Join the Smurfit set overlooking K-Club's 18th fairway

Apartments and detached houses at a new K-Club scheme cost from €980,000 to €3.3 million, writes Edel Morgan

Not just any old multi-millionaire can buy at Ladycastle, an exclusive development of 83 new houses and apartments adjoining the Smurfit Course at the K-Club in Straffan, Co Kildare.

Prospective purchasers must first become a member of the club, which involves the rigorous process of an interview and submitting a detailed bio-history for approval. Once in, each purchaser gets two full memberships to K-Club courses and can avail of the golf course free of charge. Green fees to non-members are €250 per round. Membership also entitles access to the K-Club's state-of-the art spa and gym.

The marketing blurb for Ladycastle - which straddles the 18th fairway and hole - points out that future residents will be able to watch the 2006 Ryder Cup unfold "from their own magnificent back yard".

Built by Menolly, better known for their volume house building, prices at Ladycastle start at €980,000 for the smallest two-bed apartments to €3.3 million for the daddy of them all, the Smurfit, a four-bedroom detached house. French Estates is handling sales. Around half of the units were sold prior to today's launch.

Much of the development has a neat toytown-look, with many units deceptively large inside. All are within a short walking distance of the Smurfit course clubhouse which opened a year ago. There is another more established clubhouse at the Palmer 18-hole golf course.

Viewers will need to give themselves plenty of time to get around all of the showhouses and apartments, which are fitted out by three different interior design companies who will help buyers personalise their homes - Belfast-based Garunda Design, Cotton Box, and Spirit and Style.

Judging by the dark woods, sober stripes and decanters, several of the show units are obviously targeted at the older businessman. A few with French antique-style furniture and clawfoot baths are a nod to female viewers.

All units have an intercom to the electronic security gate, surround sound systems and plasma TVs. Purchasers are given a fairly extensive choice of all fixtures and fittings. The internal layout can be altered as long as it remains within the original footprint.

Buyers so far have been a mix of ages and profiles, from late thirtysomethings to retirees mainly from Ireland but with some from the UK and America.

There are four different house types and four apartment styles. The Smurfit, the largest house at 353sq m (3,800sq ft) costing €3.3 million has a large cobblelocked forecourt and living accommodation on the upper level to maximise views of the golf course.

The showhouse has a formal diningroom which opens onto a large terrace with steps, providing a rear entrance off the golf course. Decorated by Garunda Designs, large double doors open out to a traditional cream kitchen with stunning flecked brown marbled countertops. There is a large island unit, double oven and American-style fridge, although a purchaser may choose other fittings.

The livingroom has dark textured wallpaper and matt wood floors and the study has a bay large enough to fit a desk or small sofa. Downstairs, all of the bedrooms - three large doubles and a substantial single - have en suites with baths and showers.

The main bedroom has doors to a patio and an en suite with Jacuzzi (optional) and double shower. Two of the bedrooms have walk-in wardrobes. The smallest bedroom en suite has futuristic Phillippe Starck fittings but, at circa €15,000, some purchasers may prefer to spend the money elsewhere.

The Tyrconnell is a 318sq m (3,425sq ft) four-bed detached house with a vast hall, underfloor heating, and a vacuum system. The show sittingroom is extremely traditional in decor - think Southfork - with double doors to a formal diningroom.

A comfortable sunroom has walnut floors, and doors to a breakfastroom. The kitchen is cream country-style with a double sink and an alcove, which some may prefer to omit. The utility has a glass washer and wine cooler. Again all of the bedrooms are en suite. The bathroom fittings are luxurious with vast sinks, large shower units and tastefully executed tiling.

The €1.5 million three-bedroom house looks like a gate-lodge from the outside but is an impressive 153sq m (1,645sq ft).

It has a double bedroom to the right of the entrance hall with a large en suite. The showhouse sittingroom has gleaming polished French oak floors. The kitchen has a utility room and a door to the landscaped and lawned garden. A storage unit is large enough to hold a lot of golf equipment. There is also a downstairs toilet.

Upstairs on either side of the balcony landing there are two double en suite bedrooms.

The apartments start at 112sq m (1,215sq ft) and go up to 184sq m (1,980sq ft). The smallest unit has two en suite bedrooms, a separate kitchen, and a livingroom with a plasma TV. It also has a storage unit and a main bathroom.

The two-bedroom duplex unit at 144sq m (1,560sq ft) cost €1.64 million and has a large sitting cum diningroom. It has doors out to a decked balcony with views of the clubhouse. The kitchen is separate, and there is a study/bedroom window. Both double bedrooms are en suite, and the main one has a walk-in wardrobe.

Another 131sq m (1,420sq ft) apartment at €1.15 million has a large hall and two en suite bedrooms, a separate kitchen and large sitting/diningroom with doors to a patio.

The K-Club hit the headlines recently when Dr Michael Smurfit and developer Gerry Gannon announced they were buying back the golf resort from Jefferson Smurfit Group (JSG) along with a defunct paper mill for €115 million.

Dr Smurfit, who is chairman and a 7.7 per cent shareholder in JSG, retained the right to buy the K-Club up to 2007 when Madison Dearborn took it private in 2002.

The K-Club has two world class golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer, a legendary US professional, a luxury hotel, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and horse riding.