Waterville is to have a second golf course which should be fully operational in 2002. Work will begin next March on the £6 million project which is entirely independent of the existing championship links, developed by the late John A Mulachy in 1970.
The location for the new course is a 186-acre site on a gently rolling headland, either side of the Finnglas River. To be known as the Hog's Head GC, it will be located about 300 yards from Waterville House, the one-time Mulcahy home which is now a guest house run by Jay Connolly, managing director of Waterville GC.
Though there will be no direct connection between the two clubs, the new development has been welcomed by Paul Mulcahy, captain of Waterville GC. "This is going to provide a great lift to the village and to tourism in this part of Kerry," he said.
"Up to now, people tended to come here specifically to play one great links, with the result that they would stay only one day before returning to their base, probably in Killarney. Now, with a second course, we look forward to golfers making extended visits."
The course will be the product of the design/build team of Ron Kirby and Haulie O'Shea, who finished the Old Head of Kinsale. O'Shea was at the Old Head from the outset, when Eddie Hackett did the initial plan, but after further design work by Patrick Merrigan, Joe Carr and Limerick golfer Jack Lynch, Kirby saw the venture to a splendid conclusion.
Now, he and O'Shea are to team up once more on a project which has similarities to the Old Head in its location close to the Atlantic. The financial aspect of the deal is based on a partnership between O'Shea and the London developer, Robert Noonan.
"A feature of the development will be underground access to the Waterville Lake Hotel," said O'Shea. "In fact it is a beautiful site, about two miles north of Waterville village, and the course will be built to the same, high standards which we applied at the Old Head."
O'Shea went on: "From a construction standpoint, the Old Head was such a difficult undertaking that anything else would appear easy by comparison. So I am optimistic we can deliver a course which will complement the existing links in the village."
In the event, as a native of the area, O'Shea is certain to be familiar with the problems which might arise during the construction stage. And he is looking forward to renewing his partnership with the American, Kirby, whose earlier, Irish work was at Mount Juliet.
Recent developments in the South-West region include the fine, Ring of Kerry course and the third 18 at Killarney. And work is advanced on a nine-hole layout for the projected Castlerosse Golf Club attached the hotel of that name, as a further Killarney amenity.
But another course at Waterville will have an entirely different appeal, not least because of the remoteness of the area. The village first gained international recognition as a golfing tourist destination through the staging of the Kerrygold Classic in 1975, 1976 and 1977, when success went to George Burns, Tony Jacklin and Liam Higgins, respectively.
Efforts were made to maintain its prominence through the Jack Mulcahy Pro-Am, but that was discontinued when the Mulcahy family sold the facility. Now, under the ownership of an American consortium headed by Winged Foot member Jay Connolly, its profile has been enhanced greatly through visits in recent years by such celebrated figures as Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Lee Janzen, David Duval and the late Payne Stewart.
"Everybody down here is tremendously excited by the news," added Paul Mulcahy. "After what my uncle Jack did here, it provides the additional dimension which has always been missing. I wish the project every success."
Meanwhile, Eamonn Darcy tells me that he is looking at the possibility of designing a course at Avoca. "Most of the details are in place, including a brilliant site," he said.
