The
Slieve Russell Golf & Country Club, which takes its name from
the nearby Slieve Rushen, is set amidst 300 acres of magnificently
landscaped gardens including 50 acres of lakes, which play a significant
role in the challenge of the golf course. Designed by leading Irish
course architect Patrick Merrigan and opened for play in August
1992, the championship standard golf course has quickly become recognised
as one of Ireland's leading venues. Among the many major events
hosted at the Slieve Russell, include the 1996 Smurfit Irish Professional
Championship, the Northwest of Ireland Open and the annual Quinn
Direct Pro Am event, one of the biggest such tournament in Ireland.
The Slieve Russell course was built to the
very highest standards, while the rolling parkland layout is notable
for the strategic use of water hazards and the undulating nature
of the manicured sand based greens. Slieve Russell is fast gaining
an excellent worldwide reputation and Christy O'Connor Sr., who
has been lavish in his praise of the facility, recently commented:
"I would pay no better tribute to the course at the Slieve
Russell than to say the more often I play it, the more it reminds
me of Gleneagles". Forming a generous portion of the 300
acre estate, the unique style of the course at Slieve Russell
is sensitively wrapped around the lakes and drumlins of the beautiful
County Cavan landscape, while the facility also comprises a putting
green, practice area and nine hole par 3 golf course.
Superb holes abound at the Slieve Russell and
however impressed you are with the outward journey; the experience
will be surpassed on the closing nine. One of the most memorable
holes on the front include the long par four 2nd, which with water
playing an important role, requires great accuracy off the tee.
Your approach to a sloping and well protected green must be made
over a channel, which runs across the fairway. The winding par
five 9th, which with bunkers left and right of the fairway is
another fantastic hole, requiring an approach to an elusive two
tiered green. The best of homeward journey include the long doglegging
par five 13th, with water along the left side all the way to the
green, which is wickedly sloped and almost entirely surrounded
by water; and the short 16th, which must be played over a pond
to a green surrounded by bunkers to the rear.
|