BLARNEY GOLF RESORT

Ogie16

harry21 wrote: »

Was in the Examiner yesterday that one of the front-running bidders for the resort are a group of farmers and business people who intend returning on returning the course to agricultural use and converting the hotel and houses to a retirement/nusring home set-up.

Would be a pity, I thinks its a good course.

There are higher bids than that proposal. And they all would have the course remaining as it is so i'd say its safe enough. Think middle of this week is cut off point for bids so new owners should be in place soon

harry21

Ogie16 wrote: »

There are higher bids than that proposal. And they all would have the course remaining as it is so i'd say its safe enough. Think middle of this week is cut off point for bids so new owners should be in place soon

Hopefully. You only need to be the highest bidder at the right time. A week out is no time to play your last card

soundsham

Hope I turns out well for all
Staff getting poor enough treatment at the moment and the pool and gym are very tired looking

normanbond

Played the course last week with buddies home for xmas, Course playing really well for this time of year. Greens in great nick and rough easy to negotiate ....no lost balls!!
Finished with grub and few pints!! Roll on 2013...............

soundsham

SOLD
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gift-of-the-grab-investor-sinks-blarney-golf-resort-and-hotel-deal-for-25m-262476.html

moycullen14

soundsham wrote: »

SOLD
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gift-of-the-grab-investor-sinks-blarney-golf-resort-and-hotel-deal-for-25m-262476.html

Good God, that is some bargain. Not for the course so much but throw in a hotel, leisure centre and 38 lodges. Jeez. I mean does that value an 18 hole course/clubhouse at 500K-800K? Lotta clubs would have to adjust their balance sheets in that case.

The swoop buy includes a hotel, leisure centre, 38 two-bed lodges, and 160 acres with an 18-hole course designed by champion golfer John Daly.

big_drive

Serious bargain. Friends of mine in the building trade say the finish on the lodges is exceptional and the materials which went into it were probably too much day one and probably half the reason the cost to build was close to €40 million. they maintain big money could have been saved there in the cost of the build. Presume the best of materials also went into hotel and the construction of the course. The drainage system on the course must also have cost a considerable amount of cash as the course is really dry and playable all year round.

Should be a positive development for all those involved and lead to money being available for work on the course.

Kevinmarkham

big_drive wrote: »

Serious bargain. Friends of mine in the building trade say the finish on the lodges is exceptional and the materials which went into it were probably too much day one and probably half the reason the cost to build was close to €40 million. they maintain big money could have been saved there in the cost of the build. Presume the best of materials also went into hotel and the construction of the course. The drainage system on the course must also have cost a considerable amount of cash as the course is really dry and playable all year round.

Should be a positive development for all those involved and lead to money being available for work on the course.

That may be the case, but the clubhouse toilets were falling to pieces when I was there in 2007 and the place had only just opened. Broken hinges, cracked tiles, loose sinks.

big_drive

The toilets seem ok with past 4/5 years. I had not seen the place before that. There was also an issue with the showers in the locker rooms but that all seems to have been sorted.

Few little things around the course that need to be done but it has the potential to be a fine course. The GUI seem to have been very impressed by it. They held the Bruen qualifying there the last 2 years and the Junior Cup is on there this year.

ssbob

big_drive wrote: »

The toilets seem ok with past 4/5 years. I had not seen the place before that. There was also an issue with the showers in the locker rooms but that all seems to have been sorted.

Few little things around the course that need to be done but it has the potential to be a fine course. The GUI seem to have been very impressed by it. They held the Bruen qualifying there the last 2 years and the Junior Cup is on there this year.

I have been a member the past 3 years and unfortunately the maintenance on the buildings and facilities has been poor although the course has really been looked after, largely due to the fact of the investment last year in a roller for the greens by the mens club.

The lodges all need external work as far as I can see, the hotel seems in good nick although whoever made the decision day 1 to put the clubhouse separate to the main hotel was an idiot.............real Celtic Tiger decision.

Great news for the staff and hopefully the new owner will invest and we will see the course and facilities in the best condition going forward.

Morrisseeee

Does he inherit debt with that, ie. if it cost €30-40m initially, I presume there is still outstanding debt !

big_drive

Not sure really but I presume not. No clue of these things but I assume debts were written off or something somewhere along the line

RICKYD

anyone play this course recently? due down there for a couple of rounds ina few wks so wondering what kinda shape its in

soundsham

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Does he inherit debt with that, ie. if it cost €30-40m initially, I presume there is still outstanding debt !

