Marsa Sports Club

Marsa Sports Club is a private members' club on Aldo Moro Street in Marsa, at the inner end of the Grand Harbour just outside Valletta. It brings tennis, padel, squash, cricket, croquet, snooker, golf and a swimming pool onto one set of grounds, with two restaurants and a clubhouse for socialising. Most of the club is for members, but overseas visitors can take temporary membership by the day, week or month, which makes it one of the more practical ways for a UK holidaymaker or new resident to get a proper game on the island.

On VisitMalta.co.uk the club is listed in our directories of tennis clubs in Malta, golf in Malta and sports clubs in Malta. You can contact the club through the enquiry form on this page.

A club with a long history

The Malta Sports Club first came into existence in 1902, and the club has been passed down through several generations of members, who simply call it "The Marsa". The grounds are older still. The name comes from an Arabic word for a sheltered inlet, and the flat land at the head of the Grand Harbour was used by Phoenician traders and Roman seamen before passing through medieval ownership to the Knights of the Order of St John in 1530. Cavalry fought on these meadows in 1551, and in 1565 the Ottoman army camped here at the start of the Great Siege.

If that sort of history appeals, our guide to the Knights of Malta sets the period in context, and the Valletta guide covers the city the Knights built a few minutes away.

Today the club is an independent sport and recreation organisation run under a written statute by a committee of management. Its chairperson is Godwin Borg and its vice chairperson is George O. Attard, with further committee members responsible for finance, catering, events and the beach club.

Courts, greens and pitches

The facilities are the main attraction. The club has 18 tennis courts, two padel courts, five squash courts, the only full-sized cricket pitch on the island and the only 18-hole golf course in Malta, plus croquet lawns, snooker and billiards tables, a swimming pool and a fitness studio. Padel is a fast, walled-court racket game that is simple to pick up, and it can be booked alongside tennis through the club's online booking page. Squash is played on glass-backed courts, with air conditioning available at a slightly higher fee.

The golf course is run by the Royal Malta Golf Club on the same grounds, with its own pro shop and a bar called the Putters' Inn that opens from 09:00 until dusk, with lunch served daily from 12:30 to 14:30. The club also runs a summer camp for children, a catering service with two restaurants and bars, and a members' magazine, and a Tigné beach club forms part of the wider set-up. After a game, the restaurants make it easy to stay on for a meal with friends or family.

Visitor rates for 2026

Temporary membership for visitors to the island is priced per person. Adults pay €20 for a full day, or €10 for a half day after 3pm, with parking included. Minors aged 12 to 16 pay €10 for a full day or €5 after 3pm, and children aged 11 and under are free. A week costs €80 for an adult and €40 for a minor, and a month costs €200 and €100.

Playing fees for visitors are charged on top. Tennis is €10.00 for a 90 minute daylight session and €18.00 under floodlights. Padel is €28.00 in daylight and €36.00 under floodlights for 90 minutes. Squash costs €7.00 for a 60 minute session, or €9.00 on an air-conditioned court. Racket hire is €3.00 for any of the three.

Golf has its own price list. An 18 hole green fee is €100 for an adult and €55 for a junior, while a guest of a member pays €65 and €40. Nine holes cost €65 for an adult and €40 for a junior, and a bucket of 30 range balls is €2, with a driving range fee of €10. Hiring a TaylorMade SIM or Stealth set costs €50 over 18 holes, while the older TaylorMade M4, Cobra or Cleveland sets are €40. A trolley is €7 and an electric buggy is €48. Rates can change, so confirm them when you enquire.

Joining as a member

Anyone planning to stay longer can apply to become a member. The 2026 rates show full and associate single membership at €355.00 a year, country membership at €220.00, and junior and minor membership at €50.00. There is a one-off joining fee of €100.00 for full and associate members, and a car sticker costs €7.00. Section membership for tennis or padel carries a €35.00 fee.

Once an application is received, prospective members are invited to an introductory meeting with the committee before membership is processed. Adult single and junior application forms are available on the club's website, along with its statute, which sets out the rules and principles by which the club operates, and the current rates. Visitors who only want a short stay can use the temporary membership rates above instead of a full application. Anyone relocating from the UK may also find our guide to relocating to Malta useful, since a sports club can be a good way into the local social scene.

The club also lists reciprocal arrangements with clubs overseas, including the Hurlingham Club and the Lansdowne Club in London, the St James Club in Manchester and the Winchester House Club in Putney.

Dress code and etiquette

The club asks members and guests to dress respectably during the day: shorts and open-collar short-sleeved shirts or conventional sportswear, but not sleeveless vests, bathing costumes or bikini tops. Swimwear is for the pool area only. On the golf course the minimum is shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, spiked shoes are not allowed in the clubhouse, and on the course blue denim and tracksuits are not permitted.

For tennis, padel, squash, cricket and croquet, conventional sportswear is expected, and hard-soled shoes are not allowed on the padel, tennis and squash courts. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Events, location and getting there

Marsa hosts a steady calendar of competitions. Recent events include a snooker knockout championship, a squash open with four grades, a padel cup, a team tennis tournament, an evening American tennis tournament with two divisions and a Sunday kids' tennis coaching programme, plus a Halloween afternoon for all ages and a free day of multiple sports. Announcements appear in the news section of the club's own site as events are confirmed.

The club is on Aldo Moro Street in Marsa, MRS 9064, a short drive from Valletta and close to the Hypogeum in Paola. Our guide to where to stay in Malta and the listing of hotels in Valletta help you choose a base, and the Malta weather guide shows which months suit outdoor sport best. The Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni makes a good non-sporting visit nearby.

The club office is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and on Saturday from 9.30am to 12.30pm, and asks that you request an appointment in advance. To ask about visitor passes, court bookings, golf or membership, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the club.