With the majority of young amateurs nowadays turning professional as soon as they make any kind of mark in the championship arena, the days of course specialists have more or less dwindled away to nothing. 

You will not notice as you drive along Cork’s south ring road this New Year and pass beneath Frankfield Golf Club but up above, for members and owners alike, the emotions will be as raw as the morning chill.

The K Club’s Ryder Cup course has been voted the country’s top parkland course for 2014 by readers of Golfing Weekly. Its sister course at the Straffan estate, the Smurfit Course, came in at No 15.

It is all to play for after day one of the Women’s Interprovincials at Cork GC yesterday.