February 1, 2026

Earlier this year, the Conlan family made a splash when it acquired Pat Ruddy's European Club, one of the fabled seaside links on Ireland's east coast, located about an hour south of Dublin. But the goal wasn't to simply run the property as is; instead, ownership retained the services of Turfgrass, a leading agronomy consultant, as well as hiring Kyle Phillips, the designer behind courses like Kingsbarns in Scotland.

To complete the transformation, the Conlan family also retained Matchplay to assist with a complete rebrand and relaunch in 2026.

"I first visited the European Club nearly 20 years ago," says Matchplay Managing Director Robert Thompson. "It had a great site, but the course never fulfilled the potential of its location. Now with a new name, logo, and design by Kyle, the future for the club is limitless."

Now called "Brittas Bay Club" to connect the property to its location on the rugged Irish coast, the course has a new website, sales collateral, social media presence and more. The relaunch was announced at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando in January to a receptive media. The plan is to reopen the course in 2027, showcasing its new design that completely reimagines the property.