All set to challenge golfers of all abilities

Course development Castleknock GC: Philip Reid visits the new Jonathan Gaunt-designed course and latest addition to Dublin's golfing landscape

The fairways are pristine, the greens and tees immaculate; and the reason is to be found in a huge building - a structure much more than a mere maintenance shed - close by the 17th hole at Castleknock Golf Club.

Amidst the Ferraris and Bentleys that bare testimony to the former motoring fervour of Paul Monahan, of Monarch Properties who have developed this newest golfing asset to the Dublin landscape, are an impressive assemblage of spanking new mowers, spreaders, aerators and tractors that indicate that no expense has been spared to keep intact what has been created here on terrain that was once potato fields.

"What do you want?" was one of the first questions Monahan put to course superintendent John Jennings, who had previously worked at Carton House. Rather than being a question, it was a statement of intent for the quality that was required for the new Jonathan Gaunt-designed course that opened last month to light play. The full, official opening won't take place until 2006, some time around the Ryder Cup. But, in truth, the conditioning of the course already is a tribute to the care and attention that has been put into its development.

Little things matter. For instance, an Italian stonemason was brought in to construct the natural walls that are part and parcel of the 10 acres of lakes that have been created. The stone itself was brought down from Mountcharles in Co Donegal and the aesthetic effect, quite apart from the golfing challenge fashioned by the man-made lakes, is stunning. Indeed, the par three 11th hole - which is virtually in the shadows of the four-star hotel - demands a tee-shot that is almost entirely across water and which is sure to have guests munching on muffins transfixed by the sight of golfers' suffering a watery grave.

The lakes are fed from three independent wells on the land and use a circulation system that has been put in place to ensure clean water and to operate the many cascades and a stream.

"The purpose of the lakes is to enhance the playability of the course, to provide sufficient water for the irrigation system and to enhance biodiversity," explained Monahan. The lakes are linked into a series of marshes and a measure of the success of these environmental friendly areas is that swans and ducks have already made the course their new home.

Not only that, but reeds were brought in from Faithlegg in Co Waterford - which has an established championship course - to infiltrate the marshlands on the course at Castleknock and give the impression that that water features have been around longer than they actually have. The deception is one that works wonderfully well, and adds to the appeal of the layout.

Also, a large number of semi-mature trees were planted to add further charm to the course. The first two holes nestle amid mature trees with additional planting of bamboos, laurels and pines. Native indigenous trees such as oaks, limes and beech have been planted, most noticeably around the 10th and 14th holes while there are plans for additional planting to the left of the sixth tee to further define the drive.

One characteristic of the design is the sheer size of the greens. They're huge, more reminiscent of the scale of those on the Old Course at St Andrews than traditional parkland greens. The piece de resistance is definitely the twin green that encompasses the ninth and 18th holes which, intriguingly, are both par 3s. And, yes, they are both played over water! Not only that, but a large bunker guards the front of the twin green and anyone who manages to evade the water or the sand to find the putting surface is still likely to be faced with a tough examination as the green itself measures 1,300 square metres and is 91 paces from one side to the other.

If that may seem a little quirky, it is allowed. The course is one that offers golfers of all standards an interesting test over gently undulating fairways (the result of some three quarters of a million cubic metres of earth moving to transform the previously flat potato fields) on a course that is not without its picturesque features, most evident in the holes (the third and fourth) that overlook the Liffey across to Hermitage Golf Club on the other side of the river and which has been in existence for a hundred years.

Monahan, whose own sporting passion has been confined to polo in recent years, took a hands-on approach to the construction of the course in working with English golf course architect Gaunt. What has unfolded is a course that will appeal to all levels of players - no less than seven kilometres of buggy paths have been laid to facilitate golfers who prefer to drive rather than walk - with sufficiently generous landing areas on the fairways and the emphasise on the approach shot to contoured greens.

"The mindset was to get a player to think on every shot," added Monahan. And, in that respect, the course architect Gaunt has succeeded admirably. In this day and age of so many courses beating a player up, he has also succeeded in making it a very playable course - not overly long at 6,700 yards - that will entice you to return; and that can't be a bad thing.

Although currently limited to light play for existing members - redeemable share membership is available for €30,000 with a husband-and-wife membership available for €50,000 - the course is one that should prove popular to the ever-expanding area of west Dublin around Castleknock and even further afield.