Published: Thursday, 25th June, 2009 9:00am

Faldo dream course opens on Wednesday

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The Nick Faldo designed championship golf course at Lough Erne Golf Resort will open to the public next Wednesday morning, July 1 at 9am.

In so doing, an ambitious dream that was launched back in December 2003 by Jim Treacy will be realised and Fermanagh will have one of the top inland courses in Europe, designed by one of the world"s great golfers and complemented perfectly by a Resort that is sure to attract visitors to the county from all over the world.

That is a view shared by Andy Campbell, Director of Golf at Lough Erne who describes the course as 'the biggest project going on in European golf at the moment'.

Andy who worked at the spiritual home of golf, St. Andrews in Scotland, before taking up his post at Lough Erne is the man charged with making sure the course is awash with golfers from all over the world and he had little hesitation in joining the project inspired by the vision of Jim Treacy.

'I am here because of one man, Jim Treacy. This is the biggest project going on in European golf at the moment and I did not need much persuasion to come on board. The whole Resort and the course has the potential to be rated with the very best and I have no doubt it will put Fermanagh and Northern Ireland on the international map. The North West can be a hub for golfers from all over with this stunning Nick Faldo designed inland course and the superb links courses of the likes of Rosses Point offering the golfer every challenge he wants,' explained Andy, who has a wide experience of the golfing industry.

While the course will open without much fanfare on Wednesday, the official opening, and when it will be announced on the world stage, will be the inaugural Lough Erne Golf Challenge on Wednesday, July 22 which will feature Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington in the "Duel on the Lough".

McIlroy fresh from a fine joint tenth finish in his first US Open in New York at the weekend, is the touring professional attached to Lough Erne and Andy believes the relationship is perfect for both golfer and course.

'The timing of it is perfect, Rory is announcing himself on the world stage ad so is Lough Erne and I think the course reflects Rory"s personality, it is new, it is happening and something that Northern Ireland has not seen before. The Duel on the Lough is an occasion that Northern Ireland has been starved off and it is a great opportunity. The television and media coverage that it will create, will showcase the county, it is something to be proud off and hopefully it will be well supported by the local community.'

Andy has been working with Lough Erne for the past 12 months and says much of the work has been completed ahead of the "Duel on the Lough".

'All the planning and hospitality side of things is pretty much sorted for the "Duel on the Lough" and tickets for the event will be on sale locally from July 1. All is in place, but there is a misconception that all the tickets have been sold and that is not correct. So anyone who still wants to watch two of the best golfers in the world in their own back yard can do so,' revealed Andy.

The Nick Faldo Championship course will open on July 1 and green fees are priced at £95 but there are reduced rates in the winter months, falling to £80 in the "shoulder" months of November, March and April and £60 in the low season of December, January and February.