REVIEWS

 

Dr. Smurfit engaged one of golf's greats to design his golf course, the legendary American Arnold Palmer. What he paid the legendary "Arnie" for this can only be guessed at, but since Palmer is a multi-millionaire in his own right, it is obvious that many millions of pounds changed hands. It goes without saying that the course is in immaculate condition at all times. When money is no object, then what can be achieved is virtually without limit, and Dr. Smurfit has created a masterpiece of concept and design that is almost without equal. In its opening year of 1991, the club hosted the Irish PGA Championship, for home born Irish professionals. The week of play was a particularly wet one, even by Irish standards, (we have lots of "liquid sunshine" in these parts) and the course very quickly became waterlogged to such an extent that Wellington boots were more the order of the day rather than golf shoes. Much was made of this in the Irish media, and heavy criticism was fired at the club in regard to the poor drainage.

Michael Smurfit's response; simply close the course down again and bring in the top men in the field until he was 100% sure the same thing could never happen again. The K-Club has played host to many top European tournaments, such as the Irish Open and the European Open, the richest event on the European Tour after the British Open itself.