Straffan
County Kildare
Ireland
tel: +353 (1) 601 7300
fax: +353 (1) 601 7399
email: [email protected]
website: www.kclub.ie

Surrounded by some of Ireland's most beautiful scenery, The K Club is a rural retreat with the finest leisure facilities in the country. The club has the prestige to befit its splendour as the home for the European Tour's annual Smurfit European Open, and in 2005 The K Club will host the most intriguing and compelling golf event of them all - the Ryder Cup. A sumptuously restored Georgian estate, The K Club is set in 330 acres of gardens and lush countryside.

Location
Situated just 25km south-west of Dublin City, in the heart of County Kildare, the estate is a 30-minute drive from Dublin and its ferry ports, and less than an hour from the Irish capital's international airport.

Golf Course
The K Club course is a parkland layout designed by Arnold Palmer. Par 72 and 7,178 yards from the back tees, the designer has made an unusual and challenging use of the River Liffey which winds its way through the course and is a feature on 14 holes. Among the most notable holes are the 7th which is known as Inish More, a par-five which requires a pitch across the Liffey to a green protected by bunkers and mature trees, and the 16th - a breathtaking par-four with the Liffey to the right, a lake in front of the green and a pond behind to the right. Even in overcast conditions the wild beauty of the course makes for an unforgettable experience.

Facilities
The golf facilities are completed by a comprehensive practice area and driving range, an expansive pro shop and a resident golf pro who is available to provide tuition. The course has three tee options to ensure that golfers of all levels can enjoy the challenge. Dining options are three-fold, including the elegance of the Beverley Turk, offering French cuisine with an Irish touch, the Legends Restaurant in the clubhouse, which offers excellent European cuisine, and The Island Inish Mor, which is the perfect setting for barbeques and picnics. Private dining rooms are also available. The estate's Sports Centre offers indoor and outdoor tennis courts, squash courts and a state-of-the-art gymnasium. The Health & Leisure Club has an indoor swimming pool, saunas, jacuzzi, exercise room, health and beauty treatments including massage and many other facilities. For guests looking for alternative sporting pursuits, fishing, clay target shooting and horse-riding are readily available on the estate.

Packages
Green fees for residents start from Ir£75, rising to Ir£130 for non-residents. The K Club's non-resident green fees in 2001 will be as follows: Ir£85 (January, February, March, November and December), Ir£160 (April and October) and Ir£175 (May, June, July, August and September).

In September 2005, The K Club will scale the pinnacle of achievement for any golf resort when it plays host to the sport's most compelling contest - the Ryder Cup. This biennial match between the leading dozen professionals from both Europe and the United States has grown over the past two decades into golf's greatest event

Arnold Palmer, the distinguished designer of The K Club's championship layout, has made an unusual and challenging use of the River Liffey which winds its way through the course and is a feature on no fewer than 14 holes