Doonbeg golf club Clare

Members Achievements

History of Doonbeg

Founded 2004

Doonbeg was considered as an ideal setting for links golf as early as 1892 by officers of the Scottish Black Watch Regiment.Instead they selected Lahinch, which was more accessible.
The Doonbeg Community Development Company began to promote the concept of a golf course at Doonbeg in the early 1990s.  Urged by that group, Shannon Development obtained purchase options for 377 acres of linksland from four farming families at Doonbeg.
Doonbeg Golf Club Ltd., an Irish entity created by the partners of Kiawah Development Partners, acquired the options from Shannon Development and closed the sale in December 1999.
Construction of the golf course commenced December 7, 1999.
Private investment in the golf course totalled around $25 million. This included course facilities, infrastructure (roads, water, sewer), and land costs (including legal and permitting), but does not take into account the accommodation or related amenities.  The project is supported in part by a 2.4 million in European Structural Funds.
When complete with Lodge, Clubhouse, Spa, and Cottages the project will represent an overall investment of over 150 million.

Environmental Preservation
Environmentally, the Doonbeg site contains two significant elements that have been meticulously protected: the grey dunes (the term applied to the oldest intact dunes) and an endangered snail, Vertigo angustior.
The grey dunes at Doonbeg are designated as a candidate Special Area of Conservation by the Irish Heritage Service.  Under a management agreement between Doonbeg Golf Club and, those 51 acres of grey dunes are fenced off permanently for preservation and are not in play.
The remainder of the site, including the course, is designated as a proposed Natural Heritage Area.

Vertigo angustior, a microscopic snail just 2 millimeters high and 1 millimeter wide, was discovered on the site during the developer's environmental impact assessment.  Like the grey dunes, it is listed for protection under the European Union's Habitats Directive.  After analysi by the leading Irish expert on Vertigo angustior, it was concluded that the snail can coexist both in the dunes and on the course.  A management plan carried out by the developer continuously monitors and protects the snail habitat.
Kiawah Development Partners has won several significant awards for its environmental sensitivity at Kiawah Island.  These awards note the company's record for careful, conservative dune preservation and for integrating its golf courses with nature, both of which are of utmost priority at Doonbeg Golf Club.