Ballybunion Golf Club’s favourite son Tom Watson was in town on Friday last to perform the official opening ceremony for the club’s brand new driving range and practice facility which he co-designed with Graeme Webster.

The eight-time major winner was in tremendous form and spent over an hour at the range laughing and joking with the members, while also giving advice and golfing tips.

As part of the opening celebrations, the club organised a “Bullseye” target golf competition using the trackman technology with ten members qualifying for the playoff. Tom insisted on taking the microphone to interview each contestant and do the commentary as they hit their shots, while he also joined in to sing an impromptu verse and chorus of “American Pie” with M.C. for the occasion Ger Walsh.

Tom is delighted with the way the new holes on the Cashen course have turned out and he told the assembled crowd : “Robert Trent Jones told you that he left the club with a diamond in the rough and its now up to Graeme (Webster) and I to polish it and we’re going to make Ballybunion the best 36-hole links golf complex in the world”

After the ceremonies finished, Tom took off on a golf buggy with members of his design team, Head Professional Brian O’Callaghan and club officials, for a further inspection of the Cashen course, before enjoying dinner later that evening at McMunns.