Hooked: Ireland's Golf Courses

Ballyliffin goes Swedish

2012-02-01T01:03:00.001-08:00

[Photo: The Old Course's 18th hole, up to the clubhouse]

Great to see a Tweet up last night from Ballyliffin Golf Club (@ballyliffin) announcing the launch of their website's Swedish pages. It's for 'all our Swedish Members and friends' and you have to imagine there are a few of them. In fact there are 70. And one of the positive things is that they come all year round - their winter is somewhat nastier than ours, after all, so a bit of Irish wind and rain is unlikely to put them off.

It's a positive move and will, undoubtedly, make it even more attractive to Swedish golfers. It also shows a little bit of thinking-outside-the-box, something that plenty of our golf clubs might want to consider in the current climate.

If you like Stats

2012-01-31T10:41:00.000-08:00

A quick link to Andrew Rice's Blog with a heap of fascinating statistics from the tour last year...

... like this one:

Luke Donald had 483 consecutive holes without a three putt and Kevin Na made 676 out of 676 from inside three feet!

And your golf prize is…

2012-01-31T09:42:00.000-08:00

You’ve played out of your skin, tamed the weather and racked up 40+ points. Sure, sure, you missed a tiddler there on 18, but you must be in with a chance of a prize. It’s a great feeling, isn’t it?

But how does it feel to discover that you’ve won the whole thing, and all you get for your golfing brilliance is a tacky lamp. Only it’s worse than that. It’s a lamp made out of a brass figurine of a golfer. Yea, the kind of lamp you wouldn’t put anywhere in your house, couldn’t give away as a present, and shouldn’t even mention in polite company. Hell, you wouldn’t even use it to beat your worst enemy to death with. You also know it was on sale for half price, because that’s the only way those disgusting things ever sell. That or a car boot sale!

Your joy of winning has been cruelly crushed. How can you brag about that 5 iron to two feet when you can’t brag about the prize!

Simply put, all too often the prizes offered by golf clubs are a turn-off. Or useless. Or both. I’m sure some of you will say that it’s not the prize or even the winning that counts, it’s the taking part… pleeeeeease! You’re kidding yourselves and you know it. Winning IS a big deal, and you want to win a prize that means something.

So what makes a good prize? That depends on you, doesn’t it! The golf figurine lamp might just be your thing, but what about the other options? I’ve done a bit of research on the matter (through Twitter and Boards.ie) and here are the scores.

Crystal

A popular prize for big events – e.g. Captain’s Day. It’s a big deal, so a big prize is well deserved, but that still leaves questions: what do you use it for, and where do you put it? Does it end up proudly displayed, collecting a few years of dust before it quietly disappears into a cupboard? How about a bowl full of pot pourri or a vase filled to the brim with jelly beans… there are only so many uses and only so much crystal your spouse will tolerate…

… especially if the name of your club is engraved on the glass. If you win a piece, wouldn’t you at least like the option of selling it on eBay? With the club name emblazoned across it, the eBay value has dropped from ‘weekend-away’ to zero faster than our economy’s pants dropped around its ankles.

And in case you hadn’t heard, Ireland’s famous Waterford Crystal ain’t made in Waterford no more. Now everybody seems to make it: Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Italy… ah yes, that Irish symbol of quality.

Desirability: 9%

Golf Vouchers/Golf Green Fees

Yes, very desirable: you’re playing golf so why not win a prize that corresponds – we all like to buy extra golf gear, be it new shoes, a new bag or a classy, sleeveless, pink Pringle sweater (you fashion icon, you); and green fees for a big name club always hit the sweet spot. It’s great to be able to treat your buddies for ‘free’, especially when you know they’ll be buying the drinks.

Then again, golf clubs don’t see much kudos in putting an envelope on the prize winner’s table. Not when they’ve got golf figurine lamps collecting dust in the basement. No, in your golf club’s eyes (or the sponsor’s) an envelope doesn’t say ‘you’re a winner’ quite like a golf bag, lamp or crystal bowl does, which is why envelopes are usually reserved for lower placed prizes.

Desirability: 34%

Golf Gear

Golf gear is close enough to Golf Vouchers as makes no difference, but a golf bag often appears on the table because it looks big and expensive. The prizes are fine as they are, but even if they’re not you can always take it back to the Pro shop/retailer and exchange it for something you actually need – maybe swap that pink Pringle number for the blue one with the yellow stripes.

Desirability: 19%

Weekends Away

A smart prize, for sure and your partner finally gets something out of all those hours you spend on the golf course. Yes, after listening to you endlessly moaning about missed putts, unlucky breaks and shots into trees that mysteriously moved since last week, she (or he) gets to be a winner too. Whisked away – your clubs hidden in the boot – you even have a legitimate reason to sit her down and talk her through every single shot of your prize-winning round. She’ll be so proud of you she might even listen.

Desirability: 33%

Bottles of Wine/Newbridge Cutlery etc.

Not a bad prize actually, especially if you’re throwing a party or you have a wedding present to source.

Desirability: 4%

Golf Clubs/Sponsors could learn a thing or two about selecting prizes. Good prizes keep golfers happy and interested; bad prizes can be a serious turn-off to entering Open events.

[Another popular fallback prize...]

Don’t believe me? I went to a Scratch Cup with two friends and we had lunch before heading out. There, on the winner’s table, were the brass, golf figurine lamps I mentioned. We made unappreciative noises as we headed out…. and five hours later, we were standing on the 18th as one of my friends drained a birdie putt for a serious score. He looked at me and smiled weakly.

“Of all the days to play perfect golf,” he said. “Do I really have to accept that thing if I win?”

He did win, and as he accepted the prize his smile would have made a politician proud.

We didn’t go back the next year.

And if you happened to notice that the above totals only add up to 99%, that’s because 1% of respondents want to win a golf figurine lamp. Lads, get yourselves on eBay – my mate’s auctioning it tomorrow.

A Diamond of a Golf Offer in Enniscrone

2012-01-30T07:31:00.001-08:00

Let’s start with the obvious: Enniscrone Golf Club is heaven when it comes to links golf. It is punishing, it is playful, it is incredible… it easily makes my top ten Irish links. Streaking through a strip of muscular dunes on the edge of Killala Bay, you must endure the expected wind, some intimidating blind shots and tough golf. But the reward (and the friendly atmosphere in the quaint clubhouse) is worth the struggle. What’s more, being a links, it is playable all year round…

[Photo: Enniscrone's par three 3rd, green to tee]

… which brings me to a golf offer I discovered in the Irish Golf Review Magazine.

The 4* Diamond Coast Hotel is on the outskirts of Enniscrone and overlooks the golf course. It’s that close. It’s a modern hotel, so what it lacks in glamour on the outside, it makes up for with style and comfort on the inside. I have not been (and have no affiliations), so please take what I say with a pinch of salt and check out their site for yourself.

Then again, if you’re here for golf, your requirements are straightforward: clean, comfortable and accessible. And a well stocked bar.

The Offer

For €159 per person sharing you get:

· 2 nights B&B (full Irish)

· 1 four course dinner

· 2 rounds of golf at Enniscrone

[Photo: the par five 16th, shot from the 17th tee]

That is amazing value for one of the top links golf courses in the world. Consider that for that same money you wouldn’t even get out on some other links courses (at peak season, granted) for a single round of golf.

What Else Is On

Of course golf is not the only thing here: Enniscrone is famous for its seaweed baths (I tried it once, and while I wouldn’t want one every week it was an entertaining if slippery experience). There are glorious beaches, lots of hill walking opportunities and surfing is growing in popularity.

There’s also the ‘Eagles Flying’ Research Centre (between Enniscrone and Sligo) where you can watch eagles in full flight and in all their glory. The centre is only open between April and November.

Views of Bartra Island and the Nephin and Ox Mountains form an enchanting backdrop, and the town of Ballina is only 15 km away. Sligo town is 55 km east, but has the added attraction of Strandhill Golf Club and Rosses Point Golf Club – another two links beauties – as well as Castle Dargan’s parkland course nearby.

Other Offers

The Diamond Hotel, with its 92 rooms, has several offers on: a Winter Warmer, €139 total, for two people for two nights B&B; a Golden Years package, €169 pps for 3 nights DBB; and Family packages are also on offer. As you can imagine, the town is quiet at the moment so it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of our mild winter weather and play some unhurried, heavenly golf.

The golf offer above is valid all week and weekend (subject to availability obviously). And expect prices to go up as the golf club’s green fees acclimatise to the season.

Golf Course Provenance - Waterville

2012-01-28T01:03:00.000-08:00

Waterville Golf Club is one of the finest and most beautiful links in the world. Set on the edge of the wonder that is County Kerry, the course is a mecca for golfers worldwide.

But when was Waterville founded?

A Golf Week article (January 19, 2012) by Martin Kaufmann, listed it at number four in the Top 40 GB&I golf courses built since 1960… i.e. the Modern era. It lists the designer as our beloved Eddie Hackett, and the date as 1973.

[Photo: Waterville's 1st hole - Last Easy - green to tee]

I strongly suspect that Waterville GC would take exception, seeing as the course was established in 1889. It was one of the earliest courses to be played in Ireland and was one of the first clubs to be affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland.

It’s history started with the hundreds of workers drawn to nearby Valentia Island to work on the first trans-Atlantic cable, which relayed messages between North America and Europe. The workers gradually migrated south towards Waterville, where golf was played in the winter months.

Back then it was a nine hole course, and membership varied alongside the demand for cable communications. By the 1950s, such demand had evaporated and the links at Waterville fell dormant… ‘dormant’ being the important word.

[Photo: Waterville's famous par five 11th: Tranquility]

John A. Mulcahy, the Irish born American, ‘rediscovered’ Waterville in the 1960s and had a vision to build the world’s most challenging links. He asked Eddie Hackett to design this eighteen hole course, which Eddie did, brilliantly. The revitalised Waterville opened in 1973… which is where the Golf Week list comes in.

I disagree that Waterville should be included in this ‘Modern’ list. Eddie Hackett’s course reconfigured and expanded the original holes to create today’s front nine.

So, the question is, does reconfiguration and expansion make it a Modern course? Personally, no, it doesn’t. The provenance is too strong and too influential to the final design.

[Photo: Approach to Enniscrone's mighty and terrifying 12th]

The European Club (ranked 6th) was built in 1992 from scratch. There was no history to the place. The same applies to Carne (ranked 8th), built in 1995. These can’t be disputed, but the same issue of Modernity applies to Enniscrone (ranked 9th), founded in 1918. A course has always existed on the links, although the current 18 uses little of the old nine hole course. Like Waterville, however, I suspect Enniscrone wouldn’t be pleased to be regarded as a Modern course.

It is also worth noting that Eddie Hackett played a major role in the design of Carne and Enniscrone.

The list also includes the Irish Courses of:

Old Head of Kinsale 7

Lough Erne 10

Carton House (Monty) 11

Tralee 12

Doonbeg 13

Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 14

Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) 19

Druid’s Glen 26

The K Club (Smurfit) 28… SERIOUSLY!

Fota Island 32

The K Club (Palmer) 34

Ballybunion (Cashen) 40

Golfers Guide To Ireland Reaches 21 Years

2012-01-25T08:38:00.000-08:00

“You wake up and switch on Morning Ireland; it’s doom and gloom. You watch the 6 o’clock news; it’s doom and gloom. You listen to the 9 o’clock news and it’s doom and gloom. And if you haven’t had enough by then, you switch over to Vincent Browne.”

So said Michael Ring TD, Minister of State for Tourism & Sport, at last night’s launch of the 2012 Golfers Guide To Ireland. His point was that we had to stop beating ourselves up, and spend more time focusing on the positives. And, on the back of a 7% increase in tourist numbers last year, he had reason to be positive. His audience was the great and the good of Irish golf clubs (north and south) who had assembled for the launch of the Guide and the inaugural Golfers Guide Awards (in association with Tipperary Crystal), at O’Connell’s Restaurant in Donnybrook.

Paddy McCarthy and Marty Burke are the men behind the 21st edition of a guide that gives a snapshot of every golf course in the country. It also gives a multitude of accommodation options in each of the provinces. Greg Allen, who spoke at the launch, has written a piece on Golfing Getaways around our island. He picks many of the high profile courses and throws in some lesser known gems as well (Strandhill and Concra Wood most notably), alongside suggestions on where to stay.

[Photo: Strandhill's 5th hole, taken from the 15th green]

The award giving – by Michael Ring TD and a representative from Tipperary Crystal – was the main event and it was one of the smartest ways to identify and reward the ‘best’ golf clubs, because it didn’t attempt to rank anyone…

… not like Golf Digest Ireland’s top 100 courses, which were published before Christmas, and Backspin’s top 30 parkland/links courses, published only a couple of weeks ago. Both have come in for a bit of grief from the golfing public, despite having their merits and different approaches to rating and ranking.

The Awards

The Golfers Guide picked straightforward categories and then divided them by province. The only ‘ranking’ that occurred was to pick one overall winner in each category.

[Photo: the finishing hole in all its glory on the Killarney Killeen course]

OVERALL

Parkland Winner: Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
Links Winner: Royal County Down

REGIONAL (parkland/links):

Leinster: Headfort and County Louth
Ulster: Belvoir Park and Ballyliffin (Old)
Connacht: Westport and Enniscrone
Munster: Cork and Waterville

BEST RESORT

Overall: K Club
Leinster: Mount Juliet
Ulster: Rosapenna
Connacht: Ashford Castle
Munster: Castlemartyr

BEST HIDDEN GEM

Overall: Bunclody
Leinster: Woodenbridge
Ulster: Concra Wood
Connacht: Strandhill
Munster: Dundrum House

Best Golf Club Manager: Maurice O’Meara, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club

Best Hotel: Fota Island

Best Hotel Manager: Conor Hennigan, The Malton, Killarney

Best Boutique Hotel: Bushmills Inn, Co. Antrim

Each of the award winners received a unique Graham Knuttle commissioned ceramic wall plaque crafted by Tipperary Crystal… and the kudos of winning an award which I imagine will become both reputable and popular in the years ahead.

