Ireland,
a small country on the fringe of Europe with a population of only 5 million,
promises one of the most enjoyable and rewarding golfing experiences to be found
anywhere in the world. Could it be the rich variety of over 400 top class
parkland and links courses ? Perhaps it's Ireland's rich golf tradition and
heritage. After all, the Golfing Union of Ireland established in 1891 is the
oldest in the world. Perhaps it's the hospitality and friendliness for which the
Irish are famous - the 'craic'. Indeed all of these things are true.
Perhaps the greatest advantage Ireland has as a golfing holiday destination is
the density of quality courses and their close proximity. Many courses have been
designed by Vardon, Colt and Tom Morris. Indeed even Nicklaus and Palmer
recently designed golf courses in Ireland.
It is possible to travel from one side of Ireland to the other in a few hours.
Even tip to toe could be done in a morning and afternoon. It is therefore
possible to plan a relaxed circuit of Ireland playing a course each morning and
afternoon. A week should suffice to include the best of Irish golf.
In keeping with Irishness, it is not necessary to over plan your visit.
Excellent and affordable accommodation is to be had in the form of Bed &
Breakfasts. Quite simply this is where people build large residential houses
with wings dedicated to guest accommodation and catering. Eating out is also
very affordable especially considering the quality of the cuisine on offer. Even
the notorious weather is not a problem. The Gulf stream maintains a moderate
climate throughout the year. If rain prevents you from playing golf then there
are always a multitude of other things to do. While pre-booking golf courses is
recommended, there will always be other courses in the surrounding area to play
should your first choice be over-booked.
It would be advisable to pre-book the more famous courses especially during the summer months. Based on reviews received by Golfeurope, golfers rave about many of the lesser known clubs so one should take the time to visit a selection of these. Indeed the more famous golf clubs sometimes charge exorbitant green fees and demand pre-booking or impose other explicit or implicit restrictions. Its golf snobbery, charge a lot and make people feel privileged to play. Exclusive and expensive are not the same as excellence. This is rare and not indicative of the Irish. The point being that in Ireland, you don't have to tolerate this behavior given the wide choice.
However no trip to Ireland should be exclusively about golf. Take the time to enjoy your surroundings. Ask the golf clubs staff about local amenities and places of interest. Ireland boasts a host of things to do and see . Relax in the evenings and tour the local towns and village. Ireland has some of the most wonderful market towns, seaside villages and regional towns with a great community spirit about them. Visit the pubs especially those with music. Talk to the people. The Irish are genuinely interested in people and enjoy a bit of 'blarney' and 'craic'. During the summer months there are many festivals ranging from the Rose of Tralee to the Kinsale Oyster Festival .
I have included a list of Counties in this site and these in turn link to a list of Golf Clubs in that county. Click on the link below to go there.
|
|