Buy Your Own Golf Course! (Killeen Golf Club)

Member Name: kenjohn

Product:	Killeen Golf Club
Date:	06/05/06 (984 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful course. Good faciliies. Inexpensive to play.

Disadvantages: Not a lot. Well, maybe the water!

~ ~ Once upon a time (1980 to be exact) a golf course called Four Lakes opened in County Kildare, Ireland, about 30 minutes drive from Dublin city centre. This was a nice wee club, if nothing too special.
That is up until 1994, when the land and golf club was bought by an investment company called Riverbury PLC, who immediately embarked on an ambitious refurbishment programme which included a total revamp of the golf course and facilities, and an equally ambitious financial plan to sell shares in the new club.

~ ~ Two eminent Irish course designers called Tom Craddock and Pat Ruddy (who were responsible for designing the world-famous Druid's Glen Golf Club) were contracted for the course re-design, and many new water features were incorporated, along with a new state-of-the-art drainage and watering system, and new shaped and contoured greens.
The clubhouse and facilities were vastly upgraded, with a new bar and dining room, changing and shower facilities, and a professional's shop.
Along with the new course and clubhouse, the old Four Lakes Golf Club also acquired a new title, Killeen Golf Club.

~ ~ I first played Killeen way back in the mid-1980's, and wasn't to play it again until around 2003, when I was invited to play in an Open competition by one of my close friends who had recently joined the club. I was so impressed that I became a regular visitor to the club, (it's only 20 minutes drive from my front door) to the extent that I was actually playing it more often than my home golf club!
The end result was that I finally decided to take out membership, and since October 2005 have been indulging my golfing passion (some might even say addiction!) at this marvellous links.

~ ~ Killeen is an American style golf course. Measuring 6,732 yards from the Championship tees it's long enough to challenge even the big hitters, and the course designers have made full use of the existing lakes (which is why it was originally called Four Lakes) to further increase the difficulty of the course. Where water didn't previously exist, they have incorporated newly created water features. The end result is that water comes into play on new fewer than THIRTEEN of the eighteen holes. So if you're hitting your golf ball off-line when you're playing Killeen, then be sure to either bring plenty of golf balls or a sub-aqua suit to retrieve them!
Trees are another difficulty you'll have to overcome if you want to post a good score. The designers had plenty of old, mature trees to work with, and they have made full use of them to ensure that they get in the golfer's way at every opportunity! Many new, fast-growing trees have also been planted, which means that over the next few years (as they mature) the course is only going to become even MORE difficult to navigate your way around.
Another "American" feature is the large, contoured greens. It's not that difficult to get your ball onto the putting surface, (if you can avoid the trees and water that is) but once there the sheer size and complexity of the putting surfaces make it far from certain that you'll be able to get it into the hole in another one or two shots. Killeen's greens are difficult to suss out. (To put it mildly)
All this adds up to making Killeen an extremely difficult (but fair) test of a golfer's ability. The emphasis is not so much on long-hitting, but on your ability to think your way around the golf course. Get your ball into the right position and you'll likely score well at Killeen. Get it out of position, and you'll struggle badly.

~ ~ It's very hard to single out any "feature" holes at Killeen, as they all have their own appeal. But I'll mention just four that particularly take my fancy.

THE 7th HOLE
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~ ~ The seventh hole is a par-4 measuring only 366 yards, but don't let its short length fool you into thinking it's either an easy par or birdie opportunity. It's a slight dog-leg to the left, so the ideal drive is up the right hand side, but not too far right or you're into either a copse of trees or one of the ever-present water hazards. Go left with your drive and you'll be playing your approach shot blind over a large mound with a mature tree set in the middle of it. A good drive will only leave you with anything from a nine iron to a sand wedge to the green, but this is where the hole grows teeth. The green is elevated and crested, which means everything rolls off towards the side of the green. It also banks sharply from the front to the back, and to make it even more devilish has various humps and hollows that make it extremely difficult to pick the right line for your putt. Just to make your day complete it has deep pot bunkers to the left, right, and front of the green, and another bunker at the back to catch out anyone who hits it too long. It takes a perfectly executed shot to even hold this green, never mind get it anywhere near the hole to give you a chance of a birdie. (One under par)

THE 8th HOLE
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~ ~ Just as you're regaining your composure after the rigours of the seventh hole, you are immediately faced with a par-3 designed to give even the most experienced player the screaming heeby-jeebys! It only measures a meagre 139 yards from the championship tee, but again don't let it's lack of length fool you into thinking it's an easy par or birdie opportunity. When you step onto the tee all you can see in front of you is a vast expanse of water, with the green perched on the far side. Even the gracious swans and quacking ducks that abound on the water features at Killeen don't serve to make this hole any more attractive to the golfer! The green itself is large, but in length rather than depth, which means you have precious little room for error if you want to land your golf ball on the short grass. There's a steep bank along the whole length of the front of the green, so anything coming up short will invariably roll back into the pond. If that isn't enough, there's a tricky wee bunker set into the bank just in front of where they usually set the pin on competition days, and another at the back of the green if you happen to hit it too long. The safe shot is to play for the right hand side of the green, but this in itself is fraught with danger. It increases the length of the carry over the water, and even if you make the putting surface it will leave you with a putt of about 60 to 70 feet, which isn't a pleasant prospect! When I take visitors to play Killeen for the first time, they often remark that this hole is very similar to the world-famous 11th hole at Augusta, and it's hard not to think that this is blueprint that the course designers had in mind when they laid out the course.