A Bit About the Publisher

Portside Publications is an Irish publishing company operating in the tourism sector for over 21 years. Its Golfers Guide to Ireland has enjoyed uninterrupted annual publication each year making it Ireland’s longest established golf guide. 50,000 copies have been printed this year and the Guide will be distributed and be available free of charge to every golf club in Ireland. An on line version will be distributed to golf clubs in Japan, Sweden, the UK and North America.

In addition Portside Publications provides tee time reservation services throughout Europe and North America through the Golfhub online facility.

Portside Publications Director, Paddy McCarthy, said the Guide had become an essential part of the travelling golfer’s kit when planning a trip to or within Ireland.

“We have had magnificent support from Ireland’s golf industry throughout the years and I am happy to report that the industry has expressed its confidence in the future and through the Golfers Guide to Ireland has joined with us to market their businesses through this coming year. This evening’s awards inaugurates our wish to recognise individual achievement on an annual basis by those involved in our industry”.

My thanks to Paddy and Marty from Portside Media for the invitation to attend last night’s launch, and congratulations to all the winners. It was great to see many of my favourite courses achieving the acclaim they deserve.

I met a great bunch of people from Ballyliffin, Dun Laoghaire, West Waterford, Dundrum, Killarney and Bunclody golf clubs, but still didn’t get to speak to nearly as many people as I would have liked. Everyone was in great spirits and feeling positive about the year ahead… and that was well before Michael Ring’s call to arms. The only challenge for award winners is deciding where to put the Graham Knuttle commissioned ceramic wall plaque. I doubt the personalised bottle of Tyrconnell whiskey given to each winner will present such a problem.

Connacht Golf Conference - Cancelled

2012-01-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

Sadly, this Sunday's Golf Conference has been cancelled... due to a lack of interest from the 41 affiliated golf clubs in the Connacht region. Unfortunately, only 20 delegates from eight clubs had committed to attend.

Frankly I'm surprised.

Given the situation we're in, you'd think people would be willing to explore every new avenue available to them... not only willing, but eager. The annual subscriptions might be the key revenue that clubs use to maintain operations, but the societies and green fee golfers are a vital revenue stream too. Paul O'Neill was attempting to bring golf clubs together to explore the options and the possibilities - and there are definitely a few out there. Doesn't it seem daft to ignore a call to arms that could bring a wealth of business and revenue to the Connacht region?

Open Fairways Ireland for just €25

2012-01-19T02:55:00.000-08:00

I remember Open Fairways as far back as 1998. It was an annual book packed with dozens of golf courses offering '4 for 2' and '2 for 1' green fees. It was superb value and you could make the money back on the cost of buying the book in a single round of golf, as I did at Powerscourt in 1999 - although one of my mates didn't enjoy it quite so much when he was hit by a golf ball.

[Photo: The par three 16th at Powerscourt East]

The economy was already booming, so green fees were rising and the book was very popular. The quality of courses was pretty good too, although many of the really big boys weren't interested. But Open Fairways grew and grew: first it included hotels, before expanding to target the UK. Today it's a global affair, stretching as far as Vietnam and Australia, and 25 countries in all.

The LivingSocial website is offering the Irish version of the book for €25, reduced from €99. The offer is only valid until Saturday 21 January, so here's the link if you want to take a look. The offer is valid until Saturday night, January 21st - so only a couple of days left. If you want to check out the Open Fairways website, click here.

[Photo: The par four 2nd at Mount Wolseley]

Many of the big courses are now included (Rosses Point, Ballyliffin, K Club (Smurfit), Headfort, Lahinch, The Island...), although you might only get 4 for the price of 3, or 25% off, rather than 4 for 2.

The question is, nowadays, would you not be able to negotiate a better green fee simply by phoning up the club? Yes, possibly, but you might find you are heavily restricted on tee time availability (before 10am for example), and during the summer months your negotiation power will be reduced at places like Lahinch, The Island and most links tracks.

And remember this, with a lot of golfers giving up their annual memberships, people have saved themselves some cash which they may feel inclined to spend on bigger and better courses.

It costs a mere €25 - surely that's worth a lash.

[Photo: The Island's 1st hole, green to tee]

Trump Trumped

2012-01-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, a man I particularly dislike for his attitude to the world is now whinging like a little girl that his 'best in the world' golf resort is going to be ruined by a wind farm off Aberdeenshire's shores.

Oh, so you can bully and pressurise and buy anything you want, bulldozing your way over environmental concerns, but when it's not going your way you throw the toys out of the pram, hitch up your skirt and threaten to run away. Donald, my boy, you need to grow a pair.

Guardian Article on Donald Trump's Cherished Golf Course.

Connacht Golf Conference - Driving for More Golf

2012-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

These are tough times for everybody, and well we know it. There’s no point running through the litany of job losses, insurance hikes and increased taxes… because we’re living them day-to-day. And golf clubs are suffering too.

As an Irish golf blogger, I was disappointed the other day to discover that the GUI has not yet updated its membership figures for 2010, let alone 2011. The 2009 figure (144,613) on their website indicates a small drop on the previous year (148,067), whereas we all know that it has dropped substantially since then. Look at your own club and you’ll know that people have taken sabbaticals, negotiated (or been offered) an instalment plan or simply left the club. It’s not hard to see the logic of taking your annual sub and spending it at clubs around the country. In fact, you’d probably save money.

And it’s not hard to see why entrance fees have dropped so markedly or been done away with altogether as clubs clamour for new members.

[Photo: Westport's par three 14th, with the mighty Croagh Patrick behind]

What’s New?

It’s good to see some concerted efforts to tackle the problem, and clubs are being proactive as they explore new and better ways to promote their most valuable assets: their course and, where applicable, their clubhouse.

In Connacht, home to some truly world class courses, they’re running a conference at the end of January, which is attempting to explore new marketing avenues, as well as further uniting the 41 clubs in the province under the Ireland West Golf Clubs Association umbrella. The focus is, undoubtedly, on stimulating a call to action for the province’s parkland golf courses, but links courses will be in attendance too.

[Photo: Ballinrobe's entertaining par four 10th]

There are strong reasons for this parkland focus: parkland courses are the forgotten entity in the world of Irish golf marketing. Failte Ireland advertising has concentrated on links golf and premier resort parklands (Mount Juliet, etc.) for a long time. There’s nothing wrong with this – we have some of the best links on the planet, and anyone who know me or has my book on Irish golf courses knows that I’m utterly devoted to Carne, Enniscrone, Rosses Point and Strandhill (which are already well served by the North and West Coast Links organisation) – but there are other, bigger audiences far closer to home that deserve our marketing attention. Failte Ireland already knows this and will, hopefully, be doing more about it in the near future.

And who is this audience? Great Britain. 66% of our golf visitors come from across the water, and most of them want accessible parkland golf and good value. That is something Irish Golf has plenty of.

Knock Airport

An added bonus came when Ryanair recently announced four new European routes to Knock Airport (www.irelandwestairport.com), starting in April 2012. True, they’re not to Great Britain, but it raises the prominence of the region and European golfers are a big audience for Irish golf, too.

With GB acknowledged as a core market, it is invaluable that airlines fly to Knock from nine GB locations (Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London (Gatwick, Stansted and Luton) and Manchester). Promotional opportunities abound: airports and airlines produce magazines and offer advertising space on websites, while airports themselves offer an opportunity for promotional activity.

[Photo: Enniscrone's 1st green/fairway, from behind the hole]

There’s also Shannon Airport, but generating publicity about the Connacht golf offering will be key (and free)… perhaps that’s where Rory can kick things off.

The Rory Connection

Rory McIlroy’s glittering amateur career connects him to several clubs in Connacht, including Ballinrobe (runner up in Connacht U15 Boys Open Championship, 2003 ), Castlebar (All-Ireland Youths Champion, 2004) and Westport (The Irish Amateur Close Champion, 2005). He also won the West of Ireland at County Sligo, twice.

“We can use Rory’s feats in Connacht as marketing leverage,” says Paul O’Neill, Marketing Manager at Westport Golf Club. As well as being behind the driving force behind the conference, Paul is also involved in the re-introduction of the Parklands West Golf Passport – which allows the golfer to play Ballinrobe, Castlebar and Westport on the one ticket. Will it have photos of Rory on the passport, I wonder! “Rory has become a superstar for Irish golf tourism, and we have our own story to tell.”

Ireland is being sold strongly at the moment: a new January TV advertising campaign by Tourism Ireland has been launched in GB and Europe, with one of the ads focusing on a Connemara pub; Bord Failte are looking to create and promote the ‘Wild Atlantic Drive’ to rival the best scenic drives in the world; and 2013 is the year of ‘The Gathering’. This puts Connacht and Connacht golf in as strong a position as ever. There is increased optimism in the Irish tourism industry, too. Now it’s up to the Ireland West Golf Clubs Association to figure out how to take full advantage.

[Photo: Connemara's 7th hole with endless mountains beyond - something to enjoy on the Wild Atlantic Drive.]

The Conference

This is the focus of the Connacht Golf Industry Conference, which will be held in the Knockranny House Hotel on January 29th.

The conference will cover a number of important areas for the province’s clubs, and hear from keynote speakers, including Mark Nolan (CEO Dromoland Castle Golf and Country Club), Ian McDonald (onlineteetimes.ie) and Ed Pettit (Carr Golf Services).

There will also be a trade show from 2pm onwards, which is open to anyone who wants to drop by and sample the latest equipment and gadgets, or find out what the province’s clubs have to offer.

As Paul puts it:

“The Ireland West Golf Clubs Association will build a marketing strategy that will show off the magnificent product that is currently available on the West Coast. Not only will the voluntary body be up and running to take advantage of the new "Wild Atlantic Drive" concept but it will also make it easier and more affordable for local clubs to have a presence at trade shows and major golf tournaments, working in partnership with Failte Ireland.”

You’ll find more information on the C.G.I.C menu tab at www.westportgolfclub.com/

Ballybunion - Home of the 2006 Ryder Cup...

2012-01-14T09:02:00.001-08:00

[Photo: Ballybunion Old's lethal par three 15th]

Seriously! This morning at my local coffee shop I picked up a book - 1000 places to visit before you die - and discovered that the 2006 Ryder Cup was held at Ballybunion... apparently.

I'm sure Ballybunion will be delighted by the promotion, although I can see some odd expressions on the faces of staff when someone turns up asking for the Ryder Cup tour. On the other hand, the K Club might be somewhat dismayed... then again, if the author/s can make such an obvious error (as well as promoting Tinakilly House in Co. Wicklow as one of its 1000 places) I don't think many people will be taking the book too seriously.

[Photo: Ballybunion Old's 10th green, taken from the 7th tee]

Edmondstown hunt for a new General Manager

2012-01-12T00:51:00.000-08:00

[Photo: the par four 6th]

Edmondstown Golf Club, which sits alongside Dublin's M50 (the course had to be rejigged as they lost land to the motorway), recently produced their three year plan. It's an ambitious plan, for sure, given the times we're in: there will be a new Pro shop and coaching area, an upgrade of the clubhouse as well as an upgrade to the course irrigation system.

Edmondstown is looking for a General Manager to oversee all of this and the general running of the club too.

For more information and how to apply, click here for the GUI website.

Save €246 at the K Club

2012-01-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

[Photo: the back of the hotel, taken from the Smurfit Course]

The K Club have used the 'Deal' type sites a few times and they're doing it again.

"€169 instead of €415 for an overnight stay for 2 in a Superior Room with Full Irish Breakfast, a Glass of Champagne plus a €30 Resort Dining Credit at the magnificent 5 Star K Club!"

That's a big saving and, more interestingly for you romantics at heart, it doesn't exclude Valentine's Day itself (just Saturday Feb 11th) or Paddy's Day if you see that as an opportunity to 'celebrate' in posh surroundings. The offer expires on the 16th January, and you can use the voucher until the end of March.

[Photo: Palmer Couse par three 3rd]

Golf is not mentioned in the offer, but a quick check on the website indicates golf on the Palmer course is €75... I would expect that you can get it for less than that as a hotel resident... and just hope that it hasn't rained too hard - remember the Ryder Cup!

You'll find all the details and 'how to buy' here.

Dream On - The Movie

2012-01-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

Most of you will probably know the book, or at least the premise of John Richardson's novel, Dream On - the quest to go from high handicapper to a level par round of golf in less than a year. The title Dream On came from a comment made by Sam Torrance when asked if it was possible to achieve.

You'll also probably know that he achieved his goal with a day or two to spare.

Well, now they're putting the finishing touches to the movie. There are no actors or anything listed at this stage (at least not on IMDB) but if you want to see a brief interview with the director about how he saw the book becoming a film (a 'romantic comedy'), click here:

And if you want to know more about the book or to buy it, click here.

€1,000 for a hole in one – at The European

2012-01-09T00:23:00.000-08:00

[Photo: the par three 6th - from the front tees]

Under the new rules of golf, amateurs are no longer limited to the value of prize they can receive for a hole in one… so Pat Ruddy at The European Club has taken that to heart and decided to offer amateurs (and professionals) the chance to win €1,000 cash for a hole in one at the club’s par three 6th hole. It is quite probably the first such offer of its type in Europe.

