A WILD wind was blowing off Lough Ree on the day I became reacquainted with Glasson. The course, in its verdant splendour, was hardly recognisable from the embryonic layout I had visited with Royal Dublin professional Leonard Owens about five years ago. Never an ugly duckling, it had matured into an especially attractive swan.

An American golfing colleague, once expressed the view that Ireland's great attraction lay in its wonderful links terrain. "We have so many fine parkland courses in the States that we expect something special when we go overseas," he said.

In that context, the visitor can sample a Jack Nicklaus creation at Mount Juliet; the design skills of Arnold Palmer at The K Club, and the handiwork of the old master, Robert Trent Jones, at Adare Manor. On the other hand, the attraction of Druids Glen and Killarney lies essentially in the beauty of the location.

Glasson, which is six miles north of Athlone, falls into that latter category. It would be difficult to imagine a more arresting setting, with Lough Ree and the Shannon visible from almost every part of the course. Indeed, Breda Reid captured its magic when she said: "I always considered this place to be heaven, even when it wasn't a golf course."

The two of us were standing on the elevated 14th tee, looking down the fairway sweeping away to the right. And beyond, was the spectacular, short 15th, nestling on the shore of the lake.

The designer, Christy O'Connor Jnr, has not done better work than this. Having been provided with a wonderful site of generous, 175 acre proportions, he used the land to splendid effect, through extensive earth moving on the front nine and the enhancement of rolling terrain on the homeward journey.

Yet, having farmed the land like his father before him, Tom Reid appeared to be taking a major gamble when the idea of a golf course came to him about seven years ago. "Though I have never been a golfer, I always believed it would work," he said. "But I was also aware that it had to be something special."

O'Connor supplied that crucial ingredient. And Reid's intimate knowledge of the site became a priceless asset, notably with regard to drainage. So it was that the partnership of architect and farmer produced a finished product that did both of them proud. The fact is that I have not seen a better drained parkland course in this country.

Now, the rewards are coming in. Last season, 20,000 rounds delivered a green fee income of about £400,000 and Reid is confident of passing the half million mark this year. His confidence in the project is further reflected in plans for its further development.

"Within another five years, I hope to have an all purpose amenity here," he added. "From our investigations of the American market, we concluded that on site hotel accommodation is vital. So we have, sought planning permission.

Meanwhile, there is the bonus of accessibility by boat, all the way from Enniskillen, since the completion of the Ballinamore Canal, linking the Shannon with Lough Erne. And golfers come from other areas of the river. "There is a jetty at the back of the 17th and hardly a day passed during the summer when there wouldn't be a few cruisers berthed there," said Reid.

With an overall length of 7,120 yards off the back tees, Glasson is capable of challenging players of the highest standard. Its prospects of playing host to a major championship, however, would depend on significant upgrading of the roads linking it with the Athlone bypass.

Meanwhile, less gifted practitioners are in for a treat. I have always admired O'Connor's design skills and the wild conditions served to emphasise the sense of spectacle.

During my visit, small groups of priests were getting to know the place, prior to a forthcoming outing. As we reached a high point behind the fourth green, Breda Reid cautioned me not to "disturb the holy priests putting." Whereas, whipped by the wind, they were probably hoping I would be out of earshot of their expletives.

Glasson seems destined to prosper, if only for the fact that it carries the good wishes of Gene Sarazen, who became its first honorary life member, during a visit there in 1993.

Away from the river, heading towards Moate, I made a seven mile drive to the contrasting terrain of Mount Temple, the brainchild of its owners, Michael and Margaret Dolan. Though much more modest in concept, it provides an important, complementary element to golf in the Athlone area.

It was there that I learned about a rather special golfing hazard. Noting the nonstrategic nature of certain sand traps, I wondered why they had been built. "Oh they're rabbit bunkers," said Michael Dolan. "Ah, for high handicappers," I suggested. "No, for rabbits, to keep them quiet the owner insisted.

He then explained that the four legged creatures with a penchant for multiplication were such a menace, that he built bunkers for them to "play in", so that they wouldn't damage the greens. And the greens at Mount Temple are interesting, to say the least.

While all around him were quoting USGA specifications, Dolan took an eminently simple approach to greenconstruction. "There was no building on them; we just cut the grass," he said. So it was that golf was being played at Mount Temple, only three months after work started on the site.

"I chose locations for the greens, mowed them and later spread about 70 tons of sea sand on them over a period of four years," Dolan went on. "They're not easy. Which is probably why we've had only one sub par round here since we opened in October 1991." That was by a local 18 year old, Kenneth O'Brien, who shot a gross 69 last July when playing off eight.

Mount Temple is delightfully quaint, from the rudimentary design of the course, to the charming clubhouse. Here, the men's locker room is a former byre where 13 feeding stalls have been converted into lockers. And the rubber mats for winter tees are hard wearing cow mats into which pegholes have been bored.

"Maintaining a golf course is essentially about growing grass," said Dolan. "So, a farmer like myself must have a headstart." He concluded: "In 145 acres, I built tee boxes and removed three ditches. That was it. Nature did the rest."

All of which makes for a fascinating golfing experience utterly different.