Dundrum

It's a long way to Tipperary,
It's a long way to go.
It's a long way to Tipperary
To the sweetest girl I know.
Goodbye Piccadilly,
Farewell Leicester Square,
It's a long long way to Tipperary,
But my heart lies there.

Prior to the Great War, Jack Judge and Harry Williams wrote the famous marching song that made County Tipperary famous. The golf course is much younger, opening for play in 1993, and designed by Philip Walton, who will be remembered eternally for sealing victory for Europe in the 1995 Ryder Cup. Extraordinarily, if you rearrange the letters of Philip Walton's name, you get the anagram: "Whop! I'll tap in."

Walton has worked with nature – utilising the River Multeen and the gently undulating parkland around the 18th century Dundrum Manor House – and has created a testing and enjoyable course in a delightful and engaging spot.

In 1999 the club decided to switch the two returning nines, so what was the 1st in 1993 is now the 10th.

Although this par 72 layout stretches out to 7,056 yards, the course is also enjoyable for the average club golfer. Walton's favourite hole is the 5th, a 343-yard par four. "This is the shortest par four on the course but there is no room for error," he says. "There are six bunkers which leave a very tight fairway to hit. The 2nd shot has to carry the lake to the front of the green with a large bunker and out of bounds waiting for the over-hit shot at the back. A par is always welcome here."