K Club's Palmer Course in County Kildare

The K Club's Palmer Course in County Kildare, opened in July of 1991 and venue for next week's Ryder Cup, is renowned for water coming into play on 13 of its 18 holes.

Designed by Arnold Palmer on lush parkland surrounding Straffan House, which later became Ireland's first five-star hotel, the par-72 layout measures 7,335 yards.

Several changes have been made to the course since European Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam visited it last year. Among these are the addition of 13 new trees at key turning points on six of the holes and the introduction of tightly-mown swales, or collection areas, around eight of the greens.

New tees have been added to the seventh and 13th holes and the installation of tall, mature trees, most notably on 16 and 17, will prevent power drivers of the ball from cutting off the doglegs.

"If a player wants to cut the corner on some of the holes, he's going to have to carry a certain amount of trouble," head greenkeeper Gerry Byrne told Reuters. "You could call that a 'Tiger-proof' if you wanted to."

The K Club, acknowledged as one of Europe's top venues, has been the regular home of the European Open since 1995.

Here is a hole-by-hole look at the Palmer Course, which will stage the Sept. 22-24 Ryder Cup:

No. 1 (Bohereen Road) par four, 418 yards - Best line off the tee is right of middle with water lurking on the left. A decent drive will leave a short iron into the green and a good opportunity for an opening birdie.

No. 2 (The Tunnel) par four, 413 yards - A slight dogleg right that also offers a good birdie chance following an accurate drive and a short approach. The green, guarded by a solitary bunker on the left, is very receptive.

No. 3 (The Island Beach) par three, 170 yards - A challenging par three with a shallow green where club selection can be tricky if the wind is blowing. The green is divided by a ridge with putts on the right side breaking to the right and putts on the left breaking to the left.

No. 4 (Arnold's Pick) par five, 568 yards - The first of the par fives, this 'S'-shaped hole has a raised green which can be reached in two after an aggressive drive off the tee over a well-bunkered hill. Water and bunkering line the right of the fairway as it bends towards the green.

No. 5 (Square Meadow) par four, 440 yards - A tough dogleg left which plays into a prevailing left-to-right wind. A draw down the left off the tee sets up a tricky approach into an elevated green which slopes away from the front.

No. 6 (The Liffey Stream) par four, 478 yards - Another demanding par four where a good drive is paramount if the green is to be reached in two. Water protects the front of the green and can be difficult to clear with the approach if the tee shot ends up in the rough.

No. 7 (Michael's Favourite) par four, 430 yards - A daunting par four which generally plays into the wind with trees lining the left and water lurking to the right. Club selection is critical for the approach into a green protected by water on almost three sides. Par here is a good result.

No. 8 (Mayfly Corner) par three, 173 yards - In the prevailing right-to-left wind, this hole offers a good birdie opportunity with water to the right effectively taken out of play. If the wind turns, however, this can be a brutish par three, especially with a back-green pin position.

No. 9 (The Eye of the Needle) par four, 461 yards - A long par four where a big chestnut tree in the middle of the fairway needs to be avoided off the tee. The green, guarded by bunkers to the left and front right, is difficult to hold as it slopes away from the front.

No. 10 (Mick Holly) par five, 584 yards - A slight dogleg right where a big drive offers the chance of reaching a well-protected green in two. A lay-up with the second shot sets up two options: a wedge approach from around 120 yards or an 80-yard pitch through a narrow gap.

No. 11 (Lily Pond) par four, 415 yards - A sharp dogleg left with a green protected by water on the left. A new tree has been installed to the left of the fairway, barring the big hitters from cutting off the dogleg. The approach can be difficult as the green slopes towards the water.

No. 12 (The Domain) par three, 182 yards - A challenging par three where water lurks in front of a two-tiered green that slopes from right to left. Bunkers lie in wait to the right and back left.

No. 13 (Laurel Heaven) par four, 428 yards - This par four, a pronounced dogleg left, requires a decent drive off the tee if the green is to be opened up for the approach. The green, which slopes to the right, has two bunkers on the left and water on the right.

No. 14 (Churchfields) par three, 213 yards - Anything between a two and a four-iron is needed into this par three, which has a water hazard on the left and a deceptive slope in the green from the front to the back.

No. 15 (Pheasant Run) par four, 446 yards - This par four demands accuracy off the tee with water lurking to the right of the fairway and a prevailing wind that blows towards the water. The approach is played uphill to a sloping green partially hidden by grassy mounds.

No. 16 (Inismor) par five, 555 yards - An intriguing double dogleg, first to the right and then to the left. New trees installed down the right side of the fairway force the longer hitters to favour the left off the tee. Any attempt to reach the green in two must clear the River Liffey.

No. 17 (Half Moon) par four, 424 yards - Best line off the tee is left of middle but courage is needed with the River Liffey lurking all the way down the left side of the fairway. The green slopes severely from right to left towards the water with a little mound just short of the green.

No. 18 (The Hooker's Graveyard) par five, 537 yards - A dramatic finishing hole, this dogleg right plays uphill to a green protected by water to the front and left and a cluster of bunkers on the right. This hole can be brutal if the pin is cut front left on the right-to-left sloping green.