of legendary golfers below to learn about the prestigious reputation that Bangor Golf Club has.

Past Famous Golfers Include Rory McIlroy & Michael Bannon

Two of our most famous recent connections would be our former head golf professional Michael Bannon and his world-class student, Rory McIlroy.

Michael joined Bangor Golf Club as a golf professional in 1999 and stayed for thirteen years. In 2012, he decided to leave his position to work full-time for Rory on the European Tour and PGA Tour.

Members would see Michael honing the golf swing of Rory McIlroy on our club’s practice area. Even today, between golf tour events, Rory clips away iron shots under Michael’s watchful eye when at home visiting family and friends.

While never a full member at Bangor Golf Club, Rory McIlroy is an Honorary Member of the Club. Being one of only 6 golfer’s in the history of the game to complete the career Grand Slam, Rory is a hero to many golfers across Northern Ireland.

Bangor Golf Club is proud to be associated with our famous golfers, Michael and Rory. We continue to support their careers and their successes on the world stage.

"Up until October 2012, the club professional at Bangor was Michael Bannon. He coached our members for 13 years, where he engrained a pathway of coaching excellence with golfers of all ages and abilities. Michael remained Bangor Golf Club until he left to join Rory McIlroy on the PGA and European Tour.

Throughout the years, Rory and Michael have visited our golf course to work on the four-time major winner's skills. The Ulsterman has been seen on our practice fairway, honing his irons under his coach's watchful eye. Rors has even been spotted on the fairways to engrain his on-course technique.

As an honorary member of Bangor Golf Club, Rory McIlroy continues to view our golf course as ''one of the finest parkland courses in Ireland''. However, don't just take his word for it, come and experience Bangor Golf Club for yourself. Contact us and play a golf course with pedigree in North Down today"

Garth joined Bangor Golf Club as a juvenile member in 1965. Not only is he Bangor’s finest amateur golfer to date, but his playing record places him alongside Irish Amateur golf’s greatest ever players.

Garth’s golfing achievements are far too numerous to list in full. However, a number of his highlights are listed below to show why he is one of Bangor’s most famous golfers:

* In 1974, he was runner-up in the Ulster Youths Championship. He was then selected to represent Ulster in the Junior Interprovincial Championships.
* The Junior Ulster Team selected Garth to play for the championships in 1976 and 1977.
* Garth McGimpsey held the Irish Long Driving Championship in 1977 and 1978. With drives of 320 yards and 287 yards respectively, he was sure to be crowned champion. Latterly, in 1979, Garth went on to win the British Long Driving Trophy, with a drive of 303 yards.
* Garth won the Willie Gill Award for the most consistent player in the Home Championships on three separate occasions, 1984, 1988, and 1993.
* Garth McGimpsey has twice been presented with the Irish Sports Writer Award. He has also won the Bangor Borough Council Sports Personality of the Year Award.
* Garth won the Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch in 1985.
* Following his victory in the Amateur Championship, Augusta National invited Garth to play in the U.S. Masters in 1986. He became the first Ulsterman to play at The Masters.
* Whilst at Augusta, had the unique experience that year of playing with Jack Nicklaus in a practice round on the Tuesday that week. He then played with Arnold Palmer in the first round that Thursday.
* At the time, Jack and Arnie were two of the world’s most famous golfers, but Garth did more than hold his own when teeing it up with two titans of the game.
* Finally, Garth played in the Walker Cup five times and captained the team also on two occasions. The pictures above show the triumphant team and their victorious Captain.

Norman Drew had an outstanding amateur golfing career. This is even more remarkable, considering that he had achieved so much in only four years.

Norman won the North of Ireland Championship in 1950, and the Irish Amateur Open Championship in 1952. In that same year, he played in the Home Internationals at Royal Troon, won the East and the North of Ireland Championships and was runner up in the West and South of Ireland Championships.

At Killarney in 1953, he played in the Home Internationals again, partnered with the great J.B. Carr in the Foursomes. Norman went on to win the Irish Amateur Open Championship for a second time, beating some of the very best internationals from the UK and Ireland.

Throughout the Home Internationals, Norman recorded eight wins, two halves, and two losses out of the twelve matches. In recognition of such an outstanding record, the Royal and Ancient honoured him with selection to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup.

The Walker Cup team were to play against the USA at Kittansett, Massachusetts in 1953. Norman was only the second Ulsterman to achieve this honour, ensuring he would be named alongside other famous golfers for years to come. Norman turned Professional in late 1953 and became Irish Professional Champion in 1959.

In the same year, he played for Britain in the Ryder Cup at El Dorado, U.S.A. The following year he played for Ireland in the Canada Cup (now World Cup) at Portmarnock. After appearing in these prestigious events, Norman became the first golfer on either side of the Atlantic to play in all three events. He was also the first Great Britain and Ireland golfer to have the unique distinction of playing in both the Walker Cup and Ryder Cup teams.

There is no doubt that Norman Drew is one of the most famous golfers to be associated with Bangor Golf Club. With such an outstanding amateur and professional golf career, he is one of Bangor's greats.