New Ireland Course

[Bill Gayne]

From www.unison.ie


Kinsale boost as Els signs up to new €200m golf resort
Friday February 4th 2005

 
An aerial view of Hangman's Point, the headland location for the proposed Kinsale Harbour Resort .  




 


WHAT'S in a name? Quite a lot if you're ploughing €200m into a major international golf, hotel and leisure complex. That's why the developers of the Kinsale Harbour Resort have asked one of the biggest names in the business, Ernie Els, to place his signature on the 18-hole course at the heart of their project.

The Els course at Hangman's Point, a striking title taken from a macabre chapter in local history, is being built on an eye-popping, clifftop location just across the harbour from The Old Head of Kinsale.

If the Old Head is one of the most spectacular success stories in the marketing of modern Irish golf, it's new neighbour probably has even greater potential, thanks to the Els factor and the decision of Hyatt International to build a five-star hotel on the 650-acre property.

To be carefully concealed under a grass-topped roof, the 200-bedroom hotel and 230 holiday lodges will accommodate an anticipated 82,600 visitors each year, the majority from abroad.

The resort will also feature an international equestrian centre and indoor arena, while prestige is added to the project by the recruitment of PGA Golf Management to run the 230-acre golf course and establish an Academy there.

"It will be our job to find the best young golfers in this part of the world and to nurture their talent," said PGA chief executive Sandy Jones, explaining that a close relationship will be forged with local schools.

Noting the stunning beauty of the undulating site, Jones said: "There are places which are meant to be golf courses and this is one. As far as I am concerned, Ernie Els and his people have an easy job. All they have to do is cut the grass."

Yet Michael P Kenny, the American chief of 'Ernie Els Design' replied that doing justice to such a "remarkably beautiful" location carries a heavy responsibility all of its own.

Els's people will collaborate with the award-winning team at European Golf Design, who have completed 38 projects around the globe, with both courses at Carton House chief among several they've helped create in Ireland.

Despite their many commitments worldwide, Jeremy Slessor, the MD of European Golf Design, told yesterday's project launch at Kinsale Golf Club: "Hangman's Point is such an extraordinary place, I expect it to be the jewel among all of our creations."

Preliminary routing has already been done for the holes, 17 of which enjoy ocean views.

While Els has yet to visit the site, Kenny insisted the South African would adopt a hands-on role in its development. "Ernie lives in Wentworth, making it easy for him to hop across whenever his playing commitments allow," he said.

Els ranks Ireland among his favourite retreats. Speaking from the Heineken Classic in Melbourne, he said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to combine your country's renowned passion for the game and my team's talents. It's the first time we've had the chance to work in Ireland and I'm looking forward to spending more time there."

Els has completed three golf courses since Els Design was born in 1997. Currently, they have nine projects on the go.

Minister John O'Donoghue yesterday praised XCES Projects, a six-strong consortium of local businessmen, for boosting tourism in the area, creating employment for 300 in the three-year construction phase, as well as an initial 350 jobs on-site when completed.

* PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON shot a new course record 68 at Seapoint yesterday in the Links Golf Society outing. He birdied the sixth and eighth on the way out and on the back nine, birdied the tenth, 13th and 18th and three-putted the 12th for a bogey.

Karl MacGinty
 

[Jimmy Muratt]

That looks like quite a site.  The jagged coastline could be incorporated for some very interesting playing angles.  

An Ernie Els signature design, yet the preliminary routing is now done and he hasn't visited the site......very hands-on.

I hope that Els' main architect, Michael Kenny, does a great job with it.  That looks like a site with a lot of potential.

[Kelly Blake Moran]

Boy,

life would be so different if only I were attractive to a golf pro

[Jeff_Mingay]

Kelly,

You need to become a PGA Tour pro! Start practicing  

[Jack_Marr]

I noticed a few headlands like this when playing Old Head. This must be beside it.

Maybe Els will do a great job here, but what other reason than his name got him the project?

[Robert Thompson]

How many people are involved in this? The story quotes Els, "his people," Michael Kenny and European Golf Design. God, how often do four architects work on the same course? I mean, I know Els isn't going to do anything but show up for the media opening, but what about the rest of them?
Hope this isn't like a modern pop album, where no one person has any particular vision, so you need a bunch of producers to make a mediocre CD.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Of all the great architects in the world why els? this hurts for it does appear to be a great piece of land. I just hope he does good work and there is a great course to show for it.

[Jack_Marr]

In truth, people in Ireland no almost nothing of the great golf course architects. Nobody I know over here would ever have heard of Tom Doak or Coore, or the architects of the past. They do know the players, though.

