The K Club
Kildare Hotel & Country Club,
Straffan, Kildare, Ireland
Tel : +353 (0)1 6017200 Fax : +353 (0)1 6017299
Directions
25 km south west of Dublin on the N7
There are two magnificent 18 hole championship golf courses, the North, and the South. Both are designed by Arnold Palmer but each has its own characteristics and special set of challenges.
North Course
Arnold Palmer Course
If ever a golf course reflected the personality of its architect, it is surely this Arnold Palmer designed course. It may seem odd to describe a golf course as charismatic and cavalier but from the instant you arrive at the first tee, you are enveloped by a unique atmosphere.Ireland's First Ryder Cup Venue
You may have been forewarned that Ireland's first Ryder Cup Venue is no ordinary golf course, and that it is widely acknowledged as the country's most challenging inland layout, but still you will be unprepared for the ensuing drama.
The North Course is, quite simply, one of Europe's most spectacular courses. It charms, it entices and invariably, brings out the very best in your game. It is unlikely that you will be asked to tackle the course from the championship tees, but this should in no way diminish the excitement of pitting your wits against Arnold Palmer, for, in a sense, this is precisely what you are about to do.
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Course Name: The K Club (North)
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South Course
The South Course at The K Club has already been described as probably the greatest inland Golf Course to be developed in Ireland. The construction has attracted attention throughout Europe because of its scale and the construction.
Developing the Course
The philosophy in developing the course was to ensure that a comparison with the existing North Course would be difficult and that the golfers experience would be completely different. When this brief was given to Palmer Course Design Company, they came up with a concept, which was radical with regards to golf course developments throughout the World.
An Inland Golf Links
The best way to describe the South Course at The K Club is that of an inland links. However, its true attributes do not stop there. The Course has many dramatic landscapes with dune type mounding throughout. This assists in making the Course into a true Championship Golf Course with many vantage points for spectators to view the Golf Professional at work.
Coupled with this point, some fourteen acres of water have been worked into the design especially through the final phase of Hole No's: 13 to 18. A watery grave awaits many a golfer on the home stretch.
In essence the Course is entirely different from the North Course located just across the River Liffey. From feedback to date golfers state that it is almost impossible to make a comparison such is the difference in experience.
Landscaping
Even with regard to the landscaping there is a significant difference, whereby on the North Course there are specifically planted areas using cultivated plants presented in a formal fashion are the norm. On the South Course wild species of plants have been used such as gorse, bracken etc. and have been planted in a highly random fashion, more or less as nature would have intended.
Also four islands have been created within the lakes to promote the establishment of waterfowl.
Further Information
For more information on The K Club see www.kc lub.ie
For an appreciation and independent view of this course please see golfer reviews.
press here for The K Club course reviews |
Nigel Davies wrote on: Oct 24, 2003
Played in October 2003 on the North course. Quite breathtaking. The condition was immaculate. The club house fare was excellent and the hotel one the best I have stayed in. Michael Smurfitt even came around the restaurant to introduce himself. A must for any lover of the great game and the good life.
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Tom and Christina Martin wrote on: Feb 29, 2000
My wife and I played this course last fall and had a great time. We had the first tee time just at sunrise with no one behind us for 2-3 holes so had a very nice leisurely round. The course is immaculately maintained and we were treated wonderfully by the golf and restaurant staffs. The course itself has some nice holes- in particular # 7 is a great par 5 but unfortunately there are 2 alternate greens and the island green which requires a long carry over the River Liffey is only used on days when members play. Otherwise in terms of design, the course is more like playing an Arnold Palmer resort course in the US- not really with much of an 'Irish' feel to it. The greens fees are steep but especially as this is the site of the Ryder Cup in 2005, worth playing once, and again the treatment we received from the staff was first-class.
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