Nick Faldo, who is one of the most successful Ryder Cup players ever, having represented the European Team a record 11 times and played a key role in making Europe competitive in the event, tried his hand on three completed holes of his Faldo Design 18-hole championship course at the Lough Erne Golf Resort at Castle Hume this week.
Before going out to the 6th green, he attended a media briefing where he was asked by the 'Herald' his opinion of the quality of the workmanship of the golf course, and, given the fact that it was still raining on this, his third visit, if the course was waterproof.
"We are very pleased. The construction group, SOL are very good. Their quality is very impressive, not only at the golf course but also the hotel. We have already ten greens sanded and four holes completed out through the front and the other nine we'll probably start constructing in the summer of next year. We have got a couple of playing holes and, hopefully, we will have nine holes next summer and the other nine in another year, subject to weather."
A large part of the media briefing was taken up with Rory McElroy, who came through the Faldo School and was the leading amateur at this year's British Open. He recently turned professional and is the touring professional at the Lough Erne Golf Resort, having been talent-spotted playing at the adjacent course at Castle Hume by Jim Treacy.
"He's a fine guy," Mr Treacy stated. "It probably came about three years ago. He always shaped up as though he was going to be a fine professional, so this being a new area and you have this new kid on the block and the fact he was with Team Faldo, you didn't have to look for anything else."
He told one golf journalist that the hotel and lodges offered 126 rooms, together with 63 houses around the older part of the golf course.
Asked if he could see the course 'go right to the top', Mr Faldo said that this was the goal. He said it was a fabulous spot and quite a facility and this was what Faldo Design wanted to create.
"Hopefully, that is conceivable. It is very important we have the facilities around in the hotel and the lodges. That's a very important factor. That's our drive as well, to make a golf course that will be strong enough to host the Irish Open."
He explained that his firm had 19 golf courses at the drawing-board stage, 12 under construction and five that opened this year. Among the exotic places he listed, China and Cambodia, two courses were due to open at the end of the year.
"It fits in with my time schedule to get about half a dozen opening each year," he went on. "I enjoy it, although it has meant me playing less golf, probably four tournaments every year. For me to be a professional is basically out the window now."
Turning to Jim Treacy and his dream development, he said that its owners had taken on and developed a really five-star project: "The quality of the workmanship and the on-going construction is as good as you will see around the world. That's the important thing. Come up and have a look at the 17th and the 18th and see the quality of what we're trying to do."
Asked if, when completed, the Lough Erne Golf Resort could become the jewel in Fermanagh's tourist crown, Mr Faldo responded: "It will be well worth making the effort to be there."
The construction of the course, the Lough Erne Golf Resort, began in March, 2006. It will comprise a £25m five-star hotel, a spa and leisure complex and 57 homes within the grounds.
A 'first' for Northern Ireland is the fact that a new International Members Club will be formed, which will be limited to 100 individuals. Included in the membership are Nick Faldo himself and cricketer, Ian Botham.
The hotel opens next Monday and employs 90 people. Within the grounds are 25 stone lodges with distinctive round towers, each providing the guests with their own drawing room overlooking the lakes.
