By Colm Bradley
It is often said that you do not appreciate the beauty on your own doorstep and that is certainly true of some Fermanagh people. But, for those of us who swing a club in a desperate attempt to get a little white ball to go where we want, the Faldo course at the Lough Erne Golf Resort throws open the shutters and rips off our blinkers and demands us to marvel at the astounding natural beauty of our own county. Yes, it is that stunningly breathtaking.
I was lucky enough to play the course last week and not only do I live to tell the tale but I live with gleeful anticipation for my next outing. The course, which opens today, can be played by all. With five different tee boxes on each hole it will test the biggest of hitters while also allowing those with a shorter drive the opportunity to enjoy a fabulous days golf.
Taking me on the round was Andy Campbell, Director of Golf at the Lough Erne Golf Resort and an incredibly patient man. Nerves on our first hole saw my drive rise higher than an apollo space launch and when the divot for my second shot flew further than the ball I'm sure I saw a little grimace on Andy's face. He quite possibly, and correctly, thought that this local hack might just hack his course to pieces! But thankfully I sorted my game out and started to play less like a 44 handicapper and more like a 24 handicapper. By the time I putted out on the 6th I was rather enjoying the feeling of playing a true Championship Golf Course. It was challenging no doubt, and if it were a contest between the course and I the Faldo was winning by a considerable margin but such was the sheer joy of pitting my wits against a thing of such beauty that I did not mind the fact that three balls had already surrendered themselves to the heavy whispy rough.
By the 7th my driver, that was beginning to obey my begging to send the ball straight, and an 8 iron saw me to the back of the green but with my first par of the day in sight I fluffed a chip and two putted.
But it hardly mattered. While you may get angry with yourself from time to time there is always something around the corner to take your breath away and bring a smile to your face.
Standing on the 13th tee with six to play I was beginning to feel a little disappointed that two thirds of the round was over but my spirits were to be spectacularly lifted by the feeling all mediocre golfers such as myself experience from time to time.
The 170 uphill yards to the green were tamed by a six iron that felt in around the perfect zone right from the moment of impact. Softly landing from a height the ball stopped on the green pin high 12 foot from the flag.
And when the ball disappeared from view from the resulting putt what seemed like the most improbable of prospects on the first hole had been achieved. A birdie.
The next number of holes were not to be quite so successful from a scoring point of view but still equally enjoyable and by the time the monstrous par three finishing hole loomed in the distance there was a real sense of achievement in the fact that there was still a generous smattering of balls left in my bag.
One more was to be lost however. Indeed there must be a Sea God living in the depths of Castlehume Lough as both my ball and Andy's surrendered themselves to the deep. It seemed though that only the one sacrifice was required at the watery alter as both our provisional's safely found dry land. Strangely, I felt proud of my six as I took my last shot of the day on the Faldo. Perhaps it was because I knew that I would tangle with this fabulous course again in the near future.
Jim Treacy is to be commended for his foresight in bringing such a project to its full fruition and we in Fermanagh should be proud of having a course, which will quickly establish itself among Ireland's top five, on our doorstep. Today the course opens officially and I would advise all golfers to get out and play this true jewel in the crown of Fermanagh. It will leave you coming back for more.
