Although the scratch cup weekend is now over, Lee Valley will continue to be a busy place for both golfers and staff.  Lee Valley’s Director of golf David Keohane was delighted with the feedback from golfers over the weekend and he was quick to point out that they are continuing to develop the course which celebrates 25 years next year.  “We have some great plans for the course in 2017” said Keohane.  “Four new tee boxes are currently being constructed.  The 1st, 6th, 12th and 16th will be completely redesigned with each of them being widened and lengthened.  The pick of these tee boxes is our new par three sixteenth where we have raised the tee box by over five feet and created a surface 25 by 30 meters.  The base for the new tee box was so large that many a golfer asked if we were moving the pro shop down there.  When the sixteenth has been completed I think we will have four of the finest par threes in Munster.  The heavy sanding program will continue and we will also be redeveloping our bunkers over the short and medium term.”

Gallery: Dell EMC Lee Valley Senior Scratch Cup (Sat)

David was also very happy with the feedback from some of Ireland’s top amateurs.  “I think the players could see the hard work and the money spent on the course was paying fruition by producing a top qualifying golfing venue” said David.  “The course presentation was top notch. I don’t think there was a blade of grass out of place.  Our team of Green Keepers led by Jerry Keohane and James Mulcahy put in the extra hours to get the course in pristine condition. I don’t think there was a blade of grass out of place.  There was particular praise from the competitors with regard to our fairways.  The quality of our fairways can be put down to the sanding program we introduced three years ago where each year we have been spreading over five hundred tons of sand on them.  I think over the past ten years this is the best I have seen Lee Valley looking so early in the year and as the summer goes on it will get even better.”

Gallery: Dell EMC Senior Scratch Cup (Sun)

David also has invitation for Cork golfers to play the course: “Golfers will have plenty of opportunity to play the course in our Monday Open Singles which launched on the 24th of April, and our race to the Old Head which will be starting soon.  We are also open for membership where members of the course can play competitions 7 days a week at Lee Valley.”