The Good News

The competition (open singles) is open every day from now until the end of March. You can enter as often as you like. The green fee is €60… a third of the summer peak rate.

The Bad News

It’s links, it’s winter and the hole, for the purposes of the competition, measures 200 yards. There’s sand in front and on the right of the green, and a deep stream to the left… then again, that’s not where you’re supposed to be aiming, is it!

The prize will be divided if there is more than one hole in one.

It’s not as if you need an extra reason to play one of the top five links in the country, but every little helps.

Good luck.

The European Club 0404 47415

[Photo: the par five 13th, from the 15th tee box]

Viva La France

2012-01-08T05:20:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's too easy to lump the Irish in with our English neighbours - we share many traits after all. Nevertheless, I was non-plussed by the news that France's top-selling travel guide (Le Guide du Routard) is suggesting Ireland is once again a safe destination to visit.

I wasn't aware that our island was regarded as an unsafe destination in the first place.

What, exactly, made it unsafe? Thierry Henry, apparently. His famous handball incident in the World Cup 2010 qualifying match (played n 2009)... which may or may not have robbed Ireland of a place in the finals... caused concern among the French tourism psyche.

French travellers thought they might receive abuse on the back of Henry's actions... the French editor even went as far as suggesting that the French would not have been very welcoming of Irish tourists had the positions been reversed.

Message to our lovely friends in France... we are not England, where football is treated as a religion and fans from opposing teams are often deemed enemies and therefore fair game if spotted wearing the wrong colour shirt. That doesn't happen here. And please remember that you and England have history: you two were going at it hammer and tongs for a few centuries, although you made up during two world wars. No, over here we like your flair, your non-chalance, your wine, your language, that Gallic shrug and even your rugby when you release that flair (I was rooting for you in the World Cup ruby final).

Oh sure, we might have a word in your ear about Henry's handling of the situation, but only over a shared pint and a laugh. After all, as any Irish football fan would be quick to point out, you got your come-uppance by putting on such a dismal performance in the pool games.

Over 4,000 French golfers visit Ireland every year, so we would more than welcome you back onto our fairways, no matter what the guide book says.

Yesterday's Loser... Today's Winner

2012-01-07T00:53:00.000-08:00

Carton House lost out to Royal Portrush this week in its bid to host the Irish Open 2012.

But it was also confirmed that Carton House will host it in 2013, instead... which, if you've been paying attention, is the year of "The Gathering". No, not a horror movie being filmed in Leinster House - as appropriate as that might seem with Luke "Ming" Flanagan beating people to death with peat briquettes - The Gathering is, in official parlance:

"... the biggest tourism festival ever held in Ireland," said Failte Ireland chairman, Redmond O’Donoghue, at the press conference in the Royal Portrush clubhouse. It's designed to bring our Diaspora home for one big shindig.

If they get the rain that Carton House and the Irish Open endured when it was last held there in 2006, I don't see much of a gathering at all.

Irish Open 2012... goes to Royal Portrush

2012-01-05T23:31:00.000-08:00

Here we all were, thinking that the Irish Open was returning to Dublin in 2012 - because that's what we were told by the powers that be - and then out of the blue it's announced yesterday that Royal Portrush will be hosting it. We were blindsided on that one, seeing as Carton House were the hot favourites, with Royal Portrush destined to host it next year.

[The Winner: Royal Portrush's par four 5th]

It's great news for Northern Ireland, especially as there's so much hope pinned on Open Championship returning to Royal Portrush some time soon... which it should. The Irish Open - small fry by comparison - will be a good test for the club, the town and the county to adapt to the demands of hosting a prestigious event. Who knows, Rory McIlroy's course record of 61, scored when he we was a mere 16, might even come under threat.

[The Loser: Carton House's par three 17th]

Macreddin Misunderstanding

2011-12-30T05:31:00.000-08:00

[Photo: approach to the par five 8th with the Wicklow Mountains beyond]

It was announced just before Christmas that Macreddin Club plc had been put into liquidation. This caused a flurry of concern over the future of Macreddin Golf Club, one of Ireland's most under-rated golf courses... however, there is a distinct difference between the two entities. Macreddin Club plc ceased to be involved with the club back in 2010, and the golf club itself has been thriving ever since.

A phone call to David Lee, who manages the course, resulted in him making the following statement on Boards.ie:

The company that operated the golf course up to and including receivership (Until Nov 2010), Macreddin Club Public Limited Company has been liquidated. We have been operated by a new entity since. This liquidation does not affect the Golf Course, the status of current members or our plans for growth going forward in any way.

We would like to thank everybody who supported the club in 2011 and look forward to seeing you back on the fairways in 2012.

[Photo: approach to the par four 18th]

Who Wants to Buy The Belfry?

2011-12-28T01:19:00.000-08:00

It's not just Ireland that's struggling with golf course closures and golf course sales: England is enduring some pain too! The Belfry, in the west Midlands, has gone up for sale. This famous resort has three courses and it has hosted the Ryder Cup four times. Back in 2009, it hoped to host it again... in 2022.

All four Ryder Cups (Europe won two and halved one) were held on the Brabazon course, with perhaps the most notable win occurring in 2002, when Paul McGinley sank the winning putt... or was it 1989, when Christy O'Connor Junior beat Fred Couples with his famous two iron shot into the green on 18, sealing Europe's victory? Whichever, Irish golfers clearly like this course.

[McGinley's leap for joy on the 18th. Copyright PInglis]

25 major tournaments have been held here over the years and millions have been invested in upgrading the course and facilities. Now, in the face of being put up for sale, is it all for nought? Time will tell, but Irish golf courses, resorts and developers can at least relax, knowing that Ireland isn't the only country struggling...

... but wait a minute... that looks like a very familiar name at the top of the 'leader board'. Sean Quinn, once Ireland's richest man, bought The Belfry in 2005 for the best part of Stg £190 million. Perhaps Paul McGinley's winning putt had gone to his head, but he bought the resort with great ambitions - including knocking down the existing hotel and building a new 500 bedroom, 5 star one in its place. Sean Quinn Jnr is in charge of the resort.

With the property crash and the recession, building that hotel is as likely as a hole in one. Today (according to the Irish Times), The Belfry is valued at £88 million, and the banks which funded Quinn's 2005 purchase - Bank of Ireland and Bank of Scotland (Ireland) among them - have decided that this is the time to sell.

Only time will tell if the Ryder Cup is ever held here again, but at least the Irish Midas Touch continues!

What's in the Bag?

2011-12-16T00:37:00.000-08:00

A question (and poll alongside):

Do people care that much about what's in a Professional golfer's bag? Which Driver do they use? What length of putter do they favour?...

I just read a blog where the author asked: What self-respecting golf blog doesn't have a What's in the Bag piece?

Mine doesn't. I can't believe that anyone gives a damn. The professionals... OK, I understand the attraction, but it makes not a jot of difference to me. If Rory uses a bazooka it's not going to influence my next choice of club... although it might influence the choice of weapon that I take to to the next AIB AGM. Eggs are for wimps.

No, I go to my Pro shop and we discuss the type of game I play, whether I draw or fade, what kind of swing I inflict on the ground (which he'll watch - outside the Pro shop, obviously)... and he then suggests a couple of club models and we go from there.

Personally, I have zero interest in what's in anybody's golf bag. Do you?

[Photo: No, not me. I wish I had a swing like that... but at least I hit the ball]

Druid's Glen on the Money

2011-12-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

[Photo: View from the Druid's Glen clubhouse down the 18th]

With all the doom and gloom that weighs around the necks of punters discussing Irish golf courses (including myself), it's great to read that there is positive activity out there... especially when it's my favourite parkland in the country (or second favourite - I can never decide between Druid's and Adare).

According to the Accounts just filed by Druids Glen Golf Club Ltd for 2010:

"in 2011... the golf course has returned to sustained profitability."

You'll find the full article here, from the Irish Examiner, with all the financial details (yawn).

Two things stuck out for me:

1. The 'Marriot' hotel that fronts the Druid's Heath golf course will be no more as Druid's will be taking it on themselves on a 26 year lease.

2. This is the venue where, in July 2008, Sean Fitzpatrick played the now infamous round of golf with An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen. Seriously? Brian Cowen can play golf?

[Photo: Brian Cowen discovers a metaphor waiting for him - and the entire Fianna Fail party - on the golf course]

The Greatest Irish Golf Challenges

2011-12-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

This post originally started as 'The Great Irish Links Challenge', a three day event over three of Ireland's best links courses, but there are so many events like this that I expanded... and expanded.

Ireland has been hosting amateur golf tournaments for a long time… 25 years in some cases. Spread over three or four days, and using different formats (singles/fourball/team) they have proved to be a highly entertaining and very sociable way to introduce golfers from all around the world to some exceptional Irish golf courses. Naturally, some are more international than others but there’s always a competitive element. How many people play to win a prize is a matter of opinion as, really, it’s about the opportunity to play courses you might not otherwise think to play… not to mention the chance to knock back a few jars in the bar as the stories come tumbling forth.

And if you win something then it’s an added bonus.

[Photo: Doonbeg's exquisite par five opening hole ]

Atlantic Coast Challenge

The number of events in Ireland is growing as clubs appreciate how attractive such tournaments can be. In 2011, I competed in the inaugural Atlantic Coast Challenge (Enniscrone, Carne, Co. Sligo)… terrible golf, but what a blast. Three of my absolute favourite courses and it cost a mere €120 to enter the event. Played in July, we got rained on for a combined total of maybe 15 minutes over the three days. That’s the Irish weather being very kind indeed!

For details of the 2012 event, July 2 to July 4, click here.

www.enniscronegolf.com/

www.carnegolflinks.com/

www.countysligogolfclub.ie/

[Photo: Enniscrone's par four 12th may be one of the toughest holes around. It's a sheer drop in front of the green, and straight up the dune behind]

Great Irish Links Challenge

Meanwhile, the first Great Irish Links Challenge (Ballybunion, Doonbeg, Lahinch) was held the year before, in 2010 (and included the NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino among the competitors).

Personally I think these events are brilliant. After the joys of the Atlantic Coast Challenge, I was sorely tempted to have a go at the Great Irish Links Challenge, but forking out €595 for the privilege is too steep for my wallet. There are added incentives, above and beyond other tournaments, but when you compare €200 for a round, on average, to €40 for the Atlantic Coast Challenge, it’s hard for me to justify that extra expense.

So, what does your €595 buy you for an event which will be held between May 7 and May 10, 2012?

Welcome reception, tournament gift, golf and greens fees, transportation from Shannon Airport to The Lodge at Doonbeg, daily transportation to and from host venue to participating courses, daily prizes at each course, awards and dinner ceremony.

You are talking about three exceptional and world-ranked courses, but you’ll have to pay for accommodation on top of this… and based on the website’s focus on flights, this is clearly aimed at our American golfing friends… not that surprising when you consider the focus and ownership of Doonbeg.

[Photo: Ballybunion Old's 2nd green with views over what's to come]

Websites:

www.greatirishlinkschallenge.com

www.doonbeglodge.com/

www.lahinchgolf.com/

www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie/

[Photo: Lahinch - the approach to the par four 7th, beside the sea]

I met plenty of Americans on my travels and, contrary to popular opinion, they are not all loaded with cash. Like you and me, they have been saving hard over the years to justify the expense of taking a golfing holiday – in their case flying to Ireland for a week’s glorious links golf. Sure, we’ve all seen the helicopters and heard the stories of crazy extravagance, but then we have our own developers and bankers who show-off in much the same way… although not anymore! No, a trip to Ireland is a sacred journey that is relished for months beforehand and cherished for years after.

If this Challenge is the way they wish to enjoy Ireland’s great links, then fire ahead lads and ladies, and get stuck in to a tournament you’re unlikely to forget. But there are plenty of such tournaments to choose from, which cost a lot less, and the spread of dates means there's no excuse not to enter.

[Photo: The view from Doonbeg's par three 9th, back to the Lodge... where you could be staying]

Causeway Coast Amateur Golf Tournament

Plays over Castlerock, Portstewart (Strand), Ballycastle and Royal Portrush (Valley). It’s worth noting that this doesn’t play the acclaimed and highly ranked Royal Portrush (Dunluce) course, but the Valley is a beauty (and the course GMac calls home). One of the EXTRA bonuses of this particular competition is that all entrants who are not resident in Northern Ireland, get a free practice round at each club thrown in.

Date: June 4 to June 8, 2012

Website: www.causewaycoastgolf.com/

Entry fee: £200 (Sterling)

Heart of Down Tournament

Plays over Spa, Downpatrick, Ardglass and then Royal County Down (RCD) for the top qualifiers. Two parklands (Spa is very tasty) and a links… with the top 70 or so qualifying for RCD, while the rest go back and play one of the other courses on the final day.

Date: August 13 to August 17, 2012

Website: www.heartofdown.com/

Entry fee: £131.25 (Sterling) – yes, an odd price for sure!

[Photo: Spa's 11th hole, a downhill par four]

Coasts of Down Links Challenge

Plays over Ardglass, Kirkistown Castle and Royal County Down.

You play all three courses, and considering you can pay well over £100 to play RCD in the summer, you’re looking at another seriously good value deal. Ardglass is badly under-appreciated and has one of the best starts of any course on the island – holes 1 to 4 are breath-taking.

