Four of Ireland’s most celebrated golfing stars will today conduct the official drive-in at The Golf Course at Adare Manor, set to become one of the most recognised layouts in world golf. Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Shane Lowry will hit the inaugural tee shots of the wholly-reconstructed Tom Fazio design, competing in a €500,000 charity match to mark the milestone occasion for Irish golf.
McIlroy & McGinley will face off against Lowry & Harrington with the winners over the opening 18 holes of the brand-new course earning €350,000 for charity, while the runners-up will receive €150,000 to donate. Among the beneficiaries will be The Rory Foundation, The McGinley Foundation, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital and the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation.
The Golf Course at Adare Manor will be unmatched in terms of quality of conditioning, utilising practices and products like no course to come before it. Over a two-year reconstruction period, the Fazio Design team has established a 7,509-yard championship golf course created to the most exacting of standards with the goal of establishing the course amongst the world’s best and hosting the world’s most prestigious events.
Colm Hannon, Chief Executive Officer of Adare Manor, said: “What Tom Fazio and his team have designed here over the last two years has been outstanding. The Golf Course at Adare Manor is unique and our intention is that it becomes recognised as one of the world’s finest.
“We are delighted to be joined today for this historic occasion by Rory, Padraig, Paul and Shane, as well as a number of our members and some very special guests. This is a wonderful day for Irish golf, and I look forward to seeing each of the golfing stars supporting today’s launch return to compete for golfing events of the very highest calibre at Adare Manor over the years to come.”
Maintained by a 50-strong team of greenkeepers, led by Course Superintendent Alan MacDonnell, The Golf Course at Adare Manor possesses the most compelling of reconstruction stories. Born of the original Adare Manor golf course, first opened in 1995 and twice host to the Irish Open (2007 & 2008), Fazio’s masterpiece represents a wholly new proposition.
Lead designer, Tom Fazio, said: “Most golfers will never have seen anything like this course. It looks and plays like no other course in Ireland. This will be a stand out course in Europe and, with the Adare Manor house and estate as its setting, will be one of the finest stay and play venues ever created – everyone is going to want to see this place.”
As well as number of consultants and contributors, Fazio requested the involvement of decorated golfers to give feedback on plans throughout the project, seeking the observations and expertise of both Harrington and McGinley as two of Europe’s most experienced touring professionals in finalising routing, contouring and grass selection.
As it looks set to pique the interest of golfers across the world, Adare Manor has obtained critical acclaim, even before the first golf ball was struck, earning a place within Golf Digest’s coveted Best Golf Resorts in Great Britain and Ireland list.
Adare Manor www.adaremanor.com