Mahee Island's nine-hole golf course, founded in 1930, is one of the most scenic in all of Ireland. The course offers golfers of all standards an enjoyable test and panoramic views of Strangford Lough. A tough par of 68, one of the most enjoyable holes at Mahee is the short downhill 8th hole, 'Bird Island'. Often this hole is just the proverbial 'flick with a wedge' but a well-placed sand trap and subtly contoured green ensure it causes its fair share of problems. The club's first professional was the late Fred Daly, the only Irishman ever to win the Open Championship. Two trees still stand on the first fairway where Fred practised his short game by chipping into a hole in one of them.