New Courses: Finally, it seems, there is something of a slow down - but far from a meltdown - in the number of new courses being constructed in Ireland.
The mad rush of the 1990s which saw the number of courses in the country double to around the 400 mark, when as many as 10 new courses were built in any given year, has been replaced with a slower process.
That's not to say that there aren't more in the pipeline, however. A number of projects are either at the planning stage or already under construction.
Darren Clarke is involved in designing three courses, at Moy Valley near Enfield, in Co Kildare, another in Sligo and one outside Belfast. The Nick Faldo-designed courses at Lough Erne near Castlehume in Fermanagh and at Lough Rynne in Co Leitrim are under way, as is the John Daly-designed course at Blarney, while Dún Laoghaire's new course is well under way near Enniskerry.
There are also plans for an Ernie Els-designed cliff-top course in Kinsale, and a Mark O'Meara-designed course in Waterford . . . and other projects planned for Kinsealy in north county Dublin and near Kinnegad in Co Westmeath.
Two courses that are due to open this year are Castleknock Golf Club, built on the old Somerton demesne close to the Strawberry Beds and near the existing course at Luttrellstown Castle, in Dublin, and Dunmurry Springs Golf Club in Co Kildare.
Castleknock is a major project undertaken by Monarch Properties which also includes the development - in conjunction with the Tower Hotel Group - of a 144-bedroom four-star hotel. The entire project has the philosophy of Paul Monahan behind it. "Do it once, and do it right," is his catchphrase and, to that end, no stone has been left unturned in bringing a new product to the market that will have tremendous appeal for club players (membership is available) and visitors alike.
Designed by the British course designer Jonathan Gaunt and built by SOL - who were also responsible for The Heritage, among other projects - the course measures 6,703 yards and mixes a sylvan setting with gently undulating terrain. During construction, the site was stripped of its top soil and some 400,000 cubic metres of subsoil was excavated to create eight lakes (measuring 10 acres in total), marshes, tees, greens and fairway moundings.
The par three 11th hole his set to be the signature hole. It is set on a lake measuring three acres and the green is framed by a sloping Donegal rock wall.
All the greens have been built to USGA standards, with a mix of G6/A4 grasses.
At Dunmurry Springs Golf Club near the Curragh in Co Kildare, there has been a committed approach to creating a classic golf course, with water and gorse very much in evidence. The course, designed by Mel Flanagan, is due to open in September and is a par 71 of 7,000 yards.
"It's an old, traditional design," explained Flanagan, who has tried to blend in influences of Sunningdale and Gleneagles, albeit in an Irish setting with panoramic views of the Curragh's plains. "We've left a lot of ditches in place and utilised natural springs because I believe they provide character . . . I don't believe in stripping sites where it results in losing its authenticity."
Dunmurry Springs promises to offer a very distinctive golfing experience. Conscious of the choice open to golfers in the Dublin area, developer Simon Holohan was determined to mould the golf experience around what today's customer wants - value for money and professional service. As well as the breathtaking golf course, the clubhouse will include luxurious locker-rooms including saunas and steam rooms, a bar and terrace to serve food and drink.
Membership of Dunmurry Springs Golf Club is available through the purchase of a redeemable preference share, of which a total of 400 will be issued. The second phase of their release is near completion, available for a10,500.