Date: April 25 to April 27, 2012

Website: www.posnettgolf.com/Coasts-of-Down.aspx

Entry fee: £105 (Sterling)

[Photo: View from the par three 3rd green at Ardglass, back to the tee]

Donegal Links Classic

Plays over three superb links courses in the very north of the country: Ballyliffin (Old), Rosapenna (Old Tom Morris) and Portsalon. The Rosapenna course was recently revamped by Pat Ruddy and Tom Doak while there will always be a debate about which of the Ballyliffin courses is better: Old vs. Glashedy. My preference is the Old, but you’d have to play both to make a fair comparison (i.e. book for a longer stay and play more golf, including Rosapenna’s mighty Sandy Hills).

It’s fair to say that of all these types of tournaments, you simply can’t beat €100 per person in terms of value.

Date: June 4 to June 6, 2012

Website: Try this Facebook page, or visit the Ballyliffin website

Entry fee: €100

[Photo: Ballyliffin Old's par four 15th, a hole that doglegs right]

West Coast Challenge

Plays over four of the north west's great links courses: Donegal (Murvagh), Strandhill, Enniscrone, Bundoran. 2012 will see its 26th year, and remains one of the most popular events around. Hardly surprising given the location and the people up that way.

Date: (TBC) September, 2012

Website: www.westcoastchallenge.info

Entry fee: TBC, but €125 in 2011

Laois International Golf Challenge

A slightly more complicated event as there are seven courses involved for a four day event. You’ll play three courses from Abbeyleix, The Heath, Mountrath, Portarlington, Rathdowney and Portlaoise over the first three days, and then the top qualifiers go on to a final at The Heritage (designed by Seve Ballesteros). It’s a good idea, involving so many courses, but they differ in quality quite a bit. Portlaoise is the poor relation, while Portarlington is the classiest. If you could pick your three, I’d want Portarlington, Mountrath and The Heath. Still, for €100 you shouldn’t be complaining and there are lots of places to stay.

Date: May 14 to May 17, 2012

Website: www.golfirelandmidlands.com/

Entry fee: €100

[Photo: Portarlington's par four 7th. And Index 1]

Dunmore East Classic

One of the oldest and most established events, and often booked up close to a year in advance. Four of Waterford’s finest parkland courses include Waterford, Tramore, Waterford Castle and Faithlegg. They’re all very close together, which helps, and the latter two also have hotels.

Date: May 30 April to May 3, 2012

Website: www.discoverireland.ie

(The main website, http://www.waterford-dunmore.com, is down currently)

Entry fee: €299, includes four dinner vouchers (packages also available including accommodation)

The Great North Links Challenge

Another rather special collection of links golf courses: Ballyliffin (Glashedy), Royal Portrush (Dunluce) – i.e. the ‘big’ course - and Portstewart (Strand).

Date: October 3 to October 5 2012

Website: Again, try the Facebook page or contact www.ballyliffingolfclub.com

Entry fee: €175

[Photo: Royal Portrush (Dunluce) - the par four 5th]

Erne Waterways Golf Challenge

Played over Slieve Russell, Co. Cavan and Castle Hume golf courses.

Date: June 8 to June 10 2012

Website: www.cavantourism.com (currently last year’s details)

Entry fee: €100

[Photo: Slieve Russell golf course - a fine parkland in Co. Cavan]

Pat Mulcare Am-Am

Played over two days across Tralee and Ballybunion Old, this amateur tournament celebrates Pat Mulcare – a well know Irish amateur golfer who featured on the 1975 Walker Cup team. Proceeds are used to promote junior golf.

Cost is not known at the moment (Dec 11) but it will take place on the weekend of August 11 and 12, 2012. It does not have much of an international presence, but that’s because it gets booked up so fast.

In Limbo

There are other tournaments which appear to be in limbo. These include the Tramore Golf Classic, which is pretty much identical to the Dunmore-East event, but taking place in September. The 2011 event was cancelled when a sponsor couldn’t be found. That may change in 2012. www.tramoregolfclassic.com/

And

P&O Irish Sea "Kingdoms of Down" played over Tandragee Golf Club, County Armagh Golf Club and Royal County Down

It's a mood thing: from 1st tee to 18th green

2011-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

I don't think there will be that many surprises in today's Irish Independent golf article on Discovering the Secrets of Perfect Happiness (click on the link). As Liam Kelly points out, it's not hard to see that golfers stepping onto the 1st tee are full of optimism at what their round might hold, and yet the majority walk off 18 downhearted, thoroughly fed up, or swearing they'll never play the game again.

It is only the lucky few who walk off 18 with a big smile on their face, knowing they've got a chance at a prize, or just happy to know their handicap will be cut.

And yet even then there's that feeling that you probably 'left a few shots out there.' Take Rory's win at the weekend. He won by 2 shots and was as happy as could be, yet I'm sure he carried a weight thinking about those short birdie putts he missed early in the round... and if he'd lost by a shot, how he would have cursed them. Fortunately he didn't need to worry, but you and I have both been there when we've missed a two or three footer early on, or failed to get out of a bunker, and then played great golf only to miss the prize by a single shot/point...

... do we focus on the great bunker shots, the drained 20 footers, the fade around the trees? No! We fret over that missed putt because of what might have been. That's golfers all over. What might have been. And what should be relaxation and fun turns into personal torment as we sit in our cars and head home in a grumpy mood, dwelling on one bad shot instead of the dozen or so good shots... or, if you're damn lucky, the brilliant shot that should stay in your head for years but doesn't because negative always overcomes positive.

At least that's my experience.

Psychology is not my strong point, but I know that I am a negative golfer, and I empathise strongly with what the article is about. I always arrive optimistic - 'today's the day' sort of thing - and nearly always walk off feeling down-hearted or even depressed. I guess because it's such a solitary game (i.e. it's all about you and not those around you) it's too easy to have expectations that are too high.

Why not try arriving on the 1st in a thoroughly depressed mood, anticipating a round of 8 points? Surely then things can only improve. The only problem is, you probably wouldn't bother getting out of bed.

It's a good article. Go. Read. Be positive.

The Dead of Portsalon Golf Club

2011-12-05T00:52:00.001-08:00

[Photo: Portsalon's 6th hole alongside the beach]

At the end of a hard round, striding over dunes and lapping up exceptional views, you don't really want to be told that there are dead bodies lying underneath your feet on the 18th fairway.

When Donegal's Murvagh course revamped its 1st green a few years back, the skeleton of a woman was discovered in the ground. It was too old to be of interest to the Gardai, and too young to attract the archaeologists, so it was removed and disposed of. A bit of a damp squib really.

What is going on at Portsalon is an entirely different matter. Here we're talking about the remains of 250 sailors, or some of them at least.

[Photo: Portsalon's par four 2nd, over the beach/Ballymastocker Strand]

200 years ago, on December 4th 1811, the HMS Saldanha sank in a violent storm near Ballymastocker Strand in Donegal. More than 250 lives were lost and it was one of the greatest sea tragedies on those shores. It is thought the ship was trying to return to harbour in Lough Swilly, on the Inishowen peninsula, when she struck rocks near Fanad Head.

She finally ran aground but was so battered by the sea that all lives were lost... bar the captain, William Pakenham, and his parrot who survived briefly: the captain died on the shore, after being given a drink of poitin. He received his own burial plot in Rathmullen Priory burial ground, but the sailors were placed in a mass grave thought to be under Portsalon's 18th fairway. How many of the bodies lie under Portsalon's closing hole remains to be seen. A massive stone close to the 18th fairway is thought to have been used to cover the bodies. The parrot also died, a few days later in a local garden. The account says that upon finding a strange bird in his garden the farmer shot it. The parrot was reported to be wearing a collar inscribed with the words ‘Captain Pakenham of His Majesty’s Ship Saldanha’. It was the last member of the Saldanha to perish.

[Photo: Views of Portsalon's beach, aka Ballymastocker Strand]

Fanad Head lighthouse was built in response to the disaster and its beacon first lit up Lough Swilly's dark waters on St. Patrick's Day, 1816.

Portsalon Golf Club have been very accommodating: they welcomed a 200th anniversary commemoration ceremony on the 18th fairway and have allowed historians to walk the course, using scanners to locate the bodies.

Over the years bones have been found and, not surprisingly for a county which resorts to poitin in difficult situations, there have been numerous tales of ghostly sailors walking the roads or trying to enjoy a free round on the links.

Donegal County Council plans to erect granite memorials at Portsalon beach and on the golf course... as if a links course didn't have enough hazards already.

One final thought: Captain William Pakenham came from famous Irish stock, but it was his brother-in-law who will be remembered most: he was Sir Arthur Wellesley, who became the Duke of Wellington, victor of one of the greatest battles in history, Waterloo, in 1815.

When you play Portsalon Golf Club, you will have your own battles, but spare a thought for all those sailors as you head up the last. And raise a glass of poitin from the warmth of the clubhouse bar.

Other photos of Portsalon Golf Club

€99 for 3 of Kerry's under-appreciated courses

2011-12-02T11:47:00.000-08:00

[Photo: Dooks par three 4th. It doesn't get more stunning than this]

If you're after a rather delicious golfing Christmas present, or you're simply planning your golfing adventures for next year, you'll do well to beat the Peninsula Pass, in Co. Kerry.

Let's start with the location... Co. Kerry is magnificent, beautiful, friendly and fun. It also has - by county - the best golf courses in the country.

[Photo: Ring of Kerry's par three 18th]

What about value for money... €99 for three courses which fall neatly into links (Dooks), seaside/parkland (Skellig Bay) and parkland (Ring of Kerry). €33 is a steal when you consider you can play them during peak season.

[Photo: Skellig Bay views, from green to tee on the par three 2nd]

Are the views worthwhile... Dooks has the best views of any golf course on the island (and it's up against stiff competition). Stand on the second green and take a nice and slow 360 degree spin. Mountains, sea, valleys. It's breathtaking. Ring of Kerry is on a hillside and overlooks the Greenane Islands in Kenmare Bay, while Skellig Bay is tucked under mountains and drifts above Skellig Bay itself (with Waterville in the distance)... alongside traditional dry-stone walls.

[Photo: Dooks - the 2nd green]

Quality Golf... Dooks, for me, remains one of the under-appreciated links in Ireland (hence the value). It's not big-dune country but it has great links tradition and challenges, a fabulous mix of holes and flora and fauna that makes it almost worthwhile to hit shots into the rough.

Skellig Bay has plenty of glorious holes (designed by Ron Kirby) and while the ones overlooking the ocean may be the most dramatic, the ones up against the mountain and along Fionnglassa River are the most stunning.

[Photo: Ring of Kerry's par three 14th and the views]

Ring of Kerry is a good course, but it wouldn't be up to the thrills of the other two - not in my book anyway. It has great flourishes, several dramatic holes (especially the par threes), good water features and some great challenges - it will certainly keep you entertained... as well as tiring you out that bit more.

Where to stay... if you have the cash, stay at Parknasilla, my favourite hotel on the planet! Otherwise you can choose between various hotels in Kenmare or Killarney... or find something in between. There are also hotels in Skellig Bay (try the Butler Arms), but wherever you stay you need to be aware of two things: you're on the Ring of Kerry, and the roads are not good. Drive too fast and you'll be rattled from your teeth to your testicles; and, if you plan your trip for summer, the traffic will get crazy busy, so remember that coaches travel around the Ring in an anti-clockwise direction.

Anything else to do... this is Co. Kerry - there's tons to do, from walking in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, strolling around lakes, driving up Moll's Gap, visiting Muckross House, checking out Kenmare (a very pretty town) and Killarney or just driving around to soak up the scenery. If you're into landscape photography, I highly recommend the Skyline Gallery in Kenmare.

[Photo: Skellig Bay's par three 14th]

Other golf courses... perhaps you fancy playing more golf. If so, you are spoiled for choice. Here's a brief list of three of the world's best courses you'll find nearby: Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville. There are also the three courses at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, where the Irish Open has been held for the last two years. Other courses include Castleisland, Kenmare, Killorglin and Ceann Sibeal out on the Dingle Peninsula.

How to get it... Passes must be purchased in advance and can be prepaid in full by contacting the central reservations office on Tel: 00353 (0)64 6642000 or Email: info@peninsulapass.com. Passes may also be purchased in person at the participating Golf Clubs.

Ryder Cup Weather 2014

2011-11-30T03:01:00.000-08:00

They're talking about the weather for the 2014 Ryder Cup already. How utterly daft is that. No sooner were the dates announced yesterday - 26 to 28 September 2014 - than the naysayers started discussing the weather. How very British... and Irish.

It's Scotland, in case people had forgotten. And since when does the month make a blind bit of difference? Our summers hardly stick to the script.

Now, I'm not looking at Scottish stats, but for comparative purposes let's look at Ireland:

In 2008, Ireland had its wettest August in 170 years... and I should know since I was travelling the countryside in a leaking camper van;
In 2010, we endured the wettest July in 60 years;
In 2007, Northern Ireland had its wettest June since 1958...

... so, considering how wet our so called summers have become, when would these naysayers prefer to see the event held?

I don't deny that September is a wet month (the 5th wettest month statistically, after October to January), but it's also a warm month (the 4th warmest month statistically, after June to August), so it's in the lap of the gods.

What will happen if Scotland experiences a September like 1986, when there was no rain at all in several parts of the UK and Ireland? Will these same people complain it's too dry?

How can you possibly predict weather 3 years in the future? That said, there is one person who can predict such things...

Evelyn Cusack is RTE 1's main weather forecaster. She says she is constantly asked by mothers of brides-to-be what the weather is going to be like on such-and-such a date, 18 months in the future. Tongue firmly in cheek, Evelyn replies that she'll need to know whether it's a morning or afternoon wedding before she can make a prediction.

