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Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington have won national championships there. Tiger Woods and Gary Player have graced the revered venue, too.
And for the first time in its storied history, one of the most highly rated links golf courses in the world is now being sold.
For a pretty penny too.
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Indeed, the esteemed European Club in Wicklow, Ireland, was put up for sale last year for a rough guide price of around £30million.
Its longtime owner, the Irish golf writer and course architect, Pat Ruddy, curated the masterpiece which first opened in 1993 and is located around 30 miles South of Dublin.
As first reported by the Irish Independent, Ruddy is selling the course to former motor dealers Raymond and Nicky Conlan.
The property listing read: “Privately owned, a purposeful decision was made to maintain a small membership, currently in the mid-80s, to give comfortable golf to the owners and members while affording the opportunity to accept visiting paying patrons to a level suited to financial planning.”
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“This gives a new owner the choice of remaining private, going ultra private or maximising commercial golf traffic through world visitor play and an enlarged membership.”
Ruddy is nearing 80 and while he has a deep emotional connection to the rugged links, he is pleased to have secured the long-term future of his family.
“We didn’t reach the €40m target,” he told the Irish Independent.
“That’s all I can say. The guide price was €35m, and in excess, but the final price is a private thing.
“I have mixed feelings about letting go, but the sanity part of my brain says to keep going. This is the conflict of mind, you know, but the decision has been made, so onwards we go.”
Picture credit: Fairways and Fundays, X
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