Clinton tees up €1.2m K Club pad

FORMER US President Bill Clinton has forked out 1.2 million for a lavish apartment which he hasn’t yet viewed at The K Club in Co Kildare.

Last weekend, Mr Clinton visited the club for a few holes of golf and decided to acquire one of the 20 holiday homes built within the confines of The K Club enclave.

Some properties remain for sale, but even if you could afford the asking price, which ranges from €950,000 to €1.4 million, you would still require approval from the Jefferson Smurfit and K Club committees.

Those who have bought properties in the high security enclosure include Michael Smurfit, JP McManus and Dermot Desmond.

Mr Clinton went for a two bedroom apartment near the 18th hole.

One of the strong selling points has been that buyers get two full memberships of the golf club in perpetuity a valuable concession considering that 50-year memberships have been selling for something in excess of €225,000.

Clinton may have added his moniker to the country club rich list at the right time as demand for the golfing facilities at The K Club is expected to grow faster in the run-up to the Ryder Cup. Smurfit chief operations officer Garry McGann and New York-based hotelier John Fitzpatrick will also be among Mr Clinton's well-off neighbours. Monte Carlo racehorse owner Michael Tabor bought two adjoining apartments and knocked them into one and Michael Smurfit did the same thing with three apartments.

Tom Coughlan, chief executive and chairman of Wal-Mart, the world's largest supermarket group, whose ancestors come from Co Mayo, and businessman Ben Dunne already own golf retreats at the Kildare club.

The two-bedroom apartment has a floor area of 1,000 sq ft a lavishly finished living room suitable for entertaining on a fairly large scale and directly off it and a kitchen with all modern appliances.

The two bedrooms are doubles and both of them have attractive bathrooms.