Carlow launches first FootGolf Open with hometown favorite Brennan

Stephen Brennan will front Carlow’s first FootGolf Open when the county stages its opening edition at Quinagh House Golf Course on Sunday, July 19, giving the local player a headline role in a sport that is starting to look established in the county rather than experimental.

The event lands at Quinagh House Par 3 on the outskirts of Carlow Town, a venue set on 42 acres with 18 holes stretching from 130 to 220 yards. Carlow Tourism lists the course’s opening hours as 9am to 7.30pm, with green fees of €15 for adults, €10 for senior citizens and €14 for students and juveniles, details that make the site accessible for both regular players and newcomers stepping into the format for the first time.

Brennan’s presence gives the Open a clear local focal point. FIFG records show he has already competed in Irish FootGolf events at Westport, Kildare, Navan, Belfast and the Irish Open, so the Carlow man is not arriving as a ceremonial draw but as a player with national circuit experience. A separate Bootcast interview identified him as Stephen “Stan” Brennan, underlining how familiar he already is to followers of the sport.

That matters because Carlow is not simply hosting a one-off showcase. A report from March 5, 2025, said the county’s first footgolf tournament took place at Quinagh Golf Club and drew more than 35 aficionados for the opening event of that season. The new Carlow FootGolf Open now pushes the county’s involvement a step further, giving the local calendar a named tournament that players can return to and fans can follow.

The timing also places Carlow inside a broader competitive lane. The 2026 Irish Open is set for August at Gowran Park Golf Club, and the Irish FootGolf Association and FIFG list officially numbered national-tour events across the calendar. The association has previously said Irish Open events can carry major FIFG points and prize money, including one example with 250 points and a €2,000 purse, which shows how a county open can feed into a serious ranking structure rather than stand apart from it.

For Carlow, the first Open gives the sport a recognised home date, a local standard-bearer and a venue with the room and layout to host more than a novelty turn. If Brennan delivers in front of a home crowd, Quinagh House could become a recurring stop on the footgolf map.