Going for Golf

Killarney Golf & Fishing Club

It’s played in the fresh air and in the most gorgeous of settings, which appeals to the romantic Irish. It’s a game that takes a deal of time and can’t be rushed, which strikes a sympathetic chord in a society not given to undue haste or gripped with an overwhelming sense of urgency. And then there are the jokes. Golf offers almost unlimited scope for humour and the Irish appreciate a good laugh at least as much as they do a hot tip in the 3.30 at Fairyhouse. And, finally, it affords an almost unrivalled opportunity to indulge in what the Irish do brilliantly well, which is talk at length about everything and anything without reaching any particular conclusion.

So it should come as no surprise at all that Ireland has far more courses than it really needs and produces a great many more talented golfers than it should. But Ireland doesn’t really conform to the usual rules and so, rather than argue about it now, why not discuss it at some length the next time you find yourself playing at one of the finest golfing complexes in the country, Killarney Golf and Fishing Club.

No stranger to big events, it witnessed Nick Faldo’s back-to-back victories in the Irish Open in 1991 and 1992. And it has hosted top team events as well and looked on approvingly when the amateur ladies of Great Britain and Ireland overcame their American opponents to record a famous Curtis Cup victory back in 1996.

Killarney has three top quality courses wrapped around a gorgeous lake, so visitors are required to make a choice every bit as tough as those that confronted Ian Woosnam and Tom Lehman over team selection, pairings and batting order.

The Killeen is the flagship course. Having recently been lengthened and strengthened, it’s now even more of a challenge than it was when only three players finished under par in the 1991 Irish Open. The European Tour is making a welcome return there this year and the 3 Irish Open, with its €3m prize fund, will be fought out from July 29 to August 1.

The Killeen’s greens are said to be quicker now and the lake even more of a menace because some of the greens have been nudged nearer the water. In fact, there’s hardly a hole where there isn’t a significant risk of creating an unwelcome splash.

Since ‘lakeside’ is not recognised as an accepted category, Killarney properly belongs in the ‘parkland’ file. The wonderfully mature trees confirm its parkland credentials but the lovely trout-filled lake and magnificent mountains are the dominant features that create the atmosphere that pervades all three courses.

At a tad under 7,200 yards, the Killeen is the longest of the trio and has been dubbed by some as ‘Killer’ Killeen. Opened at the start of the millennium, Lackabane is the youngest. As with her elder sisters, lakes and streams are a recurring theme throughout.

A serious 7,000 yards off the very back tees, it’s a big advantage to be long, as competitors in the 2002 Ladies Irish Open and the 2005 European Ryder Cup Challenge Tour event soon discovered. Both Iben Tinning, of Denmark, and Mark Warren, of Scotland, exploited their considerable length to help secure their wins. Because of its length and the renowned speed of its greens, Lackabane is said to be better suited to mid and low-handicap players. However, the views are so splendid that even a struggling hacker dumping dozens of balls in the assorted water hazards will still enjoy this delightful Donald Steele design.

But if you don’t especially like it long then you had better make your way to the third course, Mahony’s Point. Not in the least bit overawed by its illustrious neighbours, it is nevertheless a fraction more forgiving and affords rather more room between the lake and the trees. Players of all abilities love it – and two who have particularly fond memories of it are Sweden’s Sophie Gustafson and Australia’s John Wade, who respectively won the Irish Ladies Open and the Irish Ryder Cup Challenge in 2003 and 2006.

Like them, you will especially enjoy the closing few holes. They create a crescendo that reaches a fitting climax on the thrilling 18th. A par three of nearly 200 yards, this much-photographed hole requires a significant carry over a corner of the lake to a well-protected green. If you manage to keep your ball dry, you’ll enjoy whetting your whistle even more afterwards with a pint or two of the black stuff.

Detailed accounts of your shots are not only tolerated but they are also actively encouraged in the clubhouse where they are properly regarded as an important part of the traditional post round ‘craic’. Even a little licence and necessary embellishment are permitted in a country that loves a good story almost as much as it does golf.

And if your game’s not that good, you can always try the fishing.