Remembering the Road Less Travelled

By Sam Blackwell A week after returning, our seven days in Ireland seem like a whirl of formidable links golf courses, predictably unpredictable weather, sheep farms and walls made of stacked stones, singular dining experiences and endless glasses of Guinness.  We also met lots of welcoming people who made our stay memorable. Irish Golf Vacations called our tour the Road Less Travelled because most foreign golfers head for golf courses that are more famous – names like Ballybunion, Royal County Down, Old Head, the K Club — than those of Northwest Ireland. Our tour would go places and play courses far off the been-there, done-that list. Rick and Michael are knowledgeable tour leaders who saw to every need, including the large, comfortable coach that delivered us from golf course to golf course.  Kevin, our Irish driver, pointed out historic sites in Dublin after we arrived but also knew well the landscape along the 3-½-hour drive to Sligo on Ireland’s West Coast. Sligo is a delightful town, fun to walk around and filled with unique shops.  The seafood paella at Hartigan’s is excellent, and so is the hospitality. We also liked the food and the folks at the Embassy, a wine bar and grill that serves a mammoth hamburger swaddled in bacon and cheese. Our hotel, the Sligo Park Hotel, is comfortable and has everything a golfer needs, from a hot tub and gym to a late-night bar. Our first golf course, Carne Golf Club, provided the most unforgettable experience of our trip. We expected a cold wind off Blacksod Bay, but a few holes into our round driving sleet began pelting our faces and numbing our hands.  We hoped the squall would soon abate, as we were told the squalls usually do, but this one didn’t.  Our group retreated to the clubhouse after five holes. The other group retired after nine. Never has a round of Irish coffee been more appreciated.

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A selection of images from throughout the week

The following day at Rosses Point, the County Sligo Golf Club, we played a course where Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy have won Western Ireland Golf Championships on. The famous golfers who have played the course include Walter Hagen, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Byron Nelson and Bernhard Langer. It is a good test with ample variety in the holes. The sun sparkled the next day at Enniscrone Golf Club, a magnificent course on Killala Bay 50 miles from Sligo. Enniscrone offers the work of two designers: Eddie Hackett and Donald Steel. Hackett’s part of the course is open and bunkered while Steel’s winds through huge dunes. It is the best of two worlds of links golf. We left the next morning for Galway, the city known as Ireland’s arts capital. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Galway was a highlight some of the golfers in our group missed because they were playing at Connemara. At midday, bands and gaily dressed children wove through downtown Galway surrounded by festive onlookers, most of them wearing the green in some way – if only their hair color. Afterward everyone filled up the pubs for rounds of food and drink that rolled into the night. We read in the newspapers that St. Patrick’s Day parades are actually a tradition that began in America, but Ireland seems to have taken to it fully. In Galway, a big pub called Monroe’s was a favorite where we ate fish pie and Irish stew. At Connemara, the golfers encountered a landscape unlike anything they’d seen in Ireland before. Some described it as a moonscape. Sleet greeted the golfers in the morning, but by the afternoon they were playing in the sun. Everyone in Ireland is intensely interested in football, rugby, Gaelic football and jump racing. While we were there, the Festival at Cheltenham race played on every television in every pub. The Irish were very proud that their horses won some of the most important races. Glasson Park, a hilly parkland course between Galway and Dublin, offered us a pleasing final round before we returned to Dublin and then back to the U.S. Spending our last night in Ireland at the Portmornock Golf Club and Hotel outside Dublin was a final treat. The hotel is luxurious, the course inviting. The people of Ireland were warm and hospitable, and Ireland has some of the world’s best links golf courses. Ireland offers beauty and golf experiences available nowhere else on earth.

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To read more on each day just click on the link!

Day Six – The Final Round of the Trip (Glasson)

