ADDRESS :
DROMOLAND CASTLE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Dromoland Castle
Newmarket-On-Fergus
Co. Clare
Ireland
TELEPHONE NUMBER : 061-368444(IRE) - (00353)61-368444(ABROAD)
EMAIL : golf@dromoland.ie
WEBSITE ADDRESS : www.dromolandgolf.com
CLUB FORMED : 1962
COURSE DESIGNERS : Ron Kirby & JB Carr
BRIEF HISTORY :
The Golf Club was set up in 1962 on the grounds of the Dromoland Castle. Since then it has catered to many of the best personalities and golfers around. In 2003 there was over €5 million invested and the course was completely redesigned with some holes incorporated into others and some new holes created from scratch and offering new greens that will be a true test. You could say that the new look course is Clare's answer to Augusta and it's been elevated to premier status within Irish golfing circles. In 2006 a new Golf Academy was added to the course. This offers a fully automated & floodlit Driving Range, also there is a layered chipping green with an exact recreation of the 17th in St Andrews' Road Hole Bunker. The greens in this are the same Creeping Bent grass that is used out on the course so make your mistakes here. Between the facilites and the spectacular views that you will see around the course this will be a golfing experience that you are unlikely to forget too soon.
INTERESTING FACTS :
Star of the Gladiator Richard Harris was one of the first people who bought a house on course when they were built between the 1st green and the 2nd tee.
Also, in the Castle, former Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison were escorted out the back of the hotel in Laundry baskets to escape the press.
When you are standing on the 10th fairway you will be standing close enough to where President George W Bush and the European Union leaders made their speeches during the summit that was held in Ireland during their last European Presidency.
FAMOUS VISITORS :
Sam Torrance, Hale Irwin, Bobby Charlton, Pat Jennings, Tony Jacklin, Nigel Mansell, Christopher Lee, Terry Wogan.
MENS CAPTAIN :
Martin O'Mahoney
LADIES CAPTAIN :
Ann Nix
SECRETARY MANAGER :
John O'Halloran
CLUB PRO :
David Foley
HONOURS :
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COURSE TYPE : PARKLAND
COURSE DISTANCE : 6824 Yds(Champ) - 6294 Yds(White) - 6053 Yds(Yellow) - 5242 Yds(Ladies)
COURSE PAR : 72
COURSE RECORD : ???
SSS SCORE : 72(Champ) - 70 (White) - 68 (Yellow) - 72 (Ladies)
HARDEST HOLE :
It's between the 2nd, the 6th, and the 16th but I think that the 16th wins out here. It's a monster of a hole with danger all the way left a high rising green with a stream that's running through the lay up area. This is a hole that you would be happy to walk away with a bogey.
EASIEST HOLE :
I know the 7th is the hole that is the highest in the stroke index but I think the easiest hole here is the 9th. You can go for the green in one if you dare and there's a good chance that you'll get to the green if you miss the water but it's easy to lay up left and take out the water completely. Then it should be a light wedge to the green and then it's up to your putter to finish the job.
FAVOURITE HOLE :
It has to be the 7th. What a view awaits you when you get to the top of the tee box is incredible. Then hit the ball high and trust your yardage. Land it dead on the green as long as the greenside pond, and the wonderful view of the castle and lake haven't distracted you and sent the ball offline you should be ok here.
HARDEST PAR 3 :
This has to be the 17th. This is a very tricky hole with water and marsh in front of a small green. It's a tricky tee shot to get to the green with no real easy get out. Accuracy is imperative here but not the easiest thing to gain as it's a hole that you have to have a whack at and be very confident in what you are doing.
HARDEST PAR 4 :
It's the 16th. It's the hardest hole of the course. If you can forget that there's a hole between 15 and 17 then you'll be happy.
HARDEST PAR 5 :
It's between the 6th and the 11th. Depending on your type of play you can make you own mind up. The 6th is a very long hole that undulates and relies on your power whereas the 11th is a hole that relies on accuracy. Not that long but it can be seriously shortened with a gutsy drive but a drive that is inaccurate will be dicing with the marshy area of conservation all the way down the right and that adds to the difficulty as it traverses the fairway all the way to the greenside lake. Then the approach shot if you leave yourself too much to handle is very slippy. The green has a pond front right and a 2 bunkers which mean that you need to fly over them. This is not an easy hole.
EASIEST PAR 3 :
This has to be between the 7th & the 13th. Both are similar in the way that they are tee shots from above the green but I think that the steep inclines around the 13th green mean that it's the straight up and straight down 7th that gets the vote here.
EASIEST PAR 4 :
This has to be the 9th. It's a risk and reward type hole if you want to go for it in one but it plays like a tricky par 3 in truth. Lay up and chip it in cose enough to let you putter do the talking, or not in my case.
EASIEST PAR 5 :
It's the 4th here. It's the shortest of the Par 5's on the course (about 100 yards shorter than the others) but it does have a steep uphill climb and a tight fairway that will make up for the lost yardage. Play it long and accurate and you'll be close enough in two shots and the rest is up to you after that.
GREEN FEES :
| CLASS | MON-THURS | FRIDAY | WKEND/BANK HOLS | HOTEL RESIDENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-Feb-Mar | €60 | €60 | €60 | €60 |
| Apr-Sept (Includes Free Course Guide) | €115 | €125 | €125 | €95 |
| Oct-Nov-Dec | €60 | €60 | €60 | €60 |
| Twilight(After 3.30pm) Apr-Sept | €60 | €60 | €60 | €60 |
| Earlybird(Before 9.30am) Apr-Sept | €60 | €60 | €75 | €60 |
| Tour Operators Mar-Nov | €60 | €60 | €60 | €60 |
NEARBY PLACES OF INTEREST :
????? - KMS
NEARBY COURSES :
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NEARBY TOWNS/CITIES :
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HOW TO GET THERE :
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SCENERY :
Spectacular views traverse the whole course and views of the castle the lake and the woods will leave you happy to come back merely to walk around the course without taking a club. Also look out for the animals, you could end up being put off your backswing by a few deer running across the fairway, add that to the pheasants and ducks that wander around freely and your thirst for all things Attenborough will be quenched..