Stampeding cattle ‘devastate’ Co Clare golf course

A 40-strong herd of stampeding cattle has forced one of Co Clare’s best known golf courses to close until further notice.

The herd of Charolais and Limousin cattle broke into the grounds of Woodstock golf course outside Ennis early Saturday morning and ran across the course, seriously damaging 10 greens in the process.

A spokesperson for Woodstock Golf Club said there was a “look of shock and horror on the members’ faces after they had seen what the cattle have done.”

The spokesperson said the green-keeper was on the course at 6.30am on Saturday when he saw “40 animals coming at him”.

“We have the best greens in Clare. There are huge greens and the course recently got great compliments from anyone who has played the course,” the spokesperson said.

Fine Gael member of Clare Co Council, Cllr Mary Howard lives close to the golf club located on the western fringes of Ennis.

After viewing footage of the damage caused, Cllr Howard said: “I couldn’t get over the damage. The hooves made divots of two, three and four inches deep on the greens.”

A message on the club’s Facebook page has advised members that the club is closed until further notice. The message posted on Saturday reads: “A herd of cattle got on to the course during the night and have caused serious and widespread damage. Devastating for our club and its owners and greenkeepers.”

The club spokesperson said that the closure of the course will result in a loss of income for the golf club through the loss of green fee income and also a loss of revenue at the adjoining Hotel Woodstock.

The club was yesterday awaiting assessors from the club’s insurance firm to assess the cost of the damage caused by the cattle.