Good Week, Bad Week... for Irish Golf

The good news for Irish golf is that Moyvalley Golf Club has re-opened. The place was wrapped up in NAMA for quite some time but it was bought by race horse trainer and businessman, Oliver Brady who has provided a much needed financial injection. It opens officially today (Friday 9th) and, to celebrate, it is offering free golf over the weekend in an attempt to attract new members and to put itself back on the map. For further information contact Brendan Mackey on 046 954 8080.

Views across the course from Moyvalley's 1st tee

This is a Darren Clarke-designed course so it would have been a terrible shame to see it returning to pasture... which, unfortunately is the 'bad news':

Killin Park golf course, outside Dundalk, got a real kick in the teeth when its 170 members were told that the course was closing... not next year, not next month... but at 5pm that evening. Here's the story from the Irish Independent. It's not a course that would ever set the world alight for its quality, but it was charming country golf that fulfilled the needs of many, and the mature landscape is quite stunning. Here's the approach to the 1st hole. It may yet survive... but the land was sold to a local farmer.

The Moyvalley story is thanks to http://www.mygolfsociety.ie