| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland |
| Established | 1991 |
| Type | Private |
| Owned by | Gerry Gannon and Michael Smurfit |
| Total holes | 36 |
| Tournaments hosted | Ryder Cup - (2006) European Open (1995-2007) |
| Website | kclub.com |
| Palmer Course | |
| Designed by | Arnold Palmer |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,350 yards (6,720 m) |
| K Club Course | |
| Designed by | Arnold Palmer |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,277 yards (6,654 m) |
| K Club | |
|---|---|
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1991 |
| Rating | Michelin Guide |
| City | Straffan |
| Country | Republic of Ireland |
The Kildare Hotel and Golf Club (abbreviated The K Club) is a golf and leisure complex located at Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland. It is built on the old grounds of Straffan House and at present is jointly owned by Gerry Gannon and Michael Smurfit.
The origins of Straffan House date back to around 550 AD, with the house being built in the 1830s by Hugh Barton, and remained in the Barton family until 1949. Following a succession of different owners, the house was purchased by the Jefferson Smurfit Group in 1988 before its transformation into the K Club, which opened three years later. Gannon and Smurfit privately purchased the K Club in 2005, following the sale of Jefferson Smurfit to Madison Dearborn Partners and its subsequent merger with Kappa Packaging.[1]
The K Club is one of only four Irish 5-red-star hotels (as rated by The Automobile Association).
Contents |
The K Club restaurant is a quality restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star in 1993 en 1994.[2]
The hotel complex also contains two golf courses, both designed by Arnold Palmer. The Palmer Course was the venue for the 2006 Ryder Cup, the first time the event had been staged in Ireland. The course also hosted the Smurfit European Open on the European Tour from 1995 to 2003 and again in 2005, with that tournament being played on the resort's "inland links" K Club Course in 2004, 2006, and 2007.