The Ryder Cup could be heading south at the K Club in 2006.

The biggest team event in golf is scheduled to take place at the Kildare venue in four years time but it could be at the new, euro ¤10 million Arnold Palmer-designed South course.

The contract between the K Club and Ryder Cup Ltd states that the 2006 clash event will be played on the "Old" course, the traditional home of the Smurfit European Open.

But that could all change in 2004 when the European Open moves to the new stadium course designed by Palmer.

Director of golf Paul Crowe is so proud of the new design that he feels that a huge debate follow when the course opens.

"We plan to take the Smurfit European Open onto the new course for 2004 and I think that will really start the arguments going. I think people will be really impressed with the new course.

"One they see it in play people will start to think, 'maybe we should move the Ryder Cup to the new course'.

"It's a par 72 of 7,300 yards and wind is a bigger factor than on the old course.

"The way it has been designed it is a super stadium course with lots of vantage points so you wouldn't have to put up too many grandstands because there are so many places to watch the golf from."

The K Club doesn't rule out a return to the traditional venue for the 2005 edition of the European Open but in 2003 it will definitely be played on the new south course.

"We haven't fully decided the names of the courses. On the new 'South' course we have 17 holes complete and we will have the last hole completed within the next couple of days.

"It's very different from the old course because although the Liffey isn't a feature there are 14 acres of water on the course," Crowe explained.

"Apart from that it has a really link-like quality to it ­ big undulating fairways and huge greens with lots of movement. The rough will be very penal as well."

But there is nothing natural about the course. Presented with a flat field, Palmer has had to construct all the hazards and move two million tonnes of earth to create what is being heralded as a new masterpiece.

Added Crowe: "Nothing has been brought in. What we excavated we used to create mounds and hillocks and movement in general.

"Ad the course is on schedule to open on July 1 next year, despite nature's best attempts to mess us up."

Ss for the main course, plans are already underway to remodel the par three 12th hole ­ one of the easiest on the course.

Before that can take place, the Junior Ryder Cup will be played the week before the main event with 12 girls and boys form Europe and the USA squaring up in what has become an integral part of the Ryder Cup experience.

Work will continue in the background as Crowe and his team work on their 'master plan' for 2006.

"We have monitored the feedback from players and over the next couple of weeks we will decide what changes to carry out next year.

"We start the internal preparation this winter ­ all the boring stuff, compound areas and sewerage requirements and the stuff that goes with it."

At 7,300 yards, the course is the longest on the European Tour schedule and there are no plans to make it even longer.

"We haven't got much more scope to make it longer," said Crowe. "We will be deepening a lot of bunkers and the 12th will be made much tougher and remodelled this or next winter. We look at the course all the time."

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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