In the past, golfers visiting Rosapenna might have noticed the giant sand scrapes and faint fairway outlines south of the Old Tom Morris and Sandy Hills layouts. These remnants belonged to a 36-hole facility developed by the Walsh family in the early 1990s, with the Maheramagorgan Links designed by Eddie Hackett and the Trá Mór Links by Royal County Down assistant professional Joanne O’Haire.
In the early 2000s, Martin Hawtree suggested course improvements, but soon after, Nicklaus Design was commissioned to redesign the courses as part of a €60 million project. This development included a 5-star hotel, luxury apartments, and retail units. However, the 2008 financial recession halted the project.
The Casey family acquired the property in late 2012 and consulted Tom Doak of Renaissance Golf Design. Doak proposed creating one exceptional 18-hole course from the 300-plus acres, rather than maintaining two mediocre layouts. He also assisted the Caseys in securing funding and became a part-owner.
Construction of the new St Patrick’s course began in April 2018, with Doak’s lead associate Eric Iverson, Clyde Johnson, and Angela Moser working to complete the build by 2020. The final touch was the appointment of head greenkeeper George Helly, who had experience at Bandon Dunes and Tara Iti, to oversee the grow-in phase. The course officially opened in June 2021, showcasing Doak’s first 18-hole design in Ireland.
