Over 140 years of golf in Fota Island and it's still going strong

While Fota Island can be regarded as Cork’s top championship golf location, not many people will know that the Fota was the site of the first record of organised golf in Cork. 

Golf in Cork dates back to 1883, when the first course in Cork was laid out on what was then known as the Smith Barry Estate.

Owned by Lady Barrymore who lived in Fota House, the course was a short nine-hole layout and was mainly used by the Officers of the British Army stationed in Cork. 

The course in Fota was the second recorded course in Ireland, after a course in Belfast was established in 1881. 

Research from golf historian Tim O’Brien uncovered that in the early years the owner offered a cup for a competition between the members of Cork Golf Club and Rushbrooke Golf Club, and members of both clubs were permitted to practice on the course.

The course lasted around 30 years until the game spread by way of the large increase in the number of courses and clubs. 

It’s not known where exactly on the island that the course was located but it is unlikely that it was on the site of the current course. 

The course was known as the links field, and was situated close to Fota House.

Although it boasts the earliest records of golf in Cork, there was a break of almost 80 years before the sport returned to Fota Island in 1993 when a new course was established by an international property investment fund.

The course was designed by Irish Ryder Cup star Christy O’Connor Jr. and twice English Amateur Champion Peter McEvoy. 

A fore-runner to the current championship layout, the course was popular among local golfers and hosted the Irish Amateur Open and the Irish PGA Professional Championship in the early years.

Golf on the island changed at the turn of the century when Dr Tim O’Mahony’s Killen Investments purchased the course and commenced a multi-million pound investment. 

That included the redevelopment of the course into a European Tour level course, with Jeff Howes Golf Design responsible for the rebuilding of all 18 greens and tee-boxes, and the redesign of several holes.

The investment from the new owners was rewarded when the course hosted the Murphy’s Irish Open in 2001 and 2002. 

The events were boasted some of the highest attendance figures on the European Tour in that timeframe.

In 2004 there was another change of ownership when the course was bought by Fleming Construction who set about a substantial development that saw a hotel and housing being built onsite. 

The new owner also built a new nine-hole course in addition to the development of an extensive academy. 

With 27 holes now in place, this gave Fota the option to play three different courses, the original Deerpark routing along with the Barryscourt and Belvelly layouts which use the new nine holes. 

In 2006, the resort hosted the AIB Irish Seniors Open with Sam Torrance winning the title, one of his 11 wins on the seniors circuit.

The property related recession in 2009 resulted in the property going under the control of NAMA with current owners, the Kang Family purchasing the resort in 2013. 

Following some changes on the championship Deerpark course including new tee boxes, in 2014 it hosted the Irish Open for the third time, setting records for the number of spectators.

Recently the Fota Island Academy has been upgraded to incorporate the latest Trackman range technology which allows golfers to track your stats and distances, play games and competitions and have some fun during practice. 

Two dedicated teaching bays are reserved for tuition and club fitting. 

The long game area that has 10 covered bays with astroturf tees in front and grass areas for the summer months. 

There’s also a short game area with a large putting green, three chipping greens and two practice bunkers, complete with astroturf areas so these are in use all year round.

Fota Island remains the premier championship and resort destination in Cork, setting standards in the design and quality of the 27 holes, as well as the tour level practice facilities in the Fota Island Academy. 

The resort still remains accessible to Cork golfers with affordable open competitions, great offers for societies and a number of charity classics taking place there annually. 

In addition to joining the resort as a full member, there is also the option of affiliate membership to the extensive academy facilities. 

This also includes playing rights on the Barryscourt nine as an associate member of the resort.