Already
a superb golf course having opened in the mid 90's, Mount Wolseley
will eventually be recognised as one of Europe's finest inland courses.
Once owned by the Butler Dynasty, Mount Aaron as it was known, came
into the possession of the Wolseley family in 1725. Having been
torched during the 1798 Rebellion, the house was rebuilt in 1864.
The 200 acre property was sold in 1925 to the Patrician Brothers
and was purchased by the Morrissey family in 1994, whose decision
to develop a championship golf course here, heralds a new era in
the history of the property.
Quite apart from the magnificent golf course
at Mount Wolseley, the visual delights of the setting are something
to behold. Set just a few hundred yards from the meandering River
Slaney, its rich population of trees and lakes are set against
the backdrop of the East Carlow and Wicklow Mountains. Upon inspecting
the location, course architect O'Connor commented: "rarely
after a first look around a potential site for a golf course had
I been so impressed as at Mount Wolseley, not just with the ideal
and natural roll of the ground itself, but also with the magnificence
of this delightful rural countryside."
Measuring over 7,100 yards from the championship
tees, there are no easy holes at Mount Wolseley, with wide landing
areas the only concession to demanding approaches to almost every
green. The 411 yard par 4, 1st hole is a good example of what
is to come. A well hit tee shot will leave a 150 yard approach,
which must fly all the way due to a serious dip in front of the
green. The bunkers are maliciously positioned, where the contours
of the green seem to feed the ball to a sandy lie. And so the
roller coaster has begun. The short 9th hole also deserves special
mention. Here your tee shot must be struck through a forest clearing,
no wider than 40 yards (at the widest) to a green some 190 yards
away.
Throughout the course, there is a fine mix
of holes with water in play on no fewer than eleven of them. The
11th requires a carry over water of 207 yards from the championship
tees, while the 14th and 15th are played amid mature woodlands
where the full beauty of the course is hammered home. The 18th
provides a fitting climax to an enjoyable round, where two lakes,
a stream and a fairway bunker protect the left hand side as the
hole doglegs to the right.
|