A new championship golf course, which has been designed by English golfer Nick Faldo, has officially opened at the Lough Erne Golf Resort near Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.

Situated on a 600-acre (242.8-hectare) peninsula between Castle Hume Lough and Lower Lough Erne, the Par 72 Faldo Championship Course has become the resort's second course and took three years to develop. The 7,621-yard course includes tees and greens designed to meet USPGA specifications, while a fully automatic irrigation system has been installed throughout the facility.

Andy Campbell, the resort's director of golf, said: "The routing of the course has been planned to take full advantage of the natural topography. This will make for 14 holes where the waters of the Lough come into play, including a green surrounded on three sides by water." Opened in 2007, the five-star Lough Erne Golf Resort already boasts the Par 70 Castle Hume Championship Course, a driving range, a short game area and a putting green. Other facilities include a 120-bed hotel, meeting rooms, the Thai Spa, the Gordon Wilson Library, the Blaney Bar and restaurants.