Meet Adrian Wallace

With a fascinatingly rich golfing lineage and unrivalled insights into just what it is that makes our 9-hole golf course so unique, it's high time we picked the brains of our wonderful Golf Manager here at Ashford Castle.

How did you get involved with golf?

With a lineage so deeply rooted in the game, it was perhaps inevitable that I too would find my path in golf. After spending invaluable years alongside my father on Galway Golf Course, I came to understand the game not just as a sport, but as a way of life, rich with tradition, responsibility, and community. When I finished at Galway Golf Club, I despaired that I would never again have such an enjoyable role, but fate has most definitely smiled on me, and I recently enjoyed my 10th anniversary as Golf Manager here on the Ashford Estate.

Because golfing runs so much in the family, the game is more than just a profession to me, it’s in my DNA. At home, I’ve even dedicated an entire room to it: my golf-themed games room, complete with my golf library, vintage clubs, and hand-carved woods by the Wallace brothers (more about them below!)

Adrian's golf room in his home

Tell us more about your family’s golfing history

Our family’s journey with golf goes way back, with deep roots in Ireland's golfing tradition. It all began with my great-grandfather, William Wallace.

Rewind about a hundred years to find my great-grandfather as the Caddy Master at Royal County Down Golf club, circa 1910. He had three sons that refined their skills on the famous links course to become three golf professionals. All of them went on to have creditable careers in golf.

My grandfather, Pat Wallace, was the longest-serving pro at the old Adare Golf Club and spent six years as the national coach for the GUI (Golfing Union of Ireland). My great-uncle, Bob Wallace, earned praise for nurturing and apprenticing the legend, Christy O’Connor Snr, at the nearby Galway Golf Club. The third brother, Leo Wallace, my other great-uncle, was considered the best player of the trio. He won the Irish PGA Championship in 1928 and was consequently invited to co-design the Nairn and Portnoo golf courses in Donegal.

To honour their lasting impact on golf across Ireland, Mourne Golf Club hosts an annual competition called The Wallace Cup, celebrating the three brothers and their dedication to spreading the game throughout the island.

Fast forward to 1972, when my father, Don Wallace, took up the position of Club Professional at Galway Golf Club until his retirement in 2011. I had the great pleasure of working alongside him for 17 of those years. My Aunt Carol, Dad’s sister, was also a very accomplished golfer. In the space of just three months, she won the Ulster girls, the Irish girls, and the British girls’ championships. After emigrating to Canada, she married a fellow pro and went on to represent Ontario on seven separate occasions.

The Wallace brothers

What makes the golf course at Ashford so unique?

One of the most distinctive features of Ashford Castle’s golf course is that to play on it does not require a membership. This means golfers never feel rushed on the course, and the course itself isn’t overplayed, creating a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Designed by the legendary Eddie Hackett, the course boasts a fascinating route that offers stunning glimpses of Ashford Castle and Lough Corrib. Some holes, like the ninth, take full advantage of the castle’s picturesque setting in a way that’s truly unforgettable. In fact, former Ryder Cup hero Christy O’Connor Jnr once said the finishing ninth hole was the prettiest par three he had ever played in his entire career. I couldn’t agree more, and it is my personal favourite as well.

However, we’re not the only ones singing the course’s praises. In 2025, Ashford was officially recognised by The Golfers Guide to Ireland as the best 9-hole course in all of Connaught, a true testament to its quality and charm.

Adrian Wallace 

Are there planned upgrades for the course?

There is a strong desire to keep enhancing the golfing experience here on the Ashford Estate. One of the proposed improvements is the installation of a new irrigation system, which will undoubtedly help keep the course in top condition and make playing even more enjoyable throughout the year.

Additionally, we’re planning to overhaul the short game practice area to include bunker play, giving golfers more opportunities to sharpen their skills in a realistic setting.

As a GEO-certified golf course, we’re deeply committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly maintenance practices. Simply put, we are, and will continue to be, as green as green can be!