Green light for risk and reward

Course changes The K ClubIn much the way a plastic surgeon will nip and tuck to improve what nature has provided, a golf course designer can ameliorate his work with his own brand of ingenuity.

Which is what has happened at The K Club, the venue for the Ryder Cup in 2006.

Yet, what has occurred is far from cosmetic, with the redevelopment of the greens on the third hole and the signature seventh hole undoubtedly improving the North Course.

Gerry Byrne, the resort superintendent, can have pride in what has been achieved over the winter months. Even now, over two-and-a-half years ahead of the event, the changes which have been incorporated are entirely to do with the Ryder Cup. And, while this is the first phase of work, it is actually the most dramatic in terms of how it will affect the aesthetics of the course.

Understandably, the changes have the imprint of Arnold Palmer, the course architect, and his associate Harrison Minchew. Not surprisingly, either, water is central to the changes: on the third, which will play as the 12th in the Ryder Cup, the beach bunker to the left of the green is no more. In its place, the lake has been extended to cut into a green that has also been reduced with a piece of the putting surface wickedly jutting out into the water to offer a cruel pin position. Don't be surprised to see it in play on the Sunday's singles.

It was during a couple of Palmer's visits during the construction of the South Course on the other side of the River Liffey that the suggestion to take out the beach bunker first arose. However, rather than seed the newly-constructed green, the more expensive option to sod the greens - and the new spectator-friendly mounds - was taken, which also ensured that the grass on the two new greens remains the same as those on the other holes.

"The third was probably the weakest hole on the course, a straight away par three," admitted Byrne. "The beach bunker didn't really come into play for professionals."

Now the view from the tee is much different. The green has been reduced by a third, but the real effect is the presence of water lapping up to the new rock face which edges the two-tiered green into the lake. For good measure, a new bunker has been built to the rear of the tongue of green that juts out. "It's now a very strong, risk and reward hole," insisted Byrne.

Up to 10,000 cubic metres of earth was claimed in the excavation of the lake and this was used to create the moundings around the green. "It was essential for grass on all the greens to remain the same," he added.

Just beyond the third green, a new championship tee has been constructed on the fourth hole - the lake on the left is now visible off the tee - and the trees on the right will force players to have greater shape to their tee-shots.

While the third green transforms this particular hole, the reconstruction of the seventh green - which will the 16th in the Ryder Cup, with the two nines switched around as has been the case in recent European Opens - also adds to the risk-and-reward nature of this signature par five hole.

"This was always a problem green," conceded Byrne of the seventh, given it was in shade on even sunny days. The spare sods from the old third green were used here which saw the size more than double from 400 square yards to 1,000 square yards. "It's now a true island green, rather than having a postage stamp on an island," claimed Byrne.

The green is long and narrow, measuring 53 yards from front to back. Three trees to the left of the green were relocated to the South Course and this has allowed more natural light to find the green's surface. Now, it is possible to see the green's definition from the fairway and, especially on days when the tee is moved forward, it should become a real risk-and-reward hole with players tempted to go for the surface in two.

The hog's back that was a feature of the old green is gone, and there is now lots of movement on the surface. The restructured green should also assist in its maintenance. Previously, the green staff was limited in the number of pin positions, but there is now the possibility of a pin position on the back right.

The eighth green has also been redeveloped, but not to the same dramatic effect as the third and seventh. Here, the surface has been raised by nine inches, but that is sufficient to allow for a middle or back left pin position (unfair on the old green) which brings the Liffey more into play.

Work on this phase of course surgery started in mid-October but has proven so successful the greens are already in play.

"It was important to get work such as this done over two years before the Ryder Cup," insisted Byrne, "and it is a help this is not a tournament year for the course. This is the key agronomic year and its important to have a consistent year, not to be in tournament mode."

The European Open will be played on the new South Course this July.

As part of the preparation for the Ryder Cup, some 200 trees are being moved from the North Course to the South Course, mainly in order to enhance the spectator line.