To be honest, they just like going out and playing golf.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

We all like to go out and play. I do expect a developer who is investing 100 plus million dollars to have good business judgement. It is the international set who will play there and reputation over time will determine long term success or failure.

[Robert Thompson]

I would have thought with the success Tom Doak, Bill Coore, David McLay Kidd and Kyle Phillips have had recently, that it woud be enough to build a great golf course and people would come. I didn't think you needed the extra cost of sticking a PGA Tour player's name on it -- it doesn't add anything to the project and is simply an additional marketing cost that will be passed onto the public through their green fees.
Ernie seems like a nice guy -- and I'm sure he's seen tons of great golf and even appreciates much of it. But he hasn't proven he knows the first thing about design. To have a great site marred by a bad designer would be a great loss -- and the aerial makes this look like a good site.

[Bill Gayne]

For comparison of the two properties.





One of the criticisms I've heard of Old Head is that the land was to small and that inner holes are bland. With out knowing the property lines or any restrictions, it looks like ELS has considerably more land to work with.

[Tom_Doak]

I heard that the owners of the Old Head were looking at that land a few years ago ... doesn't sound like they are involved, but if they were I'm sure they would be keeping a low profile and letting it sound like others were behind it.

Sorry I didn't get to look at it, but if the cliffs are as high as Old Head you're not going to use those pointy bits for anything but a spectacular backdrop.  Don't worry, though, Jack, I have looked at a couple of projects in Ireland so at least someone there has heard of me, and I know that David has looked at projects there too.

[Jack_Marr]

Tom

Well I'd love it if they got more designers like yourself to build courses over here, not that I'm dissatisifed with what we've got. Imagine what could have been done with some of the properties over here.

Any update on the Castlegregory project?

[KJaeger]

I would have thought with the success Tom Doak, Bill Coore, David McLay Kidd and Kyle Phillips have had recently, that it woud be enough to build a great golf course and people would come. I didn't think you needed the extra cost of sticking a PGA Tour player's name on it -- it doesn't add anything to the project and is simply an additional marketing cost that will be passed onto the public through their green fees.

Unfortunately, I suspect that the developers' true target customer in their marketing plan has never heard of Doak, Coore or other great architects but has certainly heard of Ernie Els.  In their mind, they will make more money with Els' name on the project - and they are probably right.  This sounds like the Irish equivalent of a Hawaiian or Caribbean resort (right down to the Hyatt name on the hotel property).

Hopefully, in spite of the commercial interests involved the designers will be inspired to do justice to the great land they seem to be getting.

An Ernie Els signature design, yet the preliminary routing is now done and he hasn't visited the site......very hands-on.

That also seems odd - is that typical for "signature" courses from playing pros these days?

[Robert Thompson]

Kevin: You may well be right about the value of Els -- but if they had to pay him $500,000 for the use of his design "skills," that amounts to another $5 to $10 on the green fee.
People will come to see it once because Els' name is attached, but won't come back if it isn't any good.
Besides, wasn't European Golf Design behind the Montgomery course in Ireland? I rarely hear anyone talk of Monty's involvement in the project and though EGD won awards for the design.
As for the amount Els must appear on site -- typically it ranges from two to six times for a PGA Tour player -- though it is often less and is spelled out in their contract. I'd be surprised if Ernie was there more than three times, including playing the opening.

[Robert Thompson]

Oh, and Kevin, they didn't need a PGA Tour player to front Kingsbarns. It is a great course and people continue to go to see it. So you can be successful in the market without a player putting his name on something.

[Dan_Callahan]

Are there really golfers out there who would choose one course over another because a Tour player's name is attached to one of the clubs?

I could understand making that decision based on who the architect is/was or based on a magazine's rating. But since when did Ernie Els' name become synonymous with quality architecture?

I understand it is a marketing gimmick, but for a Tour player who has little cache as an architect, can it really be effective?

[KJaeger]

Robert -

I hear you - I'm not trying to claim one can't build a great course that is also commercially successful, or that the name-recognition of Els alone will make it a smashing success.  You cited some great examples.

It's just from reading that article my suspicion is that the quality of the golf architecture is not foremost in the minds of the developers.  I fear that they feel increasing the greens fees because Els name is attached would be a good thing, and the path they are taking will attract a certain "desirable" customer profile. I hope I am wrong about that - the last thing I want to see is new course development in Ireland turn into the same overpriced resort stuff you find in many other places nowadays.

[Robert Thompson]

Dan: I agree with you, but it must work. Just look at Myrtle Beach -- gosh, there's even a John Daly course there.
Never underestimate the gullibility of the general public.