RTE Radio 1 Saturday Sport Interview: 26/11/11

2011-11-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

[Photo: Adare's par five 18th. The course is ranked 10th in Ireland]

I was invited onto the Saturday Sport show to discuss the merits & shortcomings of the recent Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 course rankings. Des Cahill, Greg Allen, myself and Linton Walsh, the magazine's editor, were gathered around the desk. It was fascinating to hear, direct from the horse's mouth, how the ranking process worked.

There are problems implicit in any ranking process: ask one person and it is too subjective; ask 50 people and the result is diluted. As an example, if you asked 20 people to rank Mount Juliet, and ten said it was No. 1, and ten said it was No. 100, what do you do? If you divide the result, and put it at 50 then no one is happy. Rankings are merely a list, not a bible! They are something to be used as a reference point and to spark debate... nothing more.Linton described how the process has evolved over the years: there were only 5 people on the panel in the first year (hence a 20% weighting per person), versus 11 this year (a 9% weighting per person), which includes 'one' vote from a panel of 25 'ordinary' golfers. There have also been changes to how points are awarded.

But the difficulty with changing the process is that the rankings are going to change too. It's a balancing act and the magazine needs to establish a happy medium that delivers a consistent approach, year after year... of course, the danger there is that you end up with exactly the same ranking year after year, and who wants that!

[Photo: Rathcore's par three gem, the 16th]

Greg certainly was taking issue with aspects of the ranking, namely the huge shift in the position of Old Head of Kinsale over the last three years (down 5 to No. 29 in 2009, down another 18 to No. 47 in 2010, yet up 23 to No. 24 in 2011). There are also 20 courses that have moved by 10 places or more, which is a significant shift no matter how you look at it.
When these two had finished, it was my turn. Des asked me about Hooked, which I wasn't really expecting.

It was a great plug - the audience is 100,000 strong - and I ended up reminiscing about freezing nights in a camper van and playing beautiful Portumna surrounded by deer. I got to say a good bit about Scrabo - a course that has never been near the top 100, but is one of my favourite experiences of all time - and also Rathcore - a course that was No. 65 a few years back and is now, oddly, nowhere to be seen.

The truth is, I don't agree with the GDI rankings, but that is MY opinion. Greg and I would argue all day long over Portmarnock's position at No. 2, and I didn't much fancy the way he was reaching for his 7 iron when I suggested it wouldn't even make my top ten... but that's what rankings are about: opinions.

[Photo: Scrabo's brilliant opening par 4 hole]

It was a 20 minute discussion, and if you’re interested in listening to it, get yourself onto http://www.rte.ie/player/# and click on ‘Radio’ in the top menu bar. That should bring up a new page, where you click the RTE Radio 1 circle, and then type in Saturday Sport in the ‘Search’ bar, which brings up all the recent shows. Still with me? Click play for the 26/11/11 entry and then go all the way forward to the 02:55:30 time mark. Hard work, I know, but who said life was easy.

If for nothing else it is interesting to hear Linton describe the process… and you should have seen the size of the folder he had with him, containing all the course assessments. The man came prepared.

Caste Dargan... and a packet of Condoms!

2011-11-26T00:09:00.000-08:00

When you get involved in these Mega-deal site offers, like Groupon, I guess you have to take your chances. This morning I received an email from Groupon offering a great deal at the 4 Star Castle Dargan Hotel & Golf Resort.

One (€99) or Two (€159) Night Break For Two With a Round of Golf or Spa Treatment Each at 4* Castle Dargan Hotel - which is up to 67% off.

For more details, click on the link - the offer is available until midnight tonight (Saturday 26th) and the voucher runs until 31 March 2012.

And right under the Castle Dargan offer is another deal - this one for 70% off packets of condoms (50 and 100 'bumper' packs). I'm not linking to that offer - if you're interested, go find it yourself...

In the meantime here's a picture of the 18th at Castle Dargan - designed by Darren Clarke (and no balls in sight):

Tralee - murder of the cliche

2011-11-25T03:14:00.000-08:00

[Photo: Tralee's stunning 13th, a par three that perches on a dune]

First things first: congratulations to Tralee Golf Club in its rise from 10th to 7th in the Golf Digest Ireland 2011 Top 100 Courses Rankings. It's a spectacular course with some remarkable views. And with some benign weather around at the moment, the green fee's a snip at €50.

Anthony Byrne is the General Manager, and I'm going to have a gentle dig at something he said which appeared in the Irish Times the other day... he knows how much I like the course (a photo of Tralee's 16th was the front cover of Hooked - 1st edition) and he was kind enough to comp me and a friend when I was on my travels, so, if he ever reads this, he knows it's all in good fun:

[Photo: the approach to Tralee's 10th hole, a dogleg left par four]

Tralee's 10th hole is going to be remodelled and the Practice Academy is to be updated. In describing the changes, Anthony decided to take a worn-out golfing cliche, bring it back to life briefly and then murder it again.

“We know that we have a priceless jewel here in Barrow and you must never, ever, allow a priceless jewel to lose any of its lustre,” he said.

I agree with the sentiment wholeheartedly, but sometimes a cliche this bad deserves to stay dead and buried.

I look forward to seeing the new 10th... if I'm ever allowed on the course again!

Glasson - 2011 Irish Golf Resort of the Year

2011-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

[View down the par five 14th, a downhill, dogleg right]

We're going back a month (Oct 24), but a belated congratulations to Athlone's Glasson Country House & Golf Club, which won the 2011 Irish Golf Resort of the Year, as awarded by the Irish Golf Tour Operator Association (IGTOA).

There was a fancy knees-up in Thomond Park, pitched as the Gala Irish Golf Awards, and it is a great award for one of the midlands' best golf clubs. Golfers are forever talking about the par three 15th, which requires a walk out along a bridge to a tee in Lough Ree... but the closing stretch of holes is an excellent finish.

[Photo: the par three 15th, across the edge of the lake]

The Minister for Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs, Jimmy Deenihan TD, said: "These awards recognise the best in the Irish golf tourism industry, with awards for our national hotels, golf courses, golf resorts and golf secretary managers. Receiving an award from the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association is deserved recognition of the effort put in throughout the year to make the visitor experience as memorable and special as it can be.”

Jimmy nailed it on the head and, from, a personal point of view, I got a very impressive room upgrade when I visited the course. True, a broom cupboard would be an upgrade compared to the camper van, but I was put in an amazingly spacious room, with sofas, armchairs, an enormous bed and views of the surrounding countryside.

I thanked Gareth, the Manager, for such an impressive room, to which he replied that all rooms are identical. I can't think of a hotel that takes better care of golfers - who doesn't want to sprawl out at the end of a long day's golfing!

There are a bunch of offers on at the moment: 1 night's B&B with dinner and a round of golf is €135, or €170 if you stay two nights. You'll find the offers here:

Apologies for the photo quality - it was a dull, dull day.

[Photo: the 18th, back to the hotel]

How much is your eye worth?

2011-11-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

It's a question you probably don't ask yourself very often... but for a golfer it is a serious consideration.

The answer to the question, according to Mr Anthony Phee, is £750,000 (Sterling). That's how much he was suing another golfer for (and the golf club where the incident took place), after losing his eye from a bad drive 150 yards away.

He claimed he ducked (James Gordon, the striker of the ball, denied this) but either way his eye 'exploded' (Phee's words) on impact and was later removed. It was his fourth round of golf ever!

The judgement was made in Phee's favour, but for a lesser amount of £400,000. 70% of the blame was apportioned to Gordon, and 30% to Niddry Castle golf club in West Lothian, Scotland.

Losing an eye is a terrible thing - I am blessed with good eyesight, and the thought of damaging an eye fills me with dread - but I have some sympathy for Gordon. Yes, his drive was very poor, but he shouted 'fore' - as did a playing companion - and after that it's in the lap of the gods. Mr. Phee has lost an eye and someone has to take responsibility, but when you step onto a golf course you, as a golfer, have to accept certain risks... and being struck by a ball is one of them. It doesn't happen often but it does happen, and unless you play courses like Killeen Castle, where holes are miles apart, you always have to be prepared.

Which means you should be insured against such things. At my home club there are a couple of dangerous spots - no doubt you have some of your own at your home club - and perhaps a recommendation for clubs, if only to cover themselves, would be to include a warning of dangerous holes on the scorecard, or when accepting green fees from visitors. Or ask if everyone is insured. Most clubs include insurance as part of their annual sub, but if yours doesn't, then I suggest you get some if only for peace of mind.

We can all hit bad shots... let's just hope they don't cost us £400,000.

Check out the GUI website details (Golfsure), or look at Golf Safe, on my links

Royal Portrush... Irish Open... 2013?

2011-11-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

[Photo: the magnificent 5th. A par four that doglegs right, and out to the sea]

The flurry of expectation that Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush Golf Club must hold the British Open, rose to fever pitch after Darren Clarke's July win.

Everyone went a bit mad on the idea, as if it was a done deal, but it's about baby steps. The R&A aren't about to rush in without checking the infrastructure required to accommodate crowds upwards of 40,000 a day. Portrush is a town of less than 7,000, after all, and there are only three chippers.

The British Open is held exclusively at 9 golf courses, and I'm sure there will be some pressure to keep it that way as the income for each golf club and its local economy must be enormous. But a change would be good, and the presence of so many golfers from this island at the top of leaderboards around the world, should be enough to entice a mood change in the stuffy world of the R&A. That and the fact that GMac and Darren have agreed to act in an ambassadorial role for Royal Portrush, which will celebrate its 125th anniversary in 2013.

And baby steps are exactly what are being taken... the publication of the Stormont Executive's programme for Government, pledges - among other things - to host a major golf tournament in Northern Ireland.

For the official Executive document (a PDF), click here and do a keyword search on 'golf'

This would seem to imply that the Irish Open may be held in Royal Portrush as early as 2013. It would be a showcase event to demonstrate the capacity of the town and the country to host something as big as the British Open. And if things don't go quite according to plan (that one way system on the edge of town drives me nuts), there will be the perfect excuse to change things, build new roads, or whatever is seen to be lacking.

Build it and they will come, etc. etc.

1951 is a long time ago, but let's hope the Open comes back to Northern Ireland soon.

Head for the moon

2011-11-17T02:01:00.000-08:00

It's not often you walk onto the first tee at your home club (Greystones) and hit your tee shot straight at a full moon.

K Club Smurfit at it again

2011-11-15T23:53:00.000-08:00

A few months back, the K Club decided to jump on the 'Deals' bandwagon by offering a special rate for a round of golf on the Smurfit course, for two people, with a slap up meal afterwards...

... it must have worked well because they're doing it again - the only difference this time being the food, which is a two course meal in a different restaurant.

[Photo: the drive on the 18th hole, a long dogleg par five]

Here's the deal: €110 instead of €260 for a Tee Time for 2 at the 18 Hole Championship Smurfit Course, followed by a sumptuous 2 Course Meal in the Kwam Suk, Thai and Oriental Restaurant at the K Club.

It's a saving of €150 - normal price €260.

You can get the deal here, on Pigsback, up until Monday 21 November. There are a couple of conditions, although they're not too restrictive:

- This voucher is valid until Mar 31 2012
- This voucher is valid Tues - Sun only
- Meal is from a set menu

[Photo: views over the 17th green, to the 16th green]

The Smurfit is not my favourite course, but much of that was to do with the cost of green fees, which was €250 at the time. If they're now offering a round and a meal for €55 per person, then my attitude towards them has softened... although the original price of €130 per person would still be too high to get me along. The closing stretch is superb, and one of my favourite photographs (out of 3,500), taken on my travels, is of the 17th hole.

All my photos of Smurfit are here.

Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2012

2011-11-14T04:22:00.000-08:00

Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2012

The new rankings are out... Golf Digest Ireland has got it in the neck over recent years, with a ranking system that caused more upset than approval and generated endless rumours of advertising-leads-to-improved-rankings skullduggery. As with all rankings, unless there's a completely transparent and traceable system (think Supermarket meat packing), someone is going to cry 'foul'. Hardly surprising when everyone has such diverse opinions on what makes a course great.

[Photo: Waterville's 'Mass' Hole (par three 12th). The most significant move in the top ten, rising from 6 to 8]

In general, the top 10 are regarded as being correct, although some people would shift things around a bit - Portmarnock, at No. 2, has never been a favourite of mine, and moving The European from 4 to 8 seems a mighty big leap, which, like its owner, only improves with age.

The arguments typically focus on what comes between 11 and 100, and what has been left out.

Golf World magazine did a 'Ireland's Top 100' a couple of months back, and I was invited to make a contribution. I had a lot of fun looking at the magazine's existing list and moving things about. Naturally, not all my suggestions made it through - hardly surprising when you consider that Padraig, Paul McGinely and Pat Ruddy were also contributing - but it made me appreciate how difficult it is to create a list that I was happy with.

[Photo: Adare drops two to tenth but remains the highest ranked parkland. This is the par three 16th]

New Approach

Perhaps GDI got tired of all the grief and decided to shake things up. This year sees an 'X Factor' contribution from Ireland's golfing public. A number were selected earlier this year and taken to the K Club to be prepped by Ally McKintosh (course designer), on how to rate/view a golf course. A couple of these raters have been in touch and told me about their experiences - all good I might add, as they got to play some of our best courses - but there is no indication how significant their contribution was to the overall result. 25%? 10%? Less? There is quite a group of unofficial 'official' experts and I imagine their opinions carry the greatest weight.

[Photo: the par four 6th at Bunclody. A non-mover at 59]

There were also two changes to the criteria which the raters used (see below): the 'shot making/variety' criterion was increased from 10 points to 20; and a new category of 'WOW factor' was introduced.