No
Course is ok at the moment for play

ssbob

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Does he inherit debt with that, ie. if it cost €30-40m initially, I presume there is still outstanding debt !

No bank cut their losses, since the receiver took over the resort has been profitable so bank may have already cleared some of the loan owing and also whatever was paid back initially.

It is likely that this has been written off to a bad loan impairment 3/4 years ago already so prob little or no impact to the bank in this fiscal year.

big_drive

What's the course like these days?

Over 2 years since I played it. I see it's hosting the boys inter provincials at end of month

soundsham

Changed the route again and lost one of the best holes up there due to local house being peppered shortening a strong hole to a drive and a flick on where it was maybe a 6i after a good drive
Nothing planted or added as far as I remember either
Other than that it's fine bar the fact it's often blowing a gale

Kevinmarkham

big_drive wrote: »

What's the course like these days?

Over 2 years since I played it. I see it's hosting the boys inter provincials at end of month

Played it 2/3 weeks ago. Course is in fine shape - the greens particularly.

big_drive

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Played it 2/3 weeks ago. Course is in fine shape - the greens particularly.

That's good to hear as I remember the greens used get criticised a lot there

alxmorgan

soundsham wrote: »

Changed the route again and lost one of the best holes up there due to local house being peppered shortening a strong hole to a drive and a flick on where it was maybe a 6i after a good drive
Nothing planted or added as far as I remember either
Other than that it's fine bar the fact it's often blowing a gale

That the old 15th, index 1 ? I saw they had moved the tee box up but assumed it was temporary

Armchair Andy

alxmorgan wrote:

That the old 15th, index 1 ? I saw they had moved the tee box up but assumed it was temporary

The box is at the corner now and the old teebox is grown over completely. Index 1 I was always happy walking of with a bogey but they absolutely ruined it.
Blarney has annoyed me a few times and it's not down to the course.

big_drive

Armchair Andy wrote: »

The box is at the corner now and the old teebox is grown over completely. Index 1 I was always happy walking of with a bogey but they absolutely ruined it.
Blarney has annoyed me a few times and it's not down to the course.

Yeah that was a serious hard hole, a par there would be like a birdie.

Annoyed you how?

Break80

They had to move the tee on the old index 1 because a new house was built on the left. The owners of the house argued on Health and Safety grounds of balls flying over the property. Personally I think the Resort should have stood their ground as the golf course was in place before any new house. Ironically there is a piggery next door to this house which can stink to high heaven in summer. I don,t think this will be moving any time soon on Health and Safety grounds.

Armchair Andy

big_drive wrote:

Annoyed you how?

Booking opens per phone to be told at the start they were non counting, temporary greens in the middle of fairways without any prior knowledge, shop closing impromptu to be left standing around waiting.
Small things really but they add up.

big_drive

Looks like a bit of uncertainty again with the hotel, etc

Not sure what impact this will have on the golf

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/80-jobs-at-blarney-golf-resort-at-risk-after-closure-974191.html

Dbu

big_drive wrote: »

Looks like a bit of uncertainty again with the hotel, etc

Not sure what impact this will have on the golf

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/80-jobs-at-blarney-golf-resort-at-risk-after-closure-974191.html

Speculation is that it is to be transformed into a direct provision centre.

big_drive

There used to be talk of it going as a nursing home a few years back as it would be set up well enough to be converted and i'd say they seem to be profitable ventures with waiting lists.


The golf side of things appears to do well but the hotel/leisure centre is the problem. Poor location,nothing in walking distance.
If the golf could some way become independent with different entrance etc it would be better off

Dbu

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/blarney-hotel-plans-extended-closure-for-50-rates-discount-976626.html

Update of sorts

big_drive

big_drive wrote: »

There used to be talk of it going as a nursing home a few years back as it would be set up well enough to be converted and i'd say they seem to be profitable ventures with waiting lists.


The golf side of things appears to do well but the hotel/leisure centre is the problem. Poor location,nothing in walking distance.
If the golf could some way become independent with different entrance etc it would be better off

Turns out there is supposed to be a planning application going in to change it to a nursing home with a potential buyer lined up pending planning being granted.

Word is golf club won’t be effected, probably a good result all round if true