The Irish Aviation Authority said it is bracing to deal with 700 helicopter movements per day to and from the Michael Smurfit-owned K-Club in Co Kildare over the course of the tournament, which sees the best European players meet the US's best.

Scotland's Aberdeen Airport, normally the world's busiest heliport, records approximately 35,000 helicopter take-offs and landings every year, the equivalent of about 95 a day. The vast majority of its traffic is generated by oil and gas sector flights servicing offshore platforms in the North Sea.

Air traffic to the K-Club could be more than double the level experienced at the Punchestown Festival last April.

Over the course of a fourday period at the race meeting, about 90 helicopters made 1,200 takeoffs and landings, delivering well-heeled punters to the national hunt event.

So far 96 helicopters have registered to operate flights to the K-Club, and it is expected that the final number will reach up to 120. Most of the aircraft are expected to be registered in Ireland, but 20 UK-based helicopters have already been registered to operate on the K-Club route.

However, Jeanne Schworer of Celtic Helicopters, the firm that is responsible for organising ground operations for helicopters at the K-Cub during the event, said that she expects just an average of 375 helicopter movements a day - just over half the IAA estimate.

The IAA said it is basing its predictions on the experience of operators at previous Ryder Cup venues.

Schworer said that five helipads will be in use at the K-Club, while there is space for 100 helicopters to be parked on the ground. There are 200 helicopters registered in Ireland.

The IAA has been preparing for the event for over a year. It has established special air routes to and from the K-Club, and a dedicated air traffic control team will handle traffic for the event.