Waterville, IRELAND   

11^th hole, 495 yards; A great natural hole as it twists through the biggest dunes on the course. Downwind, a big drive will catch a ridge at the 280 yard mark, further propelling the ball along and leave the golfer with only a short iron into the green.

12^th hole, 200 yards; The equal to the more famed 17^th hole, this one shotter plays from dune top to dune top and was a favorite of Hackett's. The green was originally to be placed in the valley. However, in days long gone by, Catholics used this hollow for Mass as they feared persecution. As such, the ground was considered sacred and the green site was wisely moved to the top of the far dune. The result is a searching long iron shot.

The 12th green required no bunkers.

14^th hole, 455 yards; This hole encapsulates the appeal of Waterville to the authors. Though full of challenge, nothing is forced or contrived. Hackett gives the golfer plenty of room to play (a must in such windy environs) and the hole plays equally well in any wind. Two bunkers are carved into a hillside some 40 yards short of the green while the green itself remains bunkerless. Figuring out how to best approach this long diagonal green given the day's wind and hole location remains fascinating, day after day, week after week. No wonder Mark O'Meara and Tiger Woods chose Waterville as the place to hone their games for the Open.

The appealing 14th.

17^th hole, 195 yards; The elevated tee is the highest point on the course and is aptly named Mulcahy's Peak (indeed Mulcahy's ashes are buried here at his request). The evolution of the course is evident from the tee: the long beach behind you was the source of sand that has blown in the direction of the golf course for hundreds of years. This sand first hit where the back nine is now laid out and thus the greatest sand hills are on this part of the course. As less sand was carried across the course in the wind, the sand dunes diminish in size to the furthermost point, which is the rather flat 1^st hole. While fascinating to see and appreciate the evolution of this course, the golfer must now turn his attention to the far green, which is not much of a target when the wind is blowing from the south east and the golfer is gripping down on his driver. On a calm day, there are few more glorious spots as you are perched 250 feet above sea level with sweeping views of the mountains and the sea.

18^th hole; 580 yards; Ireland is peculiarly devoid of fine finishing holes. Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee, and County Sligo all offer little to remember. Only Portmarnock's could be considered a world class finishing hole. Now with the addition of the new tee on top of the dune line, Waterville's must surely count as the country's most thrilling finishing hole. One wrong step off the championship tee and the golfer will soon find himself rolling 200 feet down to the beach below. With the prevailing wind coming off Ballinskelligs Bay, the golfer must flight his ball along the dune line and let the wind drift it back onto the fairway, which tumbles downhill all the way to the green. The shot requires great nerve, especially at this point in the round. A great swing hole, where more than two strokes may readily change within your match.

The new 18th tee requires a thrilling tee ball along the top of the dune line.

There are two misconceptions about the course. Firstly, that the two nines are unequal. While the second nine is laid through the bigger sand dunes, the finest four hole stretch on the course is the 2^nd through 5^th hole. Indeed, Jay Connolly, one of the new owners, notes that the front nine plays harder day in day out than the back nine. Secondly, some people view the formal water hazard in front of the 7^th green as artificial. The fact is this is the lowest point on the property and the ground drains that way from every side. The Club is just as well to have formalized the water hazard as to have left it in some bog-like state.

Waterville as a village of some 400 people has been a part of much history. The first transatlantic cable between Europe and the United States came ashore in 1880s. Indeed, people from that operation where the driving force for the original creation of a rudimentary nine hole course on this property. Later, Charles Lindbergh did a famous fly over on his way to successfully completing his famous New York to Paris transatlantic flight.

Waterville's remoteness naturally adds to its charm. However, it also precludes major events from being played on this course as certain logistics would overwhelm the small village. This is a great pity for Waterville would make a superb selection for the 2005 Ryder Cup. More importantly though, it is a great place for friends to meet for a several day retreat. The course will keep you endlessly entertained, both through its sheer challenge and by the number of thrilling shots you will be asked to hit.

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