a — Golfing Gems on the Emerald Isle —

Fota Island Golf Club
    Fota Island, Carrigtwohill,
              near Cork City,
        County Cork, Ireland

      Fota Island G.C. is an inland resort course of recent construction that’s already made a name for itself on the European Tour. But Fota Island, despite its hosting of Murphy’s Irish Open in 2001 and 2002 does not suffer from the exclusivity and extremely high prices of other Irish resort courses courting the international golf market.
                                                                                                                                                                       photos courtesy Fota Island G.C.

Length & Par: 
    Championship (Blue) Tees: 6927 yards, Par 71
    Medal (White) Tees:         6488 yards, Par 71
    Society (Green) Tees:       6111 yards, Par 71
    Ladies (Red) Tees:           5520 yards, Par 72

Open & Playable Year Round

Visitors welcome daily.
    Some times may not be available due to scheduled club events.

Advance Booking of Tee Times Strongly Recommended
    (book at least 48 hours in advance)

Greens Fees April through October:
    Monday: €65 (about US$65) per round
    Tuesday-Thursday: €77 (about US$77) per round
    Friday-Sunday: €90 (about US$) per round
    (Note: lower greens fees at other times of year.)

Facilities:
    Golf Carts (Buggies) Rental: YES, €40 (about US$40)
    Pull Cart (Trolley) Rental: YES, €4 (about US$4)
    Club Rental: YES, €28 (about US$28)
    Changing Rooms: YES, men's and women's
    Pro Shop: YES
    Driving Range: YES
    Practice Putting Green: YES
    Restaurant & Bar: YES

Location: 10 miles east of Cork City on Fota Island.

Bookings: Tel:  011 353 21 488 3700 from the USA,
    or e-mail reservations@fotaisland.ie
    OR reserve a round through HOME AT FIRST as part of your
         holiday in Ireland!

Minimum Handicap Required: NONE--OPEN TO PLAYERS OF ALL LEVELS

Other golf in the immediate area: at least 10 other courses are
    within 31 miles of Fota Island, including 6 within 10 miles.

Nearest Home at First lodgings: 10 minutes southeast of Fota Island on Great Island (same island as the port town of Cobh).
More information about HOME AT FIRST's southern ireland travel program.

 

HISTORY OF FOTA ISLAND GOLF CLUB: Although a few old references suggest that Fota Island may have been the site of one of Ireland’s first golf courses, by the 1920’s golf had disappeared from the island.
        In 1993, a new course was developed at Fota Island, designed by Irish Ryder Cup star Christy O'Connor, Jr., and double English Amateur Champion Peter McEvoy. The new Fota Island Golf Club was designed to be a resort course and to attract international guests. To help it gain an international reputation, the new course courted and hosted several prominent tournaments, including the Irish Club Professional Championship, the Irish PGA Championship and no fewer than three Irish Amateur Opens. The club’s promotional success resulted in its takeover by the Killeen Group in 1998, and the subsequent investment of about $2.5 million to upgrade the course to European PGA Tour standards. The course reopened in September 1999, following an 18-month refurbishment that included the rebuilding of all 18 greens, the reseeding of all tees and the complete redesign of eight holes.
        Shortly after the grand re-opening, Fota Island G.C. was selected as the site of Ireland’s premier golf event, the £1 million Murphy’s Irish Open, for 2001 AND 2002. This promotional coup rocketed Fota Island into the company of Ireland’s principal international courses, including such well known courses and links as Ballybunion, Druid’s Glen, Mt. Juliet, Killarney and Portmarnock. Recent Irish Open champions have included Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomery, Jose Maria Olazabal, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros. Record crowds of about 90,000 attended the four-day events which also were televised around the world. Fota Island was a spectacular success, earning a world wide reputation in just 3 years.

THE COURSE AND SOME NOTABLE HOLES:
        The redesigned Fota Island course is set on a property considered an environmental treasure of Ireland. The island—one of three principal islands in the estuary of the River Lee that forms Cork’s famous harbor and deepwater port at nearby Cobh.
        Jeff Howes, the architect responsible for the new design, is enthusiastic about the finished product:

        "Fota is a truly beautiful piece of property and a wonderful site for a golf course. The key elements of our design approach were to bring the extensive water and the abundance of absolutely magnificent trees more into play. We have also rebuilt all of the greens using a more subtle approach to contouring to make them more receptive, yet they will be demanding and enjoyable to putt on. As part of the reconstruction we have incorporated and extensive drainage and sanding program throughout the course, which makes it particularly dry under foot and will allow for quality golf in both winter and summer."

        Two holes rate special mention for their scenic design: the par-4 6th with its grand tee box view of the River Lee estuary, and the par-5 18^th with its downhill approach to a green surrounded on 3 sides by water.
        Of special interest is the very real attempt to make Fota Island playable to golfers of all levels, and within reach of most pocketbooks.

THE REGION:
        County Cork, which includes the western half of the south coast of Ireland, is home to some of Ireland’s great coastal scenery—especially on Ireland’s southwestern corner at the Beara Peninsula—as well as other attractions. Although it does not have the number of great links courses found on the west, north and east coasts of the country, there are numerous golf courses of every type in the county. The county also boasts the Irish Republic’s second city, Cork, its most popular castle, Blarney, and some of its most colorful and interesting villages, including Kinsale south of Cork city. Home at First offers accommodations in four parts of coastal County Cork. All are close to golf courses and all come with friendly, welcoming Irish hosts. Read more about the region and Home at First’s travel program to County Cork here: southern ireland.

Want to learn about other courses throughout the British Isles
including some of the greatest tests of golf in the world?
See our SCOTLAND, IRELAND, ENGLAND, and WALES Course Guides for more information.