The seven criteria are:

Degree of difficulty/fairness 10 points

Shot making/variety 20 points

Design variety 10 points

Wow factor 10 points

Memorability 10 points

Condition 10 points

Playability 10 points

No doubt these changes have helped the rankings look more real, but there will always be naysayers who will spot anomalies that make the blood boil. I count myself among them... Killarney Lackabane at 68 still mystifies me, even if it has dropped 4 places, and there's no place for Macreddin, Rathcore or Portarlington. Druid's Glen drops 10 places, while Ballybunion Cashen is rising at a snail's pace at 91... but these are some of my personal gripes and I bow to the democratic process of the broader community!!

[Photo: Rathcore's exceptional par three 16th, but the course doesn't

make the Top 100]

NAMA Courses

For many, the contentious issue of NAMA courses being included (after being excluded in 2010), will cause a certain level of fury and/or concern. These courses, as good as they are (Tulfarris and New Forest are favourites of mine), cause considerable problems for their golfing neighbours. They already receive far too much assistance from the banks and NAMA, and they should not be given a promotional platform here. They may have the right to be recognised as excellent courses, but not at the expense of hard-working and struggling clubs... which describes many of our clubs today.

Here's the list. If you have any opinions on a particular course's position, let me know.

(Info in brackets shows movement from 2011)

1. Royal County Down (=)

2. Portmarnock (=)
3. Royal Portrush (=)
4. Waterville (Up 2)
5. Ballybunion (Old) (=)
6. Lahinch (Up 1)
7. Tralee (Up 3)
8. The European Club (Down 4)
9. County Louth (Baltray) (=)
10. Adare (Down 2)

11. County Sligo (Rosses Point) (=)
12. The Island (=)
13. Ballyliffin, Glashedy (Up 3)
14. Enniscrone (Up 3)
15. Mount Juliet (Down 2)
16. Donegal (Up 3)
17. Portstewart, Strand (Up 3)
18. Killeen Castle (Down 4)
19. Royal Dublin (Down 1)
20. The K-Club, Palmer (Down 5)

21. Belmullet, Carne (Up 4)
22. Ballyliffin, Old Links (Up 10)
23. Doonbeg (Up 13)
24. The Old Head of Kinsale (Up 23)
25. Rosapenna, Sandy Hills (Down 4)
26. Killarney, Killeen (Down 3)
27. Portsalon (Up 8)
28. Carton House, Montgomerie (Up 2)
29. Carlow (Down 5)
30. Cork (Down 1)
31. Portmarnock Links (=)
32. Lough Erne (Down 10)
33. Dooks (Up 4)
34. Rosapenna, Old Tom Morris (Down 1)
35. Castlerock (Down 7)
36. Headfort, New (Up 4)
37. Druids Glen (Down 10)
38. Concra Wood (Up 1)
39. Luttrellstown Castle (Up 10)
40. Fota Island, Deerpark (New entry)
41. The K-Club, Smurfit Course (Down 7)
42. Seapoint (Down 16)
43. Narin And Portnoo (Up 8)
44. Heritage (New entry)
45. Slieve Russell (Down 3)
46. Palmerstown House Estate (Up 8)
47. Tramore (Up 11)
48. Connemara (Up 8)
49. Carton House, O’Meara (Up 3)
50. Powerscourt, West Course (Down 12)
51. Belvoir Park (Down 8)
52. Malone (Down 11)
53. Portumna (Up 8)
54. Farnham Estate (Down 6)
55. Dun Laoghaire (Down 9)
56. Westport (Down 11)
57. Hermitage (=)
58. Portrush, Valley (Down 14)
59. Bunclody (=)
60. Dundalk (Down 10)
61. Tullamore (Down 8)
62. Glasson (Down 2)
63. Castletroy (Up 22)
64. Mount Wolseley (Up 12)
65. Arklow (Down 3)
66. Clandeboye (Up 3)
67. Rathsallagh (=)
68. Killarney, Lackabane (Down 4)
69. Dromoland Castle (Down 4)
70. Druids Heath (Down 15)
71. Ardglass (Down 3)
72. Royal Belfast (Up 1)
73. Shannon (Down 1)
74. Grange (Up 10)
75. Powerscourt, East Course (Down 12)
76. Castlemartyr (Down 2)
77. Laytown and Bettystown (Up 9)
78. Strandhill (Up 5)
79. Castle (Up 1)
80. Mullingar (Down 2)
81. Rosslare (Up 17)
82. St. Annes (Down 11)
83. Kilkenny (Down 17)
84. Skellig Bay (Up 3)
85. Knightsbrook (Down 6)
86. Bantry Bay (Down 16)
87. Galway (Down 6)
88. Galgorm Castle (Down 6)
89. Courtown (Down 14)
90. Ballinrobe (Up 1)
91. Ballybunion, Cashen (Up 2)
92. Balbriggan (Down 15)
93. Kirkistown Castle (New entry)
94. Tulfarris (New entry)
95. New Forest (New entry)
96. Galway Bay (Down 7)
97. Moyvalley (New entry)
98. Dingle, Ceann Sibeal (New entry)
99. Castleknock (New entry)
100. Woodenbridge (New entry)

Fota Island up for sale

2011-11-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

[The par three 7th]

The trouble has been brewing for long enough, and the recent NAMA 'list' included 8 golf courses under their control, of which Fota Island Golf and Spa Resort. It now appears that the most glamorous parkland course in the south is going to put up for sale. It opened in 1993 and has held the Irish Open twice (2001 and 2002), but if NAMA can make money out of it, then it 'makes sense' to try and sell what is a very viable asset... because the resort is trading well, which improves its chances of being snapped up.

[The drive on the par five 18th]

Who'd buy it? With a price estimated around 20 million euro, there should be plenty of buyers, from hungry funds, global hotel chains (it was a Sheraton hotel until September 2009) and the cash rich Chinese - who seem all set to buy Europe.

There's a full piece in the Irish Examiner today: Fota Resort Up For Sale

Portsalon's Changes Part II

2011-10-18T11:27:00.001-07:00

Here are three photos showing just one of the changes to Portsalon Golf Club. These are all of the par three 15th:

[Photo: view of the original hole from the tee, where the mound blocks a full view of the green, and hides the bunker on the right]

[Photo: still the original hole but now showing the old bunkers - there's also one barely visible at the back of the green]

[Photo: the NEW hole, from the tee. With the mound gone, there's far more to see, including the new bunkers]

Portsalon gets the McGinley Touch

2011-10-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

[Photo: the magical par four 2nd, and one of the toughest holes in the country]

It all started so innocently… one of Portsalon’s former Captains is married to Paul McGinley’s sister… so Paul received an invitation to play at one of Donegal’s finest links courses.

After the round he was asked for his opinions on the course, so he made a few comments... and Portsalon set about implementing them. After a small portion of work was completed, Paul was invited to give some feedback. And once he had expressed his approval, he was formally invited to work on the revamping of Portsalon Golf Club. For those who don’t know, McGinley was the man behind Macreddin Golf Club in Co. Wicklow.

[Portsalon's beach - part of it]

Now, let me point out, Portsalon has a huge amount going for it already. Its location is breathtaking (the beach, the bay, Knockalla Mountain), the shape of the land and dunes is magical and the quality of some holes is exceptional – the par four 2nd is indisputably one of the best in the country (even Paul McGinley said so)… so the question is, what was McGinley going to do to make the course better still?

Johnny Shields is Portsalon’s Head Greenkeeper:

“We started in October 2010, and it’s the start of a five year plan. Over the last year we’ve been upgrading and introducing new bunkers to nine holes, and we’ll be doing the same next year with the other nine. In all we’ll have about 50. Paul’s idea was to make the course more player-friendly and to make traps and hazards more visible.”

Johnny explained that McGinley wanted to introduce traditional revetted links style bunkers, with steep faces. To make the course more player-friendly, you only need look at the Index 1 par four 6th, where the fairway has been widened to make the hole more accessible, and the green has been extended into the hollow on the left thereby making it less punishing. On the brilliant 2nd, the club closed the three bunkers that ran along the right hand side of the green, which were impossible to see from the fairway, and replaced them with one revetted stlye bunker at the front right.

"The reason for this was that Paul thought the hole was tough enough for the average golfer without them hitting good shots and getting penalised when they got up to the green, only to find there ball in a greenside bunker.

[Photo: new bunkers at the par three 15th]

"On the par three 15th," Johnny continues, "we closed the bunker at the back of the green, made two bunkers out of the original one on the right, and replaced the bunker on the left. To make these visible from the tee we lowered the mound that was halfway from tee to green, to give full visibility of the putting surface and its bunkers." (See photo)

As the course is reshaped, the length will stay approximately the same. Some holes will be lengthened and some shortened, while there will also be some green extensions. The current gravel paths will be turfed over to give it a more natural look and feel.

A five year plan may seem like a long time, but the work is taking place during the autumn and winter months so that the course stays open for play as much as possible. It also spreads the costs of the work.

And bear in mind that the work is all being carried out by the in-house greenkeeping team… which numbers just four.

“When we finish a job,” says Johnny, “we photograph the work and email it to Paul for his approval. So far he’s been happy.”

Let’s hope it stays that way and Portsalon gets the recognition it deserves.

Ireland’s 18 best – a new book

2011-10-10T12:56:00.001-07:00

[The Book]

It’s not as though golfers are short of books on Irish golf courses, but sometimes one will come along that offers something quite different. A new hardback book, ‘18 Greatest Irish Golf Holes’, is exactly that and it comes with a foreword from Padraig Harrington, so it's not to be sniffed at. 152 glorious colour photographs, 54 hand-painted illustrations, and eloquent and erudite text on almost all of its 272 pages. The production is exquisite… and let’s not forget that it’s a limited edition. Each of the 5,000 books is individually numbered and comes in a protective sleeve.

This is a book that doesn’t scrimp on quality and is one of those great finds when it comes to producing that extra special present. Of course, it’s not cheap… but ‘cheap’ is not a word you’d ever use to describe this particular publication. It costs €225, and is primarily aimed at the US market.

[Photo: view of Enniscrone's par five 16th from the 17th tee]

Now then… what about these 18 ‘greatest’ holes. How were they chosen and by whom? It should be noted that as well as playing numerous courses themselves, the authors sought the advice and recommendations of many, many people, including Open champion Darren Clarke, and US Open winners Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell. Input also came from club professionals, course architects, greenkeepers, and regular low and high handicappers like you and me. And, of course, the venerable Pat Ruddy. In other words, a large number of people got to express their opinions, so picking the 18 holes that made the final cut must have been a nightmare.

When I picked my 18 best holes, I decided to put together a round of golf that started at the 1st (Scrabo) and finished at the 18th (Carne), with four par threes and four par fives to make a classic par 72. Here, the authors simply decided to take the best 18 holes, regardless of par or number.

[Photo: Druid Glen's par four 13th - one of the most spectacular and difficult holes on the island. A large pond awaits your 2nd and a narrow river runs across the front of the fairway.]

How do the holes break down?

There are only three holes from Northern Ireland, with a further two from Donegal. There are 13 links holes, which is not that surprising on an island fêted for its coastal courses. And there are five par fives and five par threes.

Of course the list will spark debate. Why wouldn’t it? When you get so many people throwing in their penny’s worth, it is highly likely that even those singled out for their expertise will disagree with holes on the final list.

[Photo: Adare's par four 13th slides quietly right over the brow of the hill]

Me? There are only three holes on this list that make my 18 Best Holes (Tralee, Ballybunion and Royal County Down) so, theoretically, I'm going to disagree with most of the choices... but then I was unencumbered by others’ opinions and able to wallow in the delights of my subjectivity. And I am well aware that plenty of people disagree with my top 18 so you're never going to keep everybody happy.

The 18 holes in this book are all very strong, but Lough Erne and Ballyliffin wouldn’t even have made my runner-up 18, and on several of the other courses (Enniscrone, The European, Waterville, Doonbeg, Royal Portrush) I would have given a different hole the ‘best’ status. But there you go – we all look at things in different ways and, as authors Andrew Ross and Craig Morrison pointed out:

“The end result was basically what we thought was a decent list and a pretty democratic choice."

However you look at, the final 18 holes will take you a merry and spectacular dance across this fair island. And the book will give you all the motivation you need to go and play them.

You’ll find more details on http://www.18greatestgolf.com

[Photo: Waterville's famous par five 16th 'Tranquility'. This shot hides the steep rise to the green]

The 18 featured holes are:

The European Club 7th Par 4

Lahinch Golf Club 6th Par 4

K Club, Palmer Course 16th Par 5

Tralee Golf Club 16th Par 3

Enniscrone Golf Club 16th Par 5

Lough Erne 10th Par 4

Druid's Glen 13th Par 4

Portmarnock Golf Club 15th Par 3

Royal County Down 9th Par 4

Adare Golf Club 13th Par 4

Old Head Golf Links 12th Par 5

Royal Portrush Golf Club 14th Par 3

Rosapenna, Sandy Hills 6th Par 4

Ballyliffin, Glashedy 13th Par 5

Doonbeg Golf Club 14th Par 3

Waterville Golf Links 11th Par 5

Ballybunion Golf Links 11th Par 4

Killarney, Mahony's Point 18th Par 3

Donal Trump - Hypocrite Extraordinaire

2011-09-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

Donald Trump is an utter, utter twit.

He rumbles into Scotland with his plans to build a world-beating golf resort in Aberdeen, tramples over the planning process, throws his money and promises around to encourage the process along, and endears himself to the locals like a turd on your shoe... and now he's calling a wind turbine farm in Aberdeen Bay 'ugly'. Get this, in a letter to Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, he describes the wind turbines, to be located a mile from his golf course, as "disastrous and environmentally irresponsible".

