Mount Juliet, six weeks out from the Irish Open: ‘The golf course is in the best condition it has ever been in’

Mount Juliet, six weeks out from the Irish Open: ‘The golf course is in the best condition it has ever been in’

Mount Juliet is silent today – but general manager Mark Dunne is preparing for the imminent return of guests and golfers .

Mark Dunne, general manager of Mount Juliet Estate in Co Kilkenny. Picture by Dylan Vaughan

The magnificent Jack Nicklaus-designed championship golf course on the rolling 500-acre Mount Juliet Estate is deserted – except for three men making their slow watchful way out towards the fairways.

They are from golf’s European Tour and are here to do a final assessment on the Kilkenny course for the Irish Open that is scheduled to take place in just six weeks’ time. Preparations are going full steam ahead – even though the event has not yet been given the go ahead by the authorities.

Plans to run the event last summer – with up to 40,000 spectators a day, concerts and a huge hospitality operation – fell, like so much else, to Covid.

Article c/o; Independent.ie, Fearghal O’Connor