The World of Golfing Issue 09 2020 | Page 29

ADARE MANOR GOLF CLUB River Maigue. The closing hole demands an approach shot over water to a green adjacent to the magnificent, turreted 19th-century Adare Manor. It has previously hosted The Irish Open, where Dubliner Paul McGinley claimed victory in 2007, and it has quite a lot in common with The K Club already... adaremanorgolfclub.com Adare Manor’s designer: Robert Trent Jones It has been jokingly said that, “The sun never sets on a Robert Trent Jones golf course” and, while that is not strictly true, the late architect designed (or redesigned) some 500 golf courses in at least 40 US states and 35 other countries all around the world, including Ireland. Jones’ course at Adare Manor is widely regarded as one of the best parkland courses in Ireland alongside Arnold Palmer’s Ryder Cup course at The K Club and it’s little wonder. “Golf is a form of attack and counterattack,” Jones often said. “It offers a golfer his personal challenge of combat. He attacks the course and par; the architect creates fair pitfalls to defend its easy conquest. The architect calls on his ingenuity to create a hole that will reward only achievement. Ireland previously hosted the event in 2006 at the K Club, County Kildare. After a 20-year gap, this showcase event will be coming back to Ireland – this time to Adare Manor in County LImerick in 2026. All about: Adare Manor Golf Club, County Limerick The last major golf course design by celebrated architect Robert Trent Jones Senior and opened in 1995, Adare Manor Golf Club in County Limerick has just undergone a complete revamp intended to position it at the very top of Ireland’s golf facilities. The course meanders through 230 acres of lush parkland and majestic mature trees, bisected at various points by the “You look at a piece of ground and you know instinctively what makes a great hole. There is a flow and rhythm that you can feel. You think how to stake it out, then use logic to make the right choice. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. But you have to play golf well, too.” That philosophy has been taken to its finest expression at Adare, hard by the River Maigue in County Limerick. What you need to know about Adare Manor and County Limerick 1. Five-star Adare Manor, which overlooks the stunning golf course, won Hotel of the Year 2018 in the renowned Global Virtuoso Best of the Best awards – beating luxury hotels from as far afield as Mauritius, Morocco and France. You can see why everyone loves this venue just by WEBSITE: www. adaremanorgolfclub.com THE WORLD OF GOLFING 29 watching this video. Aside from golf, you can enjoy falconry, fishing and archery in the Manor’s grounds. 2. Its closest airport is Shannon Airport, just 33 mins drive away; while Cork Airport is 1.5 hours away, and Dublin Airport 2 hours and 20 mins away. 3. Adare village surrounding Adare Manor is filled with picture postcard thatched cottages and ancient stone walls, and is a pleasure to explore. It’s got antique shops, cafés and cosy pubs, as well as a Heritage Centre, where you can find out more about the town’s rich and varied history, including Desmond Castle; a 15th century Franciscan Friary; a 13th century Trinitarian Abbey; and a 14th century Augustinian Priory. 4. The nearest city to Adare is Limerick. Sitting at the mouth of the River Shannon, Limerick city is the third largest urban centre on the island. It once formed a bleak backdrop to Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes, but nowadays it’s a revitalised city full of art galleries, slick new hotels and the legendary Thomond Park, the home of Munster’s passionate rugby union team. 5. County Limerick, on the Wild Atlantic Way, is also where chef Joe Sheridan invented something very special back in 1943. On a dreadful night, the coffee-shop welcomed a weary captain and passengers in – their flight to Newfoundland had been delayed. Joe was asked by the owner Brendan O’Regan to prepare something to warm their tired visitors. Joe served them a cup of coffee, with a surprise glug of whiskey added in – and in doing so, invented the Irish Coffee! Golf: Find out more about golf on the island of Ireland. More than just a golf trip: Find out why it’s not all about the golf here on the island of Ireland – there’s plenty of fun to be had on and off the fairways. For images, please visit Irelandscontentpool.com or browse the gallery on Adare Manor’s website.