Day Five – St Patrick’s Day at Connemara

Day Four – Enniscrone, my Enniscrone

Day Three – Rosses Point (Co Sligo) Golf Links

Day Two – Carne Golf Links

Day One – Arrival in Ireland

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Below is a recent list of the top 100 courses in Britain and Ireland  – join the debate and let us know what you think 1. Royal County Down (Championship) 2. Turnberry (Ailsa) 3. Royal Birkdale 4. Muirfield 5. St Andrews (Old) 6. Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 7. Kingsbarns 8. Royal Dornoch (Championship) 9. Carnoustie (Championship) 10. Ballybunion (Old) 11. Royal St George’s 12. Sunningdale (Old) 13. Loch Lomond 14. Royal Lytham & St Annes 15. Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) 16. Portmarnock (Old) 17. European Club 18. Lahinch (Old) 19. Waterville 20. Royal Liverpool 21. Royal Troon (Old) 22. Ganton 23. North Berwick (West) 24. Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie) 25. Machrihanish 26. Walton Heath (Old) 27. Sunningdale (New) 28. Royal Porthcawl 29. Wentworth (West) 30. Saunton (East) 31. Cruden Bay 32. Formby 33. Nairn (Championship) 34. Royal West Norfolk 35. St George’s Hill (Red & Blue) 36. Gleneagles (King’s) 37. Western Gailes 38. County Louth 39. Tralee 40. Notts 41. Castle Stuart 42. Prestwick 43. Doonbeg 44. St Enodoc (Church) 45. Burnham & Berrow 46. Swinley Forest 47. Royal Cinque Ports 48. Royal St David’s 49. County Sligo (Championship) 50. Rye (Old) 51. Enniscrone (Dunes) 52. Mount Juliet 53. Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 54. Silloth on Solway 55. West Sussex 56. Adare Manor 57. Hillside 58. Proserpina (Sandy Hills) 59. Alwoodley 60. Carne 61. Old Head 62. Berkshire (Red) 63. Gullane (No. 1) 64. St Andrews (Castle) 65. St Andrews (New) 66. Moortown 67. Hunstanton 68. Queenwood 69. Dundonald 70. Hankley Common 71. Blairgowrie (Rosemount) 72. Pennard 73. Grove 74. Trevose (Championship) 75. Berkshire (Blue) 76. Panmure 77. Aberdovey 78. Machrie 79. Chart Hills 80. Walton Heath (New) 81. Port Stewart (Strand) 82. Worplesdon 83. Castlerock (Mussenden) 84. The Belfry (Brabazon) 85. Woking 86. Woburn (Marquess) 87. Lough Erne 88. Wentworth (East) 89. Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links 90. Lindrick 91. Sherwood Forest 92. Royal North Devon 93. Machrihanish Dunes 94. Liphook 95. West Hill 96. St Mellion (Nicklaus) 97. Southport & Ainsdale 98. Bearwood Lakes 99. Little Aston 100. Montrose (Medal)

We all know that Ireland has over 400 golf courses|numerous golf courses and names such as Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee, Royal County Down and Portrush often figure highly in the list of top courses in the world, and are rightly highly when we talk about golf in Ireland. However what this article will do is highlight some of the lesser known (but know lesser quality courses). Today we’ll choose the Northwest of Ireland that goes from the coast of Galway all the way up to the Malin Head on the coast of Donegal. When asked about my favourite region for golf, I always give the same answer – the Northwest of Ireland. There are a number of reasons but the main three are: 1.    Value for Money – the region offers unbelievable value for money with green fees around 50% less than other regions of Ireland. 2.   Availability of Tee Time – often when travelling with a group you find it hard to book at suitable tee-time but in this region there always seems to be availability and I find the courses will often work with you to fit you in. This is a nice touch and they value your custom. 3.    Quality of the courses – the golf courses are brilliant and comparable to the best Scotland and the rest of Ireland has to offer. My personal favorites’ are Rosapenna Sandy Hills, Ballyliffen Glashedy and Rosses Point but even as I write this I feel guilty about not mentioning Murvagh, Carne, Enniscrone and Connemara. Accommodation is in good supply with Galway being to furthest south then you can move on to Sligo and then on the Letterkenny or even up to the majestic seaside village of Downings to play the two great courses at Rosapenna.  Bed and Breakfasts are a good option for small groups but one legacy of the Celtic Tiger is the availability of excellent hotels all at reasonable prices. I found that since 2007-2008 the price of hotels has dropped around 15-20% so it brings it in line with other European countries. For those days when you are not golfing then there is a host of activities to do. You can visit Glenveagh National Park, Malin Head, WB Yeats home location of Sligo is always worth a visit and you can walk around the wonderful streets of Galway. For post golf entertainment there are many a unique pub to be found — one the watch out for is the singing pub located just outside Downings village in Donegal (thatch roof, located on a Cliffside overlooking the Gaelthacht). [SinglePic not found] We have a group travelling to Ireland in March of this year and will be playing many of these courses on their golf trip to Ireland. The esteemed travel writer Mr. Sam Blackwell will be leading the group as he explores “The road less travelled” and will be doing daily blogs, photography shoots, interviews and video posts as they carve their way through the Northwest of Ireland. We all know that Ireland has over 400 golf courses and names such as Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee, Royal County Down and Portrush often figure highly in the list of top courses in the world, and are rightly highly when we talk about %link1%. However what this article will do is highlight some of the lesser known (but know lesser quality courses).

