In golfing terms, Ireland is the new Scotland. Thanks to a huge marketing push by the government over the last decade, the country has repositioned itself as an upmarket golfing destination.

The end result of the marketing was the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club in Kildare, south-west of Dublin – a huge global media bunfight around a course that wouldn't make it into a top 20 list of the best in Ireland. This was a shame, given the country's superb historic links courses, such as Portmarnock and Ballybunion, and great newer layouts, such as the Greg Norman-designed Doonbeg or the European Club on the east coast.

The world's media will return to Ireland when the women's version of the Ryder Cup, the Solheim Cup, is played at Killeen Castle in 2011, a new course about a half an hour from Dublin airport in County Meath. Killeen shares a number of characteristics with the K Club: both are ideally situated to catch the Dublin-based corporate golfer, and share a business plan based on selling luxury homes around the course. Killeen has a couple of aces up its sleeve however; namely, the quality of the course, and the first Dave Pelz Scoring Game School outside of America.

Killeen is a Jack Nicklaus Signature course. From the back tees it is 6,950m long, an absurd distance for even decent club golfers, and realistically only playable by the gorillas of the pro tour. But with some clever use of multiple teeing areas, this distance comes down dramatically, making it an enjoyable if challenging run out for the rest of us.

On many of the holes trouble lies in front of the green, with water a particular hazard. Nowhere is this better illustrated than on the run in to the clubhouse. The 16th is a mid-range, par three demanding a carry over water, and the drive off the 17th gets the heart going for the same reason.

The course tests every club in the bag, but is particularly hard if you struggle with the shorter clubs. The bunkering is extravagant and the greens are fast. Get the wrong side of the flag and four putts are a real possibility.

It is here that Dave Pelz can help. Pelz is famous for being Phil Mickelson's short-game guru, and the man who gave up on a career as a NASA physicist to help leading golfers – and now us – chip and putt. The best advice this hacker can offer is simple: Go see Pelz before you set out to play Killeen. You'll need every bit of help you can get.

Killeen Castle fact box
Green fees: €200 including buggy.
Playing information: No play at weekends.
Dave Pelz Scoring Game School: from €415 for a one-day clinic (1:6 teacher/pupil ratio) up to €2,265 for a three-day course (1:4 ratio). Prices are for tuition only; www.pelzgolf.com.
Contact: +353 1 689 3000; www.killeencastle.com
Further information: Killeen Castle will open a Starwood Luxury Hotel and Spa in 2010. Before then, see the Irish Tourist Board website (www.discoverireland.com/gb) for local accommodation.