A company was set up and local residents bought shares to help finance the project. Volunteers helped build the course - the first nine opened in 1995, the back nine opened in July last year.
Dr Spring said: “The whole community are delighted to host the Seniors Tour this week. We are in the middle of three weeks where golf is focused in Ireland and it’s good to see. Many companies have sponsored the event and we are all looking forward to it.”
Dr Spring has designed a number of courses in Ireland and refurbished a few others. Of East Clare GC he said: “The key holes are seven, eight, nine and ten. The seventh is a long par four and the eighth a lovely 135-yards par three over water. The ninth is a dogleg which has two lakes which need to be negotiated and an awkward tee shot confronts players in the tenth, as well as water and a two tier green.
“The greens are fantastic and all different sizes. It is a nice parkland golf course.”
The West of Ireland Seniors Championship is a new event on the calendar and will have a prize fund of £90,000, the winner receiving £14,550.
