Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Shane Lowry are set to cut the ribbon on the newly redesigned course at the luxury Adare Manor.
Located just outside Limerick, the four Irish golfers will hit the inaugural tee shots of the wholly-reconstructed Tom Fazio design, competing in a €500,000 charity match to mark the milestone occasion for Irish golf.
McIlroy & McGinley will face off against Lowry & Harrington with the winners over the opening 18 holes of the brand-new course earning €350,000 for charity, while the runners-up will receive €150,000 to donate.
The Irish businessman and racehorse owner, J.P. McManus, purchased Adare Manor back in 2014, with the reconstruction of the golf course beginning just over two years ago.
Over this period, the Fazio Design team has established a 7,509-yard championship golf course created to the most exacting of standards with the goal of establishing the course amongst the world’s best and hosting the world’s most prestigious events.
Maintained by a 50-strong team of greenkeepers, The Golf Course at Adare Manor possesses the most compelling of reconstruction stories. The original Adare Manor golf course, first opened in 1995 and twice host to the Irish Open (2007 & 2008), Fazio’s masterpiece represents a wholly new proposition.
Lead designer, Tom Fazio, said: “Most golfers will never have seen anything like this course. It looks and plays like no other course in Ireland. “
He continued, “This will be a stand out course in Europe and, with the Adare Manor house and estate as its setting, will be one of the finest stay and play venues ever created – everyone is going to want to see this place.”
The course is the first in first in Europe to feature bentgrass greens and is only the third in the UK & Ireland where all 18 greens incorporate the SubAir Aeration System, used to remove moisture through vacuum pumps, guaranteeing firm play each day.
Situated along the banks of the River Maigue, the course poses many unique challenges, with water coming into play on 14 of the holes and strategically placed bunkers placing an emphasis on good course management.
Fazio Design was instructed to factor in all necessary measures to cater for hosting major occasions. This venue will likely play host to the Irish Open in the near future and is also being touted as a possible Ryder Cup venue.
