The opening of the £4 million Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club on Sunday 18th July heralds a new era in Irish golf. The innovative Roger Jones design breaks fresh ground in the golfer’s paradise that is south west Ireland.
As an upland course Ring of Kerry is a departure from the norm and is set to become a bench mark against which future courses will be judged. Set in the foothills of the MacGillycuddy Reeks and overlooking the island studded Kenmare Bay with the Caha Mountains serving as a backdrop, the site alone is enough to set Ring of Kerry apart. “The site took my breath away,” says Jones, “but when I realised that there was no top soil I knew that, far from being a problem, a rare opportunity was on offer.”
The fairways have been constructed entirely with sand, a first for any inland course in Ireland. They have grown in at a remarkable rate. The dense, weed free, manicured sward sheds water so quickly that the course is presented in top condition all year round. The greens are built to USGA specifications and sown with “Providence” creeping bent grass.
London based businessmen Tom McNicholas and Dominic Reid are the owners of Ring of Kerry Golf & Country Club. They were insistent that the design should allow for a wide range of golfing ability. This has been achieved and the course is already attracting interest from around the globe.