Killarney Golf & Fishing Club: John O'Sullivan walks us through a course that tests even the best golfers - not just their game, but their ability to concentrate in the midst of such beauty

The sweeping peaks of the Macgillycuddy Reeks rise as distant sentinels, the gentle lapping of Lough Leane snuggling against several fairways and greens no less aesthetically pleasing to the eye. These snapshots of nature offer a strikingly beautiful backdrop to Killarney Golf & Fishing Club.

A sporting pursuit might be considered incidental when challenged by such breathtaking vistas, but instead the location significantly enhances the golfing experience - irrespective of whether visitors find themselves on any one of the three courses, Killeen (€120), Lackabane (€100) or the eldest sibling, Mahony's Point (€80).

From the moment of entry, signified by a modest stone-wall front on the Killarney-Killorglin road, there is a heightened sense of anticipation. The charms of Killarney Golf & Fishing Club are known to generations of golfers, it's reputation as one of the Kingdom's jewels long since copper-fastened.

In trying to assure that pre-eminence, the club took a decision three years ago to set about a redevelopment of the flagship - Killeen course. Secretary manager Tom Prendergast explained: "We invited Donald Steel & Company, the UK-based golf architects, to make proposals and recommendations to us about redeveloping the Killeen course.

"Killeen represented a composite of nine holes taken from the original Mahony's Point course (built in 1937-1938) and nine new holes built in 1969-1970. The greens were constructed with the expertise that was prevalent at that time. Since then, there was a huge amount of traffic and the greens basically got compacted.

"The water wasn't percolating through following heavy rainfall, which led to waterlogging. This meant that the course would be unplayable for certain stretches of the year.

"We wanted a course with modern specifications for the greens (and fairways) that would be playable 365 days of the year."

Highly regarded golf architect Tom MacKenzie was handed the brief in transforming a course that had been originally constructed under the direction of local legend the late Dr Billy O'Sullivan and renowned Irish designer the late Eddie Hackett and opened for play in 1969, the work carrying a price tag in today's monetary values of €100,000.

Killarney Golf & Fishing Club was originally founded in 1893, boasting a register of 40 members - there are currently 1,500 - who each paid 10 shillings per annum for the privilege.

The fourth Earl of Kenmare, Valentine Augustus Browne, a local landowner, provided a parcel of land called Deerpark - the location of the original club is on the current Killarney town bypass - becoming the first president of the club in the process.

Browne held that position until his death in 1905, and thereafter the presidency of the club was handed down to successive members of the Kenmare Family.

The genesis for the move to the club's current location arrived on foot of a hefty and largely surprising hike in the rent on the original piece of real estate.

In 1936, the land agent for the (fifth) Earl of Kenmare sought to increase the rent for the course from a nominal shilling to £75 a year. It galvanised the members into seeking an alternative arrangement. The Viscount Castlerosse Valentine Edward Charles Browne (later to become Lord Castlerosse and the sixth Earl of Kenmare) led the campaign to provide Killarney with "the best and most beautiful course in the world".

Killarney Golf Club Ltd was formed in 1937 - building a course, Mahony's Point, at its present location. Lord Castlerosse would later remark about the property: "When anyone sees Killarney, even if he is the basest heretic, he must believe in God."

The Killeen course was opened in 1969 with a third 18-hole layout, Lackabane, situated just across the main road from the other two and with its own clubhouse, first admitting golfers to its fairways in 2000.

The club has staged many prestigious tournaments in amateur and professional golf. In 1975, the European Amateur Team Championship was held there with Scotland the eventual winners, while the Kerry venue hosted the Irish Open in successive years (1991 and 1992) on the Killeen course, Nick Faldo prevailing on both occasions.

In 1996, the Curtis Cup was played on the same course, the ladies of Britain and Ireland beating the USA in a memorable encounter. Lackabane hosted the 2002 Irish Ladies Open Championship, won by Iben Tinning from Denmark, and the following year the competition was held on Mahony's Point, Sweden's Sophie Gustafson prevailing.

The Ryder Cup Challenge Tour Event last year was won by Mark Warren (Scotland) over the Mahony's Point course and is due to return there again next month.

The prescience of the members and executive of the club to first acknowledge and then act upon the need to revamp the golfing facilities augurs well for Killarney both in the short and long term. The financial costings for the redevelopment of the Killeen came to €2.1 million, partially funded by a once-off members' levy.

MacKenzie avoided the pitfall of being too intrusive in his alterations, thereby avoiding accusations of trying to airbrush the Mona Lisa. There was no change to the integral routing of Killeen, although this was originally mooted but rejected.

Prendergast explained: "Several changes (to the routing) were proposed, but the club's development sub-committee in conjunction with the members decided against it. There were open discussions with the members, and the architect was quizzed as to why he wanted to make those (routing) changes.

"At the end of the day there was a consent not to alter the routing, although provision was made to give Tom freedom to push greens closer to the water."

The length of the course has been increased only marginally, about 100 yards in total, bringing it to a little shy of 7,200 yards. All 18 greens were redone, using "Providence" creeping bent grass - while slowish at present they roll beautifully - with a fescue/rye employed on the tees.

A new drainage system was installed, thereby guaranteeing the all-year playability the club craved.

The slopes of some fairways were softened, more in keeping with a rolling landscape and endemic contours of the parkland layout.

The third and fourth holes have been moved closer to the lake, with the back tee at the latter hole surrounded by old ruins and perched high above the lakeshore.

The water features at the sixth, seventh and eight holes have been redefined. The par-five seventh is very short by modern standards but demands accuracy from a tee that promotes a funnel-like effect through trees on either side.

The ninth and 13th holes have been lengthened, but it is the par-three 10th that remains arguably the course's signature hole. The mountains and lake blend into one stunning vista, a distraction that captivates even the most focused golfer.

The 18th has been fortified by extending the pond to the green's edge, while the elevated tee and cropped fairway create the optical illusion of an elongated hole.

MacKenzie has fulfilled his remit and then some from the opening hole, a par four that hugs the lakeshore, to a potential card-wrecker, the 18th.

It represents a demanding test where a premium is placed on precision rather than raw power to negotiate the subtle dog-legs and sundry hazards.

Killeen's official reopening was conducted by the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, last Friday morning. He said, "I am happy that the redevelopment of the Killeen course is an excellent start to bringing Killarney back to its rightful place as a flagship for golf tourism," before adding while speaking about the forthcoming Ryder Cup, "this is an opportunity for the club, the accommodation sector and operators to repackage and rebrand golf in Killarney and to be innovative in seasonal prices and other incentives."

Prior to 9/11, and pre-Lackabane, the club welcomed 40,000 visitors per year. They remain optimistic, even in the general downturn, that they will accommodate 35,000-38,000 over their three courses. They offer reduced rack-rate packages for playing all three courses or a combination, and group discounts.

They have pitched themselves alongside Fota Island and Lee Valley in a reduced-rate, three-course golfing ticket, so too locally with Dooks and the newly renamed Dingle (Ceann Sibéal). They are ambitious and crave high-profile events, which on the strength of Killeen's redevelopment is an eminently achievable target. It's one of Ireland's top parkland venues.

For now, though, those that tread the fairways at Killarney may console themselves with the realisation that even playing golf badly can't quite tarnish the enjoyment that accompanies the splendour of the setting.