Location: Off Moycullen road, four and a half miles west of Galway City. Contact: (091) 592677. Course: arkland, par 72. Yardage - 6,791 (back); 6,321 (medal); 5,162 par 70 (women). Designer: R J Browne. Opened for play: March 31st, 1996. Green fees: £15 (weekdays); £20 (weekends). AccommodationTwelve Pins Lodge Hotel (2 miles), 091 592368, fax (091) 592485. £40 per person sharing; Connemara Coast Hotel (2 1/2 miles), 091 592108, fax (091) 592065. £85 single, £70 per person sharing. Sacre Coeur Hotel Salthill (4 miles), 091 523635, fax (091) 52553. £30 single. [Bed and breakfast. Four Winds (091) 526026. £15 to £20. Southern Hills (091) 528224. £25 single; £35 to £40 double.
Boley scampered off down the first fairway, darting in and out in front of the buggy. "That dog would follow me to hell and back," said Pat Donnellan, more out of pride, one suspected, than as a criticism of Bearna's resident hound. We were about to survey one of the newest courses in Connacht, owned jointly by Galwaymen Donnellan, Sean and Michael Meade and a Mayo business associate, Frank O'Gara. Indeed Sean Meade and my buggy driver will be familiar to GAA followers as leading lights in the famous Galway teams of the 1960s.
They were prepared to look beyond their county's boundaries, however, so that full justice would be done to an ambitious golf development on a superb 250-acre site, four and a half miles from Galway City, between the roads to Spiddal and Moycullen. That was why Sean Meade turned to his friend, Bobby Browne of Laytown and Bettystown, to design the layout.
The result is a course of outstanding quality and unique character. Carved out of a typical Connemara landscape of rock, bog, gorse and heather, it was opened for play in March of last year and is expected to have its official opening, with a completed clubhouse, in time for the 1998 golfing season.
Browne has done an admirable job in designing a layout of delightful variety. Indeed only two of the holes on the homeward journey, the 10th and 11th, are in the same direction. And the surfaces of the greens, which were built to USGA specifications, would be the envy of far more mature courses.
"We wanted to capture the flavour of this wonderful countryside," said Donnellan. The extent to which they have succeeded in that objective could be seen in the view from the back tee at the short 13th.
Situated at the most westerly end of the course, the hole carries the intriguing name of Loch Toirmeasctha, otherwise known as the Forbidden Lake. This is the local name for what has become a water-hazard guarding the front of the green, a short but menacing 132 yards away.
"I'd say there was a serious accident here at one time, possibly a drowning," mused Donnellan, who happens to be a history teacher in a local school. Then, he pointed left, beyond the boundary of the course, where locals were cutting turf. "See the depth of the bog over there," said my guide.
Boley, named incidentally after the local townland, Corboley, was with us all the while. A black and white stray mongrel looking remarkably like the border collie, Rex in the movie Babe, it decided to make its new home among the golfers of west Galway.
Donnellan reckoned it had the looks and instincts of a gun dog, but whatever about pedigree, its energy was boundless as it raced away from the buggy before flopping inquisitively into as many of the site's 15 small lakes, as we came across.
The nature of the site made it almost inevitable that the developers would come into conflict with conservationists. Indeed, it seems decidedly odd that while the coffers of the national exchequer are being enhanced each year through golf tourism, golf course construction is coming under increasing scrutiny from our highly enlightened friends in Brussels.
As it happened, conservationists had been so caring of the Bearna site, that when the four partners bought the land in 1991, their first task was to have six lorry-loads of rubbish removed. Then they began to expose the black, rich soil that has since produced such wonderful greens.
Further problems arose, however, with the construction of a clubhouse which is now 12 weeks behind schedule. Indeed the owners made the national media when objections were made by a local resident, leading to protracted wrangles with An Bord Pleanala and the Galway Co Council.
Everything has now been sorted out and the hope is that the clubhouse will be completed by Christmas. Mind you, its skeletal frame has already played host to a captain's dinner - of sorts.
And proof as to the celebrations following the recent prize of lady captain Bernie Power, is there in large lettering on bare, cement blocks. Block lettering, you might say. "I cooked 100 burgers - it was mighty," enthused Donnellan. "Mighty."
But back to the course. The generous site meant that Browne had the luxury of creating 18 distinctly different challenges, just as Arnold Palmer was in a position to do at The K Club and Jack Nicklaus at Mount Juliet. I was particularly taken by the sixth and by some of the holes on the homeward journey.
At 446 yards off the back tee, the sixth is a worthy index one. There is the problem of a ditch running down the left side of the fairway and then, at 165 yards from the raised green, there is a menacing lake which, predictably, Boley couldn't resist.
One of the highlights of the back nine is the 385-yard 11th where the short route for an approach shot is over an elbow of Lough Inch. Indeed the 14-acre lake dominates the south-western side of the course, with delightful views of the Hills of Clare beyond.
When the sun broke through during my visit, there was also a charming view of the Aran Islands. The prevailing wind is from the south-west but it was blowing briskly from the north-west, when I was there.
In common with the majority of Bearna's greens, the 15th has a raised target. "See that area there to the left," said Donnellan. "That was a huge bog-hole that we had to fill with 100 tons of rock. Now it is just an innocent, green-side bunker. We did an unbelievable amount of work here."
The real achievement of the course constructors, however, was to have succeeded in achieving such a natural-looking layout. The holes follow the roll of the terrain as if it had been necessary only to bring in the mowers. Looking at the raw, rugged landscape away from the perimeter of the course, however, one can readily appreciate the extent of the construction work.
And Bearna was busy as patrons experienced golf as Gaeilge. From Cor Buaile (the knoll of the milking place) to Cloch na Cinniuna (the stone of destiny), competitors progressed to Siuloid Fhada (the long walk) until the turn was reached at Na Siain (the little fairly hills). Every hole has a charming name.
"See that lad, he's a good little footballer," said Donnellan of a decidedly youthful client. He was experiencing some problems in negotiating the long 17th. Later, when filling out his card, he gave a rueful grin. "I had a par on the 16th but I took 14 at the 17th," he admitted to his pals.
Nobody expressed surprise. They had their own tales of woe from doing battle with Bearna.
The course is traversed by a road - well, more of a boreen - leading to the most northerly part of the parish of Bearna. There are seven holes to the north of the road and 11 to the south, but it is more of a feature than an intrusion.
Galway City is one of the most rapidly-developing areas of the country. This goes some way towards explaining the fact that Bearna already has a waiting list for members. A total of 400 local members - men and women - paid entrance fees of £3,000 and £300 per year and they were augmented by about 120 overseas members from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK.
While heading away from the temporary buildings and the embryonic clubhouse, I recalled a visit I had made to the nearby Pearse Stadium in 1962. The assignment was to report on the Sigerson Cup final in which triumphant UCG colleagues carried Donnellan shoulder high from the pitch.
Now in his middle years, he still relished a sporting challenge. In the company of a canine friend.
