|
Fota Island Golf Club lies in the heart of a 780 acre estate which is included in, "The Inventory of Outstanding Landscapes in Ireland". After World War One, the old course fell into disrepair and was abandoned and in 1993, a new course was developed at Fota Island. It was designed by Irish Ryder Cup star, Christy O'Connor, Jr. and twice English Amateur Champion, Peter McEvoy. The splendid woodlands are woven into a challenging, par 71, Championship course which is very much in the traditional mode, featuring pot bunkers and undulating putting surfaces. While essentially a resort course, it hosted a number of tournaments, including the Irish Club Professional Championship, the Irish PGA Championship and no fewer than three Irish Amateur Opens.
In the beginning of 1998, Fota Island golf club was purchased by the Killeen Group, the owners of the prestigious Mount Juliet Resort in Kilkenny. Under the direction of Jeff Howes Golf Designs, work commenced immediately on upgrading the course to "European Tour standards". The course reopened in September 1999, following an 18-month, €2.79 million programme that saw the rebuilding of all 18 greens, the reseeding of all tees and the redesign of some 8 of the holes. The €1 million Murphy's Irish Open - one of the most prestigious events on the European Tour - was held at Fota in 2001 and 2002.
| 