Oh yes, Donald, and who's building a golf resort on a Site of Special Scientific Interest on the Menie Estate. And when I say 'golf resort', I mean two 18 hole golf courses, a large luxury hotel, 500 private houses and 1,000 holiday homes. No environmental damage there I suppose!

Trump said: "Unfortunately, instead of celebrating the start of something valuable and beautiful for Scotland, this ugly cloud is hanging over the future of the great Scottish coastline."

The only 'ugly cloud' around here, mate, is your hair.

Macreddin on the Boards

2011-08-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

[Valley/Mountain views from the 5th green]

The Boards golf society is up and running. A year or two ago, some people tried to set one up but nothing came of it. This year, thanks to increased interest and, I suspect, great value green fees, the number of golfers willing to play has soared. A certain ‘Keano A Legend’ deserves the credit for getting the group kick-started and the first outing was to Dundrum Golf Club in Co. Tipperary a few weeks back.

The second was yesterday, to Macreddin in Co. Wicklow. The numbers playing almost tipped 30, and I imagine we were all fairly hacked off when we arrived in Macreddin's car park… after leaving Dublin or, in my case, Wexford, the sunshine had given way to some nasty rain. Quite literally, as I turned off the engine the rain started. Inside the clubhouse (a set of portakabins) I had a word with David about that. He shrugged and said he’d see what he could do. David Lee is the young man now managing the place and he is an active Boards contributor, offering some exceptional green fee rates to get out on Macreddin on a Saturday… a €15 green fee is remarkable (even for a group rate) or, for an extra tenner, you can share a buggy.

Two lads – Sternpeak and DubTom – went out first in a buggy, and David and myself were due to follow. We were joined by Peter, and just as we prepared to tee off the rain stopped. Sure, it returned briefly on the 2nd, but thereafter we had a beautiful day, which matched the course. Macreddin endured the highest level of two-day rainfall all Summer on the previous two days, and you could feel it underfoot from time to time – but, under such circumstances, the course was in superb condition and the greens were true and smooth. Add to that the popularity of the course, which is packed every weekend (value and quality!), and the resulting wear and tear that fairways, putting surfaces and tee boxes endure, is practically invisible (a few tee boxes aside). You quickly appreciate the volume of effort that goes into the place.

In terms of upkeep, an honourable mention should be given to the crows who seem to enjoy nothing more than digging up the surfaces to depths of three inches – I’m sure we all saw the crow-hole on the 11th green.

[Photo: the par three 4th has to be one of the best par threes in the country]

“They’re called leatherjackets,” David informed us, although I suspect he wanted to call them something far less polite. “They’re after Daddy-Longlegs eggs. They walk around until they feel the heat beneath their feet and then they start digging.”

You learn something new every day!

David obviously knows the course, as do I, but Peter didn’t, so it was interesting watching his reaction to what I reckon are the best holes – like the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 12th, 13th, and then the run for home from the 15th. He enjoyed all of them, and I imagine the 3rd will live long in the memory after a perfect drive, a better second and a sweet three footer for birdie. He plays off 14.

[Photo: the short but exquisite par four 6th]

A few comments should be made about Macreddin: it is a long track, made all the longer by the walks between 9 and 10, and then from 18 back to the clubhouse/car park. Peter was pulling his clubs and I thought we’d lost him when he disappeared on the walk to the 10th. We drove around in the buggy, searching, and finally found him… suspiciously close to the pub. The back nine is hilly in places (the par five 15th really knocks the breath out of you) and it is widely accepted that you need a buggy to get around the course. Personally, I don’t think you get a true feel for a course unless you walk it – it gives you a far greater appreciation for the design, the flow and rhythm of the course, and the challenges you face.

David reckons that 90% of golfers take buggies, and on a busy weekend they are all the more important as rounds can be lengthy affairs – we came in just shy of five hours. That’s not only a reflection on the course length, it also reflects the challenges you face if you don’t play straight golf. This is no easy course, but it is most definitely a thrill to play.

For those who were paying attention, the mounds and shapes created during course construction mirror the mounds and shapes of the hills around you. And if you didn’t notice them, then that proves just how effective they are.

[The steeply downhill approach to the par four 16th - one of the toughest par fours on the course... David almost made it]

After the round, five of us decamped to the pub that is part of Macreddin village next door, where we enjoyed a post-round analysis, and a burger and a pint for a tenner… another deal that David arranged.

You see, this is something I banged on about recently: a lot of the guys and girls running our golf clubs are old-school in their thinking. They do a perfectly good job, marketing through the same old channels, but in this day and age there needs to be a bit more ‘pushing the envelope’… and David is doing that rather well – as the Boards outing demonstrates. Find your target market, treat them right and inspire repeat business.

[Photo: the attractive approach to the par four 18th]

More and more clubs are on Facebook and Twitter, but it still comes down to how well you use the social media we enjoy today. Macreddin is hitting the nail on the head. And long may it continue for a club that has come through receivership and is now truly back in business.

It was a great day out, on a fantastic course… and a quick mention must be made of the efforts of two of our group who travelled up from Cork for the day. Lads, we admire your dedication.

Roll on the next outing.

http://www.facebook.com/macreddingc

Rathsallagh Top Golfer

2011-08-27T00:13:00.001-07:00

I hadn’t played Rathsallagh in five years, maybe more, yet it remains one of my favourite parklands. There is something about the trees, the elegant setting, the smooth rhythm that has to be savoured. Combine these with tough approaches, and greens that are fast with wicked slopes and it’s a thrilling but tough test of golf.

[Photo: the tricky par three 4th, with water front right]

It was a Junior Scratch Cup and the weather predicted heavy rains sweeping in from the west. Not a bit of it. The round was played in glorious sunshine.

Top Golfer (topgolfer.ie) describes itself as:

‘Ireland's community for golfers with a handicap of 9 or better. We exist to bring together the most dedicated, passionate and talented players from across Ireland.’

It’s a simple and brilliant idea and its size and reputation are growing fast. Why? Because it’s free to register, it lets you know what’s on and when, it has an order of merit and it promises excellent prizes. There’s also a grand final for the winners of the numerous events around the country. If you’re already playing in a scratch competition, why on earth would you not register for this!

[Photo: Willy hits his tee shot to the par three 13th]

Rob, one of TopGolfer’s top men, was by the first tee greeting the players and handing out a few freebies – he has a busy weekend with Mount Wolseley on Sunday – and he spotted the shirt I was wearing: One2One British Masters. Turns out that when we were working in the UK, we worked in similar circles and knew a person or two in common. Small world… as usual.

I was playing with Tom, Seamus and Willy – all from Killerig Castle – and the golf got a bit chaotic in places. There was some good golf for sure, but Seamus played my ball on the par five 6th and had a trek to go and bring it back, on the 10th we let the group behind play through as we searched for a ball – only for one of them to play Tom’s ball out of the rough, and, on the Index 18 par three 13th, we got a true understanding of the speed of the greens and the serious slopes when Willy walked back and forth past the hole four times before holing out (I should also add that on the par three 4th, he missed a hole in one by centimetres). You need hands like velvet here.

[Photo: the stunning par four 10th - and a brute at Index 1]

Whoever wins this event will have a sublime short game.

Perfect weather, excellent company and a superb course. True, it was a slow round, but who could ask for more for just €25.

And a quick word should be said about the country house hotel, which is the best place I have stayed in Ireland.

Dublin East Coast Alliance - €499

2011-08-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

[Photo: The 1st at Druid's Glen - a lot tougher than it looks from the tee]

It is interesting that in a time of recession, when most golf clubs are looking to put together attractively cheap packages, a pricey alternative always stands out.

When I first saw the figure of €499 I was surprised. Who, in this day and age, would pay that kind of money for golf? The Dublin East Coast Alliance decided that some of us would. Aimed at the home market, as well as international golfers, the Alliance brings together nine golf courses under its umbrella – which equates to an average of €55 per course. When you consider the courses, that looks like a good price:

The O'Meara Course at Carton House
The Montgomerie Course at Carton House
The Glen Course at Druid’s Glen
The Heath Course at Druid’s Glen
The East Course at Powerscourt
The West Course at Powerscourt
The Links Course at The Island
The Palmer Ryder Cup Course at The K Club
The Smurfit Course at The K Club

Comparing Prices

The K Club Palmer course still has a rack rate of over €200, while The Island hovers around the €100 mark (early bird rate), and Carton House just below that. Druid’s Glen Resort has brought its prices down significantly in recent times, and is now on the same sort of level as Powerscourt, which ranges from €50 to €80, with early bird specials also available. So, while you may not ‘save’ on some, you will certainly save on others… and as a 9-strong package that’s to be expected.

[Photo: The par three 3rd at the K Club (Palmer)]

Quality

Of the nine courses, four are, in a word, excellent: Druid’s Glen, The Island, K Club (Palmer) and Carton House (Montgomerie). They promise a great mix of designs and experiences, and the quality is exceptional. I’d play all of these in a heartbeat, while three of the others are also very enjoyable courses. As for the final two, well, anyone who has seen my book will know that these courses leave me underwhelmed… but, again, in a 9-strong package you’re not going to be enthralled by every single one – and I have been challenged frequently about my review for the K Club Smurfit track.

Opportunities/Challenges

The biggest challenge I see for the Alliance is marketing the voucher. Who in Ireland, you might ask, is going to spend €499 on this? The nine courses have to be played within a calendar year; you need to play all nine to get the full value; and, more often than not, you’ll want to play with someone else who either has to pay the going rate or have their own voucher.

[Photo: The par 5 15th at The Island - a stunning hole]

That makes things tricky for the ordinary golfer. Yes, it would be a glamorous birthday/Christmas/Father’s/Mother’s Day present, but the challenges outlined above still apply.

As for golfers abroad, it’s a tough ask to expect them to play nine golf courses on one visit… which therefore implies two visits within a year… or golfers who would deem it good value to play four courses (my ‘excellent’ picks above) that include two Irish Open courses, The Ryder Cup course and Dublin’s best links.

I like the idea of the voucher, although it will appeal to a fairly small niche of golfers with a fair few quid to spend… or will it appeal to others as well?

[Photo: The par three 16th at Carton House (O'Meara)]

Direct Marketing

I worked in Direct Marketing for a long time. The mailpack that dropped through your letter box promising mobile phone upgrades, the online offer of cheaper hotel rates, the TV ad promising hearing aids at a 40% discount… yep, all me! The value of the incentive/gift varied hugely depending on the price of the core product or service that we wanted you to purchase. If you were paying €50 a night for a hotel for three nights, then you might get a FREE bottle of wine… note the clever use of capital letters – it’s a cunning direct marketing trick. If you’re buying a car, then a bottle of wine isn’t much of an incentive is it?

No, if you’re buying a car… an expensive car… then you’re expecting something sexier and more valuable. A FREE voucher from the Dublin East Coast Alliance is going to pique your interest. Or, if it’s a very expensive car then the company – BMW say – may contact customers and lure them in for a test drive with the promise of the voucher, absolutely FREE.

What about airlines? First Class customers pay a lot of money for their seats and if you were flying from the US and had the choice of American Airways or Aer Lingus, and Aer Lingus were offering this voucher, it might be enough to entice the traveller to forsake his/her airmiles. Not to mention the extra few quid to bring the golf clubs (or does that not apply to first class travellers).

[Photo: The excellent par three 16th at Powerscourt East]

Corporate gifts. If your stockholding is worth a couple of million (don’t laugh, there are plenty of them still out there), then a ‘thank you’ from your stockbroker/private bank/investment fund, will always be well received. The same applies to companies dealing with ARFs – that’s Annual Retirement Fund to you and me.

The very nature of the Dublin East Coast Alliance voucher is upmarket (even if my use of the word ‘voucher’ isn’t) so I see it appealing very strongly to premium, expensive brands and the corporate gift market. It’s a good package and good value, but most golfers like you and me will find it hard to justify spending that much money on ourselves. If you could buy two at once and pay, say, €850, would that make it more tempting? Think about it.

The golf pass can be purchased online at www.dublingolfalliance.com or from any of the member clubs. Throw in exceptional accommodation at Carton House, the K Club and Powerscourt, not to mention the Marriott at Druid's, and it all comes together rather nicely. Who knows, maybe they'll combine golf and accommodation in one package.

New Forest/Moyvalley - 6 green fees for €126

2011-08-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

[Photo: View across the Moyvalley golf course]

There are lots of offers doing the rounds at the moment, trying to tempt Irish golfers to play the multitude of venues that make up our 350-odd golfing playgrounds. The offer from New Forest & Moyvalley is one of the more interesting ones.

The two courses are related, being built by the same folk and opened for play in 2006. But other than being parkland in name, they are very different courses: Moyvalley is an open, rolling landscape that has a links-like flow; and New Forest fits into the more classic parkland vibe with streams, ponds and plenty of trees. They both present interesting tests of golf with quality greens... which one you prefer will depend on what you like about a course.

[Photo: The lush look of New Forest]

And now there's an easy way to find out, for €21 a head... The deal costs €126, which buys you six rounds of golf, split between the two courses in whichever way you choose. You'll also get a bacon roll and hot drink with each round which, based on our 'coldest summer' in years, should warm you up.

The offer is open until the 17th of August and rounds must be played by 31st October. The rounds can be used in whichever way you want.

Here's the link to the deal is http://www.golfdublin.com/deals.html

Tulfarris too good to go

2011-08-06T23:32:00.000-07:00

[Photo: the par five 15th doglegs gently out to the lake.]

