For those of you familiar with the Arthurian legend, the Lady in the Lake extends her arm with the sword Excalibur attached. For those of you more familiar with the dark potions of Arthur (Guinness), the lady in this particular lake might well appear bearing a finely-crafted 56 degree lob wedge.
Now I know it’s the end of the season but we haven’t all gone mad. Yet. And whilst the title of this piece does not refer to skimming balls over water – tho’ that’s an option, folks – what I really mean in golf in, around and beside the spectacular beauty of Lower Lough Erne in county Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.
Yes, I know you haven’t a clue where it lies so go on, get out the map of Ireland. Look in the upper left hand corner and you’ll see two lakes near the border between north and south. Yes, that’s the border no-one notices any more, unless you’ve come up for the month’s groceries ‘cos they’re 25% cheaper. Now, on the left hand, or upper lake (that’s why it’s called Lower Lough Erne) you will see a town called Enniskillen. About 5 miles from there lies Ireland’s answer to Sawgrass. Would I lie to you?
Now, my three regular readers - plus my fellow Americans who make up the turf-cutting pondlife of our transatlantic golf tourism - all know that, as a true, unimaginative Ulster Scot, I do not do wild enthusiasm. I do not personalise or eulogise courses or soi disant poseurs (that’s enough culture for today) who raucously proclaim themselves to be the “most exciting development” since Hillary and Tensing laid out the tentative, if slippery, first nine near the Rombok monastery below Everest.
But I have been alternately charmed and terrorised by the Faldo championship course at the Lough Erne Golf Resort. Armed only with a half set, an upside down map and ably abetted by my ever faithful spouse who doubles as caddy/coach/psychologist and retriever of flung clubs, I have metaphorically staggered my way (yes, on foot) round this magnificent course.
And “stupendous” would be an understatement. At 6,700 yards from the blues – and by God, sir, I now know the meaning of same ‘cos I have paid my dues in full – and a dreadful 7,200 from the blacks, this is one hell of a course. It would be an impertinence to suggest that local millionaire Jim Treacy set out on an R T Jones style quest to create the golf course without equal – and five star hotel with all the accoutrements on the side – but if he and his people can see it through, I can assure you that he will leave a wonderful inland legacy to complement the links jewels in the crown of golf in the north part of this island.
From the moment you walk across the narrow neck of Castle Hume Lough to the first tee, you begin to understand that this is a place of biblical proportions. There are more carries across water than Moses in his basket; it takes an epic leap of faith to trust your line and club on many holes and it certainly helps to be able to walk on water in the closing stretch. Three carries into the wind; three tees where humming the chorus of the old Methodist faithful “Trust and Obey” might do more good than David Leadbetter; three silent prayers of deliverance.
The first four are merely a warm up: two short fours, a pitch and a straightforward five. Then it’s: “Are you sitting comfortably ? Cos here comes Johnnnny!” A 175 yard, all carry smash to a green exquisitely sited beside the hotel so that the guests can watch you floating or floundering. With pin positions which leave you no get-out from behind.
And then it’s up a ski slope to the 6th tee, where the true, achingly beautiful panorama of the lakes, the hills and the skies disguise the fact that you are about to boldly go into the first of four monstrous par fives (holes 6, 9, 14 and 16) and three more truly devilish par threes (holes 13, 15 and 18). It’s only later that you notice that, unlike many, many courses, the par fours come as a little light relief.
I’ll not bore you with the detail – you must come and see this for yourself – but the course jogs back and forward between the lake and the woods. It may appear tricksy in places but it isn’t – it has been designed to make you think your way round in spades. You can score with caution – but you can overdo conservatism. You can risk it all – and lose – but if you make the carry, what an achievement!
In short, dear people: this is one of those rarest of courses and resorts, in the loveliest and not quite remotest of settings, for good roads link Enniskillen to Belfast and Dublin airports and they will be much better roads in two years’ time. This is the only new course which has ever put me in mind of Castlerosse’s words to Henry Longhurst in the 1930’s, when he was using his family estate to build the wonderful course that is Killarney: “We could build the loveliest course in the world here.”
Lough Erne is a modern Killarney. The hills are not mountains – but the course is just a wonder and the hotel is genuine five star. When our present financial troubles are seen for what they are – a cyclical bump – then come, come and see and play it for yourself and enjoy. Oh, do enjoy.
Comments