Published: Thursday, 16th July, 2009 2:50pm

A course to put Fermanagh on the map

by Editorial Department

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Another one bites the dust . .. Mark Conway drives off the 17th watched by playing partners Malachy O'Rourke, Steven Craig and Leo McBride.

On Wednesday, two of the best golfers in the world, three time Major winner Padraig Harrington will take on the precocious Rory McIlroy on a course designed by six times Major winner, Nick Faldo. Indeed, it is not beyong the realms of possibility that one of them could have the world famous Claret Jug with them if they play to their potential at the Open in Turnberry at the weekend.

What"s more, this golfing duel between two of the best players in the world will be played out on our own doorstep, in County Fermanagh.

Unthinakble ten years ago, but reality now, County Fermanagh boasts a golf course well fit to host the best golfers in the world and a resort that is sure to attract visitors from all over the world.

I got my chance to grip it and rip it around the Lough Erne Golf Resort last week and with low handicapper Steven Craig (5), Fermanagh GAA manager Malachy O"Rourke and Fermanagh trainer Leo McBride making up the fourball, it is fair to say that we had all angles covered. Indeed at times we had the fairways covered from all angles but more about that later.

The 17th green is just as challenging as the drive with bunkers to the left and Castle Hume Lough to the right.

To stand on the first tee was, indeed, a little bit special.

You see, it was back in December 2003 that I received an invite to travel to Dublin for a major announcement regarding a new golfing investment in Fermanagh.

It was the first time I met Jim Treacy who was accompanied by Nick Edmund, director of Nick Faldo"s design team.

That day, in a Dublin hotel, the dream of a Nick Faldo designed golf course surrounded by a top class hotel and holdiay homes was laid out on striking images in the room. Fast forward a mere five and a half years and the images have turned to lush green fairways, bricks, mortar and a resort that can undoubtedlty compete with the best.

I have been lucky enough through my work to be a regular visitor to Lough Erne Golf Resort as it has evolved in those five and a half years.

Leo McBride putts for birdie at the picturesque 10th hole at Lough Erne.

Faldo called over a few times, struck a few shots in the rain and snow, talked enthusiatically about the project and how he was sure that the natural terrain of this "wedge of land" as he called it, would lend itself to a top class championship course that would put Fermanagh on the map, both nationally and internationally.

Jim Treacy explained how an hotel and holiday homes would be built to form a resort to complement the course. How the Resort could put Fermanagh as a whole on the map, a headline driver for all the local economy. Jim even got Rory McIlroy on board, the rising star of European golf; simply put the emerging player and emerging course made the perfect match.

And so, standing on the first tee, it was hard not to wonder at how both men, Mr Treacy and Mr Faldo have delivered, and delivered in style.

The panorama is striking from the hotel behind you, to the holiday homes and a golf course that winds its way though the woods, over water and to the edges of Castle Hume Lough and Lough Erne.

Every hole has five tee boxes and off the back sticks the course measures 7167 yards, longer than Loch Lomond last week and just 60 yards shorter than the Turnberry course that will host the third major of the season this weekend.

For some the golf was patchy, but the course was superb as was the craic, and sure isn't that what it is all about.

We played off the white sticks (the middle) and the course still measured 6,241 yards.

The course, though, is both challenging and fair. The front nine ends with a couple of long holes, the index one par four eighth is well named at index one while the ninth is a 600 yard par five.

But then the 10th is more subtle, a driveable par four dogleg right. The green, though, is almost completely surrounded by water, so anyone going for the green, knows that a watery grave is a major possibilty. The seventh and 17th are other par four holes holes where a more attacking line can bring you close to the green but again it is all at a risk and much will depend on the bravery of the player.

To this end, it will be interesting to see how McIlroy and Harrington attack some of these holes.

On the par five sixth, you are at the highpoint of the course, the hotel stands to the left and Lough Erne spans out to the right. LEYC is visible in the distance and by the time we get to the ninth a flotilla of yachts enjoy some Wednesday night sailing action on Lough Erne, not far from the green.

All the holes provide different challenges and the final three holes are simply superb, testing golf holes amid the backdrop of the hotel with water ready for any erring drive. Cavernous bunkers are another feature of the course and again they come into play both from the tee box and for second shots to the green.

Our fourball was the usual mix of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Steven Criag provided much of the good and fully merits his five handicap. He plays the game as we all want to and he showed that if you drive it into position A, then you are rewarded with a fair second shot into big greens protected by either water, bunkers or both. Steven pretty much played to his handicap, only dropping a shot at the innocuous par three third up until the ninth where he tried for the green in two but came up short.

With a tighter line, he may have reached the 10th while all in all, he enjoyed a challenging outing that demanded the best from his talented game.

The bad and ugly came from the rest of us as we failed to reach the consistency that comes with playing golf more regularly.

Ten years ago, I used to play a lot of golf very averagely, nowadays I play occasionally and poorly.

The great thing is though, that when you get it right it is worth all the bad shots.

A par on the par five sixth made my day, while Malachy O"Rourke"s par on the 18th and Leo McBride"s superb five (Leo did weigh in with several pars but they were not as good as this) on the index one stood out for us.

Like any good course, good shots are rewarded, poor shots punished and there is very little room for bailing out.

The fact that each hole has five separate tee boxes means it is a championship course suitable for all levels and handicaps while the stunning scenery, Lough Erne and Castle Hume Lough make for a backdrop that can nullify any negative thoughts engendered by a poor shot.

In short, Nick Faldo"s design and Jim Treacy"s courage and vision have combined to produce a course and a resort that will indeed, attract golfers and visitors from all over the world.

It was a delight to play the course and an even bigger privilege over the past five years to watch Lough Erne Golf Resort evolve from the embyronic plan stage to a thriving and living reality. Messers McIlroy and Harrington will give the course the opening it deserves on Wednesday, they will hit the ball into areas of the course that I can only dream about but they will not find it easy.

Whatever happens, though, they will be suitably impressed. They will go back and tell their friends and colleagues from all over the world about this Nick Faldo course in Fermanagh.

Yes, Fermanagh is on the international golfing map, spread the word.