Thanks to Mike Keiser and http://www.springgolf.ie/about.asp, we should have a bit to discuss for the next few months.
Ronald,
Well, this is a blast from the past. About 10-12 years ago, Dr Spring gave me a tour of Inch. It isn't really a place you can see in one day. One should probably take 2-4 days for an initial visit.
At that point Dr Spring was about 17 years into the planning permission process and nobody thought there was ever a chance anything would ever happen. He had sketched out four courses, but hoped he could just get one approved....... eventually.
It was around that time I also discussed Inch with Mike Keiser while at the Renaissance Cup held at Stonewall. Mike wasn't familiar with Inch. I told him about Arthur Spring, how long he had been working on the site and also how he had worked a long time before getting squeezed out of the Doonbeg project.
Specifically, I told Mike "even if there is a 99% chance Inch will never happen, you should go see the place". Then, I said "let me correct that. Even if there is a 100% chance nothing ever happens there you have to see Inch".
I had the chance to visit Inch again when Jim Urbina asked me to take Rubert O'Neill to Ireland, especially to spend time at Ballybunion, Lahinch, Dooks, etc., but, I insisted Rupert and I also set aside a day for Inch. It was probably the most enjoyable day we spent.
Inch is absolutely amazing. My only reservation is exactly what Jim Urbina and I later discussed and now, apparently, Mike Keiser wants Jim to help with: construction.
Inch has golf holes everywhere. There are places you can stand and see 4-5 holes. Easy.
But, much of it contains what Jim imagined and called "embryonic dunes". So, the task may be to sort out where can you really build golf holes rather than just imagine them.
Wow, if all this really happens, I will be speechless.