Don’t rip off Ryder Cup golf tourists, O’Donoghue warns

TOURISM Minister John O’Donoghue has warned golf clubs not to charge excessive green fees to visitors.

With the country expecting a bonanza after the Ryder Cup here next year, he urged the clubs to give value for money. However, there have already been claims of rip-off green fees in some top Irish clubs, some of which charge up to €250 for a round of golf.

Mr O’Donoghue, speaking at the opening of a refurbished, €1.4m clubhouse at Dooks Golf Club, on the Ring of Kerry, said there was no room for complacency regarding golf tourism.

He said research among visitors, in recent years, showed up concerns about value for money in relation to green fees at some clubs.

Mr O’Donoghue said: “It is important that we address these value for money issues effectively and promptly and that the golf industry plays its part in ensuring that visitors are offered high quality golf at a competitive price.”

The Ryder Cup, to be played at the K Club in Co Kildare, is projected to give Irish tourism a €1 billion boost.

Described as an unprecedented showcase for the Irish golf industry, it will be seen by a billion people worldwide on television, will be covered by a 2,000-strong media corps and attended by 40,000 people each day.

Many of those at the Ryder Cup will play courses around the country.

According to Fáilte Ireland, we had 133,000 golfing visitors, in 2003, who spent €126m.

Mr O’Donoghue said the build-up to the Ryder Cup involved one of the most intensive tourism promotion programmes ever undertaken for this country.