20.01.17 Killarney Advertiser
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GOLFING KINGDOM 2017
You’ll be on a par with the best thanks to David Keating Golf PGA Team THE team at David Keating Golf is looking forward to the 2017 season at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club. The team, comprising David Keating, Stephen Hoey, Diarmaid Fraser and Mark Beckett, promises to ensure all ages enjoy the perfect experience on the fairways. “The giant strides taken over the last few years have been immense with significant investment in all things golf,” said David Keating. “From a retail perspective we are currently refitting our pro shop to provide our customers with a special experience when they visit our store with a brighter and more spacious unit.” Younger golfers will also benefit from new developments this year. “There’s some great news for junior golfers also with the launch of our first-ever junior golf after school programme,” said David. “We have teamed up with Junior Golf Passport and our aim is to introduce golf to children in a structured learning environment under the guidance of a PGA professional. Junior golfers will learn about all aspects of golf including short game and long game as well as becoming familiar with a golf club environment. “They will also learn life skills such as honesty, sportsmanship and concentration. We are also starting our weekly junior lessons on Saturday mornings from 11am-12pm in Lacabane and the cost per junior golfer is €4.” The big move forward for Killarney Golf & Fishing Club this year will be the introduction of junior tees in Lacabane which will create an environment where children can play a course length that is suitable for their age group, added David. “This will bring junior golf development into line with other sports that use reduced-sized pitches for underage games and will mean that golf is much more fun for juniors,” he said. And of course adult members and customers will also enjoy the year ahead. “We certainly don’t want to forget about our adult members and customers who want to continually improve as golfers,” said David. “As well as having two teaching/club fitting bays in Killarney we also have TrackMan high-speed cameras and a brand new club fitting programme on site. Our PGA team are also organising weekly ladies coffee mornings in February and everyone is welcome.” Individual lessons are available seven days a week. Call 064-6636603 or email killarneyprofessionalshop@gmail.com
David Keating pictured with the late great Arnold Palmer.
GOLFING KINGDOM 2017
Limited Membership for 2017 Now Available Introducing two new categories - Under 30’s membership for €605 and under 25’s membership for just €310 Enjoy superb facilities such as a Golf Academy, Pro Shop, Gym, Bar & Restaurant as well as an array of benefits exclusive to members.
Special Lackabane Offer Playing rights on our 9-hole Lackabane course are now available for just €250. This fee entitles you to full play until December 31st 2017. For further information or to request an application form, call us on 064 6631034 or email reservations@killarneygolfclub.ie
Driving Range open until 9pm each day. Clubhouse bar serving lunch specials 7 days a week. For information on membership benefits as well as our Open Day schedule, visit our website.
Killarney Golf & Fishing Club, Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: +353 64 6631034 Fax: +353 64 6633065 Email: reservations@killarneygolfclub.ie Website: www.killarneygolfclub.ie
GOLFING KINGDOM 2017
New members welcome
New members always welcome at vibrant Murphy’s Golf Society FOUNDED in 1988, Murphy’s Golf Society is a vibrant organisation. The society has over 50 members and is led by 2017 captain Jimmie Smith and society president Sean Murphy. Murphy’s Golf Society organises six outings a year, with three in Killarney, one in Dooks, one in Waterville, and one in Lee Valley. A whole host of competitions include matchplay events, the golfer of the year award and Ryder Cup Challenge at Christmas with the Killarney Heights golf society. Murphy’s Golf Society is affiliated with the Golfing Union Ireland (GUI). The first outing of 2017 takes place on February 18 at Mahony’s Point and new members are welcome.
GOLFING KINGDOM 2017
PGA TEAM David Keating, Stephen Hoey, Diarmaid Fraser and Mark Beckett
JUNIOR GOLF COACHING
Every Saturday Morning from 11am-12noon
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LADIES COFFEE MORNING Every Wednesday 10.30am-11.30am e10 per golfer including coffee and scone)
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GOLFING KINGDOM 2017
Tee up at Killarney Golf & Fishing Club KILLARNEY GOLF & FISHING CLUB has recently finished its third season since becoming a members club in 2013. Year on year, the club has made huge strides forward in terms of course presentation, condition, consistency and playability. Last season saw the courses present better than ever before, and they received huge amounts of positive feedback from members and visitors alike. It was recently announced that both Killeen and Mahony’s Point have climbed in the Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 course rankings for the second successive year, with Killeen now ranked in the Top 10 parkland courses in the country for 2017. The club re-invested more than €300,000 into the courses last year alone, with the main projects undertaken as follows:
Killeen
•Major re-model of greenside water hazard and fairway re-grade to our eighth hole •Re-instatement of existing wall along the first hole and construction of new stone wall from beginning of fairway up to green. The club also re-modelled the fairway undulations and approach during this time. This project is to be continued in 2017 by extending the stone wall around the green and “migrating” the green towards the lake •Construction of new pathways throughout Killeen – almost 800m this far
Mahony’s Point
•Construction of two new tee complexes on the par 3, 4th and the 14th holes. This was a total re-design of our Championship, White, Green, and Red tee boxes on both holes •Re-design of the greenside bunker on the 4th and 13th holes including the installation of the market leading bunker blinder liner. Re-model of bridges on the 4th and 13th fairways. Both of these projects are part of an overhaul of all bunkers and tee boxes on the club’s Mahony’s Point layout over the next number of years •Major drainage project and bunker redesign on the par 5, 16th holes including upgrade of bridges and pathways on approach
MEMBERS
The club currently has a number of membership options, all of which offer superb value for money.
Quality course and warm welcome at Dooks DOOKS GOLF CLUB, situated half an hour from Killarney on the Ring of Kerry and on the Wild Atlantic Way, is one of the top-class links courses in the South West region. The club had an exceptional 2016 reporting record green fee revenue, which had increased by 24% on the previous year and a 3% increase in membership revenue. The majority of this increased business was from the North American market. Feedback on the course condition was very positive with many guests and members commenting that the greens were some of the best they had played on. This was reflected in the club jumping three places to 25th in the an-
nual Golf Digest rankings (http:// www.theirishgolfblog.com/2017/01/ golf-digest-ireland-top-100-ireland. html?m=1). And the club confirmed it won’t be standing still. Plans are steadily taking shape to develop the recently acquired 90 acres of additional land which will help the club to carry out a re-design under the guidance of the world-renowned course architect Martin Hawtree. This re-design will also include new state-of-the-art practice and range facilities. Following the recent appointment of Dan Sugrue as PGA head professional, the club is also installing a new TrackMan studio, this will be used to coach members, club
teams and visitors alike. It’s exciting times ahead for Dooks, noted Maurice O’Meara, general manager. “I was delighted to see the increased activity at the club in 2016, bookings are very strong for 2017,” he said.
“The new projects that are on the horizon will be milestones for the club which will allow us to continue to compete at the very highest level. We have a great team of staff here at Dooks and the course has been in amazing condition” When you come to Dooks you will get a sense of a quality course with a warm welcome.” Dooks is currently offering fantastic membership packages; for further details on membership and rates for 2017 email office@dooks.com. Follow Dooks on Facebook and Twitter for regular club updates and special offers.
Dooks Golf Club and, above, inset, general manager Maurice O’Meara.