Lahinch Golf Club is a storied course that avoids the spotlight

"I think many people here can't wait to see how the professionals play these holes," Keane said. "It's quirky, but that's what left golf was."

Hawtree & # 39; s sixth, seventh and eighth holes mingle in the stream before Mackenzie & # 39; s work takes over. At number 13, a Parisian par-4, the tee-shot must flirt with a hefty pit to reach the sloping pit surface.

"I think the course itself will look great for golf viewers," Keane said. "They will really enjoy watching the pro & # 39; s try to maneuver their way."

The idea might be to call Lahinch a well-kept secret, but it's hard to be a secret when the club says it has around 2,500 members and welcomes more than 10,000 visitors to its fairways . It is a major component of Irish golf tourism, along with Royal County Down Golf Club, Ballybunion Golf Club and Royal Portrush.

Lahinch has never made a priority to pursue major events. It organizes the South Irish Championship every year, but the last professional tournament held in Lahinch was the 1975 Carroll Irish Match Play, won by Christy O & # 39; Connor Jr. Before that it was the 1961 Irish Professional Championship (now Irish PGA), where O & # 39; Connor & # 39; s uncle, Christy O & # 39; Connor Sr., won.

If McGinley were not so dedicated, Lahinch would not have considered the Irish Open.

"We have argued long and hard about the pros and cons," Keane said. "The plus points comfortably exceeded the negatives."

Another important sporting event to get to the west coast of Ireland was the Volvo Ocean Race 2012, where Galway was the final destination. That brought "tens of thousands" of people to the region, Keane said, noting that with the British Open in Royal Portrush, "Ireland will be the number 1 focus right through the golf world in July."