It’s funny what you remember about a golf club. The last time I played at Tulfarris – many years ago – I played in an open fourball competition where my original partner didn’t turn up. The stand-in was not up to much and insisted on talking non-stop… during putts and backswings, until I finally lost it and told him to shut up on the 4th tee box. It wasn’t much fun after that as he sulked and I smoldered.

My return visit was under completely different circumstances and I ended up playing early and alone with only the green keepers for company. I expected rain to push me round, but there was none… and I even had one dazzling burst of sunshine – something that always brings a golf course to life.

If you’ve played Tulfarris, probably the first thing you remember is the location. The Blessington Lakes are a beautiful backdrop and there are only a few holes where you can’t see the water. It’s peaceful and wonderfully mature.

It is also a challenging course and if you haven’t played it before then you can easily be fooled into going for shots that you shouldn’t. Take the Index 1, par four 10th: it is one of the toughest holes you will ever play, and unless you can draw a big drive this hole is almost a par five. It is, it has to be said, also one of the most thrilling tee boxes (see photo below) to play from.

[Photo: par four 10th. Aim at the bunker then draw it left.. but not too far. Simple]

‘Course management’ is what Mark at Tulfarris said to me, and that’s for sure… and that’s before you get to the excellent, tricky greens.

There’s a hotel here and a spa, so it’s a good destination for a family break and there are other superb courses roundabout (Rathsallagh, Macreddin, Carlow).

[Photo: views over the 13th green and 14th tee box.]

There is a ‘but’ here, and how you perceive Tulfarris will depend on your feelings towards the whole NAMA situation, as Tulfarris is now a part of this financial fiasco. I understand and appreciate the arguments for and against – and my biggest concern is how clubs in the vicinity are adversely affected by NAMA-supported clubs (e.g. Rathsallagh and South County, which would be competing for the same green fees) – but Tulfarris was established back in 1989, and it has matured into a beautiful parkland track. I don’t know the financial circumstances that saw it lumped into NAMA, but this is not a course that should be lost or ignored – the golf experience is simply too good. And that, after all, is what I am most driven by.

K Club Festival of Golf

2011-08-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

[Photo: views of the 15th from the 13th green on the Palmer course]

A golf course that is praised and dismissed in equal measure... there's one thing that few people disagree on, and that's the excessive green fees at the K Club.

So, when an opportunity comes along to play the Ryder Cup course for €75, there is likely to be a large number of golfers ready and willing to play one of Ireland's big, glamorous and most famous courses. Only problem is, you can only do so on Monday 15th and Monday 22nd of August, 2011.

K Club Festival of Golf flyer

The Smurfit course can also be played during the Festival of Golf, for €54, but I have never been enamored with it as there are too many uninteresting holes to start with... but for €54 I might be tempted back... especially for the cracking finishing stretch.

[Photo: views across the 17th and 16th greens on the Smurfit course]

Irish Indo Article on Green Fees north and south

2011-07-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

There was an article in Wednesday's Irish Independent by Aideen Sheehan:

Getting teed off by playing a round

It claimed that Northern Irish golf courses offered better value than their southern counterparts... hmmm, still?

[Ballybunion Cashen par 3 16th]

I would dispute this. Two years ago, yes, I would agree wholeheartedly, but last year, while ROI green fees fell (by up to 70% in some places), NI green fees rose and remain at or marginally above 2008 rates.

True, it doesn't help when you compare the North's most expensive club, Royal County Down (RCD), to the south's K Club, which is 40% dearer (€285 vs. €202).

The following extract regarding the K Club is taken from the article, and it still makes me laugh:

"It's totally unreasonable to expect people to pay nearly €300 for a round of golf if you want to get people into the country spending money - and to get Irish people out there playing as well you have to charge realistic rates," said Consumer Association of Ireland (CAI) chairman Michael Kilcoyne. However, The K Club claims their green fees are comparable with other top courses worldwide and reflect the fact the course was designed by Arnold Palmer.

"Because of his name and the fact that the Ryder Cup was held there also helped in establishing the prices," a K Club spokesman said.

It is time - in fact it is well overdue - that the K Club got its collective head out of its ass. Someone should point out that the K Club is not competing with 'other top courses worldwide'. We're in a recession, the number of golfers visiting Ireland has fallen by over 50% since the peak, and your corporate market in Ireland has also evaporated. Your audience now should be people like me - regular golfers who want to play a top quality course, revel in the experience and who will walk away at the end of the day without feeling robbed. I really enjoy the K Club Palmer course, but €285 is insane. Is the club worried about too many golfers playing the course, too many hackers churning up fairways (plenty of golfing tourists and corporate invitees are hackers, believe me), or is the club so determined to hold onto its 'premium' positioning that its happy to see large blank spaces on its timesheets?

Moving on, once you take the K Club out of the equation there's more parity. Comparing like with like: RCD's €202 exceeds Portmarnock's €175, and while Ballybunion's €180 may exceed Royal Portrush's €168, you have access to both of Ballybunion's magnificent links courses for that price.

[Royal Portrush - 5th hole]

No, today the green fees are more aligned and you can find good value on both sides of the border... you just have to know where to look and when to play.

Castle Dargan Hotel and Golf Resort - the Darren factor

2011-07-27T03:38:00.000-07:00

[Photo: Streedagh Strand and Benbulbin]

Castle Dargan (see Special Offer below) is ten minutes from Sligo town, up in the beautiful north west of Ireland. It’s an impressive, elegant hotel with a golf course and Spa. It promises peace and quiet while still being close enough to the vibe of Sligo town and everything it has to offer. This is also one of the country’s beauty spots: Benbulbin rises in the distance, and there are beaches here with barely a soul on them… Streedagh Strand may prove a particular favourite with its endless stretch of sand. And let’s not forget that this is Yeats country: the Isle of Innisfree is in Lough Gill, a few miles from the hotel, and Ireland’s most famous poet was also a frequent visitor to Castle Dargan, waxing lyrical over the mystical setting and the estate’s crumbling castle poised on a rocky outcrop above Lough Dargan.

[Photo: the 18th with some of the hotel on show]

The golf course, in case you didn’t know, was designed by Darren Clarke. He has so far been involved with five different courses – two in Ireland – but this was his first venture. There will no doubt be many more, now that he’s a Major champion. They’re unlikely to be built in Ireland, the UK or US, but Russia and China are building hundreds.

I liked the golf course. Darren has emulated the magnificent rolling terrain and the old stone walls, to create something that fits easily into its surroundings. It opened in 2006 and it is rugged and peaceful. And yet the lay of the land also has an eerie feel to it… a bit of Wuthering Heights perhaps. The greens were superb when I played. True, it’s possibly on the short side for a par 72 (6,400 yards from the whites or 6,240 from the greens) but that makes it all the more accessible for golfers of all abilities. There’s also enough water to hold big hitters in check, with a lake in the centre of the course affecting several holes. And then there are the ruins of the castle which you encounter on holes 2, 3 and 16.

[Photo: approach to the 16th with the castle ruins behind]

The hotel is an excellent base from which to plan your golfing (or family) holiday. Golf on your doorstep is a rich reward at Castle Dargan, but you can also strike out to the acclaimed County Sligo Golf Club at nearby Rosses Point. It is a links to be reckoned with and one of the best in the country. On the other side of the bay is Strandhill Golf Club. It is another links with some of the most thrilling and quirkiest holes you could ever hope to encounter. (The popularity of surfing at Strandhill must also be mentioned, and you get a great view of the sea and the surfers from the 7th tee.)

Further away, but still worth your money, are Enniscrone to the west (50 km) and Murvagh to the north east (75 km). They are both links of considerable standing. Or, if you want to follow the ‘Major’ trail, drive east for 70 km and visit Lough Erne, where Rory McIlroy represents the resort as its travelling professional.

Back to Castle Dargan: the hotel is a new creation, with only 30 or so bedrooms, ranging from en suite guest hotel rooms to Wall Garden suites. It’s a four star hotel, intimately linked with the estate’s old house which also boasts four magnificent Castle Dargan House suites. In other words, there is lots of choice depending on your budget, But there’s more: the 170 acre estate also has a number of serviced self-catering apartments and private golf lodges.

Away from the course, there is the unique golfing academy, made up of four par 3 holes, each a recreation of a famous par 3: the 13th at Carnoustie; the 8th at Royal Troon; the 13th at Muirfield; and the 15th at Turnburry. It’s an interesting touch.

Castle Dargan was voted the No. 81-ranked golf course in Ireland, by "Golf Digest Ireland" in 2009. Bizarrely, it dropped out of the top 100 in 2010.

Special Offer:

You'll nearly always find some sort of special offers on accommodation and golf at Castle Dargan: simply call Castle Dargan hotel and ask what deals they have going. At the moment it's 2 nights Bed & Breakfast + 1 Evening Meal + 1 Round of golf for €159.00

US Golfers up 25%

2011-07-25T04:57:00.001-07:00

I heard on Today FM’s Sunday Business Show that the number of American golfers visiting Ireland is up 25% this year. It sounds impressive, and it’s very good news for the 15,000 – 20,000 people directly employed in golf, but it doesn’t hide the fact that the numbers are still very low compared with the peak figures, which were up around 267,000 in the mid 2000s. Our current figure is 110,000, and it should also be pointed out that 66% of golfing tourists come from across the Irish Sea.

Even so, the value of golfing tourism to the Irish economy is valued at €140 million. Not something to be sniffed at.

[Photo: Tee shot on Adare's par four 14th]

Denis Kane, of the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association (IGTOA), and formerly of Druid’s Glen, said that two to three years ago, Ireland’s green fees were on a par with green fees in the United States. This resulted in a decline in US visitors. Now, however, this parity has shifted considerably, with Irish green fees a mere third of US green fees.

A third? Hmmm. I guess that if US green fees have gone up substantially that could be true. But the premier clubs that attract the American golfer have certainly not reduced green fees by two thirds. That would imply a course charging €180 has reduced its fees to €60. Any Irish golfer can tell you that’s simply not the case.

Yes, there have always been ways to get better rates - from early bird green fees to open competitions – but the ‘rack rate’ has not fallen by that much across the board, and the premier clubs in particular have kept their rates high as they want to be seen as offering a ‘premium’ product.

[Photo: Approach to the 7th at Lahinch]

A few ‘peak season’ examples:

Lahinch in 2008 was €165. In 2011 it is down to €125

Royal Dublin was €170. It is down to €125

Royal County Down was £155 - £175, and is now £150 - £180

The K Club (Palmer) was €380 and is now €285

Mount Juliet was €190, and is now €90

Adare was €150, and is now €120

So, while some of these courses are approaching half their 2008 price, others – namely RCD – are not! Implying that they’re a third of what they used to be – even comparatively – is a touch misleading… or maybe I misinterpreted Denis’s comments and he said that green fees were down by a third, which would be much closer to the truth.

Either way, it is most welcome to see US golfers returning to our shores. While they make up only 20-25% of our golfing tourists they are undoubtedly the most profitable.

With so many Major successes under our belt, there is an even greater reason for golfing tourists to come to our island golfing paradise. Long may it continue.

Wexford Golf Pass

2011-07-22T03:05:00.000-07:00

[Photo: views from Enniscorthy's 13th]

There are numerous Irish golf 'passports' available at the moment, and my home county of Wexford has now introduced another one. Enniscorthy, Rosslare and St. Helen's Bay have got together to offer three rounds of golf (1 per course) for €75 through the 'Co. Wexford Golf Pass'. If you want to play at the weekend, you'll have to pay an extra €5 supplement, but it's still great value for three very different courses.

[Photo: Enniscorthy's tempting par four 16th]

Enniscorthy is a gentle, country course. There's nothing fancy to the design, but the course has been going since 1906, so you're talking old school golf and you get that feeling early on. Plenty of mature trees and views to the Blackstairs Mountains provide attractive surroundings, and you can pretty much guarantee a fun round of golf... made all the more special by the friendly atmosphere in the clubhouse. I've played it a few times and always enjoyed it. More photos here

[Photo: St. Helen's Bay. The excellent and difficult par three 17th, right above the sea]

St. Helen's Bay (1993) is one of those entertaining courses that mixes in different elements: here there are palm trees on show from the 1st tee, streams and ponds, some old stone walls and a dramatic closing stretch on shallow cliffs above the sea. A winding, stone wall-lined lane leads to the club and you can also base yourself here with the resort's self-catering cottages. More photos of the course.

[Photo: Rosslare's par five 7th weaves through gentle dunes]

Rosslare (1905) is the premier club of the bunch. It is a sweet, low-lying links course in the bottom right hand corner of Ireland. It is what classic links golf is all about, with fairways that are often difficult to gauge from the tee box and greens that welcome bump and run. Apart from one hole (the 14th par three) all holes go out or back, so you will quickly get used to the wind (if that's possible) and appreciate the beauty and challenge that Rosslare offers. More photos here.

Accommodation:

The Riverside Park Hotel in the centre of Enniscorthy is an integral player in this offer, so you can stay here and strike out for Rosslare and St. Helen's Bay which are about a 40 minute drive away.

There's accommodation on site at St. Helen's Bay - see above - which may offer better opportunities to visit the beaches roundabout as well as heading west for Hook Head and the possibility of spotting whales and dolphins.

A more upmarket option is Kelly's Hotel in Rosslare, which boasts a beautiful location and one of the best crazy golf tracks around. It's a fantastic family hotel, which might be a great way to balance golf with family responsibilities!

Golf Club Websites:

Enniscorthy

St. Helen's Bay

Rosslare

Full Passport Details (incl. T&Cs):