THE 15th HOLE
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~ ~ Not for nothing is the 15th hole ranked as the "Index 1" on the score card, or for you non-golfers out there as the most difficult hole on the golf course. It's a par-4 measuring 429 yards, but I'd happily take a bogey five (one over par) here any day and walk to the next tee. The trouble (as ever) on this hole is the dreaded water. There are not one but TWO large ponds that come into play on both your drive and your approach shot. You're faced with water on the right with your drive, and woods (out-of-bounds) on the left. The hole doglegs slightly right, so the best tee shot is a gentle fade. But overdo it, and you'll need to get your waders out once again to retrieve your ball. You're faced with much the same shot for your approach to the well bunkered green, only this time the fairway to the front of the green is fiendishly slanted towards the water hazard, which means any shot coming up short will invariably bounce into the water.

THE 18th HOLE
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~ ~ This hole epitomises the old saying that the best wine is always served last. It's only a short par-3 measuring 176 yards. The problem is you have to fly practically all of those yards through the air, as the green is fronted by a huge pond. Here the swans and ducks float around serenely waiting to be amused by the crazy humans who persist in knocking their little white balls into their habitat!
It's an amazing fact that many golfers when facing a long carry over water will invariably be fixated by the very same water and unceremoniously dump their golf ball into it. If the pin is placed towards the front of the green (close to the water) then the degree of difficulty is further increased as you have to dice with the water even more if you want to get your ball anywhere close to the pin. Just to make life even harder, the water also guards the right hand side of the green, and there are bunkers to the side and back. And don't forget the out of bounds on the left! Just the sort of severe test you DON'T want at the end of your long, tiring round. But what an absolute peach of a finishing hole!

THE FACILITIES
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~ ~ You'll want for nothing if you visit Killeen as there's a modern clubhouse with every facility. Good changing rooms, clean toilets, and piping hot showers to refresh you after your efforts on the course. Then into the comfortable and well stocked lounge bar, with its armchairs and couches and large screen TV's. (Which are usually tuned into Sky Sports!) Just through from the lounge is the main restaurant where you can enjoy a full meal at reasonable cost, or if you prefer there's also a full bar snack menu. By the way, there's also plenty of outside seating at the front of the clubhouse beside the practice chipping green, where all you smokers can relax and smoke away in comfort, without risking the Euro3,000 fine if the authorities catch you smoking in the clubhouse! (Smoking ban in the workplace here in Ireland for over two years now) Upstairs there's a large function room with an outside balcony overlooking the course, which is also used as an overflow dining room at busy periods and for hosting large social events.
The professional's shop is well stocked with everything a golfer's heart could desire, and there are ride-on buggies or electric caddy carts available for hire here at Euro25 a round for those of you who'd rather conserve your energy for hitting the golf ball. The large car park is monitored by closed circuit TV monitors, so you don't have to worry about the security of your vehicle or its contents while you're out enjoying yourself on the links. (Theft from golf club car parks has been an increasing problem here in Ireland over the past few years!)

COST
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~ ~ Here's the good bit. You don't have to take out a bank loan in order to pay for your round at Killeen. Mid-week the green fees are only Euro40, rising to Euro50 over the weekend. If you play with a member the cost is halved.
If you fancy joining Killeen it's slightly more expensive. (But still good value)
The new share scheme means that you buy an actual share in the golf course, the current price being Euro15,500. Thereafter the annual subscription is currently just over a Euro1,000. The beauty of the share scheme is that you can sell it on at any time if you decide to give up your membership, and most likely at more than what you paid for it.

WHERE IS IT?
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~ ~ Killeen is located just off the main N7 Dublin to Galway road, and about 20 miles or 45 minutes drive from the centre of Dublin city. It's simple to find. Look out for the sign for Straffan and the K-Club. (Where this years Ryder Cup is being played) Killeen is located about four miles off the main road in the middle of the lovely Co. Kildare countryside, and only three miles from the world-famous K-Club. It's well signposted. If you're visiting Ireland and fancy a round or two of golf, then why not give it a try.

CONTACT DETAILS
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Website: http://www.killeengolf.com/index.htm
Email: admin@killeengc.ie
Golf Booking Office / Clubhouse:
Tel: 045 866003 (From the UK dial 0035345866003)
Fax: 045 875881 (From the UK dial 0035345875881)

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© KenJ May 2006

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Summary: Lovely course. Warm welcome and inexpensive to play.