MUNSTER

Fermoy Golf Club traces its origins to 1893, when golf was first played on the Aerodrome in Fermoy. The club relocated in 1972 to its present site on Corrin Hill, where a mature 18‑hole, par 70 heathland course designed by John Harris measures 5,831 metres. The course is laid out on elevated ground with wide views across the Blackwater Valley and sits just outside Fermoy town, roughly a 20‑minute drive from Cork city on the Cork–Dublin road. The club describes itself as catering to men, women, juniors and senior golfers, and welcomes visitors throughout the year. Facilities at the club include a bar and restaurant, and there is an indoor Trackman simulator that is available for public bookings. Fermoy stages organised events such as open competitions and a Wednesday Open Singles series; members also use systems such as BRS and a Master Scoreboard for bookings and results. The club has been recognised in various listings, including a place among Ireland’s “Top 100 courses” and a Destination Golf Travel Gold Award, and has been cited as one of Ireland’s “Top 10 Hidden Gems.” Online booking is provided for casual golf and open competitions.

As I drove away from Berehaven, I couldn’t help feeling that if somebody threw a million dollars at this, largely unheralded gem of a course, it might become a serious rival to California´s Pebble Beach; it really does have that much potential.

Kinsale Golf Club was formally affiliated in 1912 and has developed through several locations around Kinsale before establishing its present 18-hole championship parkland course at Farrangalway in the mid-1990s. The modern Farrangalway layout was created on roughly 122 acres of Bandon Valley farmland and plays as two returning nine-hole loops, with a listed length of approximately 6,935 yards. The club retains links with its past sites: the earlier Ringenane course still exists and now operates as a Footgolf course. Facilities at the club support year-round play and coaching. Practice provision includes a driving range with covered and open bays, short-game areas with chipping zones and putting greens, while the on-site professional shop and PGA coaching team provide lessons, custom fitting and equipment advice. The clubhouse contains bar and dining facilities (Atlantis Restaurant) which serve members, visitors and societies and can accommodate larger group bookings. The club has hosted provincial and national events, marked its centenary by staging All-Ireland Cups and Shields finals in 2012, and lists competitive successes and notable players among its recent history. Practical visitor services include buggy and trolley hire, changing rooms with showers, and wheelchair access to key facilities.