Just a quick note to let you know that TheUrbangolfer.net team are coming to Ireland in June 2011. Kevin Hill will be arriving and taking on some of the best courses that Southwest Ireland has to offer. Congratulation to Kevin, James, Charlie and Mark on the new venture. Check out TheUrbangolfer for more details

IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) hosted their annual Awards Ceremony on Nov 18th and flying the flag for Ireland was the North West region who accepted their award for the European Golf Destination of the Year 2011. The award recognises the quality of world class golf product the North West of Ireland has to offer, together with that genuine warm Irish welcome, that visitors to the North West receive. John McLaughlin, General Manager, North & West Coast Links Golf commented on how delighted he was that the region was given this recognition. ‘The region has put in significant investment over the last 10 years to bring their golf product up to the standards expected from today’s golfer. We now have a world class golf product, complemented by ease of access; a selection of first class hotels; guesthouses; bars & restaurants.’ The region has held many prestigious golf events – both amateur and professional including The Open Championship; the West of Ireland & North of Ireland Championships; Seniors Irish Open; Senior British Open; and the North West of Ireland Open. And with the success of so many northern Irish golfers in recent times, we may see a timely return of The Open Championship to Royal Portrush Golf Club. The area is also renowned as a famous breeding ground for winners on the tour. Those who have been lucky enough to visit the North West, are aware that the appeal of the area lies not only in our quality golf product, but in the value & quality of the complete package – first class accommodations, restaurants, lively bars, stunning scenery, value for money, and genuine hospitality.

With the Solheim Cup now less than one year away we thought we’d keep you up to date with the current rankings and a brief synopsis of the ranking system. In all only 12 golfers can be on the team but the different associations (LPGA and LET) have differing methodologies to arrive at their selection. USA: 10 players qualify by scoring points based on top 20 finishes in the 2 years leading up to the event. The Captain then has two wild card picks to fill the 12 places. Europe: the top 5 players from the LET rankings are chosen followed by the next top 4 European players on the Rolex Rankings plus 3 Captain wild-card picks. As you can see from below the European ranking points are very close with only Laura Davies (England) virtually guaranteed to be in Ireland in September. The USA rankings seems to be more clear-cut with everyone from Brittany Lang upwards virtually booking their ticket to Dublin Airport.

European 2011 Solheim Cup Standings

Position	Player	Points
1	Laura Davies (ENG)	150.33
2	Melissa Reid (ENG)	81.83
3	Virginie Lagoutte-Clement (FRA)	79.25
4	Suzann Pettersen (NOR)	68.50
5	Trish Johnson (ENG)	63.17
6	Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)	55.67
7	Iben Tinning (DEN)	54.58
8	Becky Brewerton (WAL)	50.00
9	Gwladys Nocera (FRA)	47.50
10	Anja Monke (GER)	45.50
11	Linda Wessberg (SWE)	42.58
12	Florentyna Parker (ENG)	42.33
13	Christel Boeljon (NL)	41.00
14	Maria Hernandez (ESP)	33.83
15	Vikki Laing (SCO)	33.33
16	Anne-Lise Caudal (FRA)	31.50
17	Carin Koch (SWE)	31.00
18	Anna Nordqvist (SWE)	28.65
19	Nicole Gergely (AUT)	28.00
20	Tania Elosegui (ESP)	27.00

USA 2011 Solheim Cup Standings

Position	Player	Points
1	Cristie Kerr	380.0
2	Morgan Pressel	218.0
3	Michelle Wie	213.0
4	Angela Stanford	182.0
5	Paula Creamer	163.0
6	Brittany Lincicome	152.0
7	Brittany Lang	142.0
8	Kristy McPherson	110.0
9	Christina Kim	107.0
10	Stacy Lewis	91.0
11	Vicky Hurst	77.0
12	Juli Inkster	63.0
13	Stacy Prammanasudh	60.0
14	Wendy Ward	59.0
15	Natalie Gulbis	43.0
16	Michele Redman	39.0
17	Amanda Blumenherst	38.0
18	Pat Hurst	34.0
19	Meaghan Francella	32.0
20	Irene Cho	23.0

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“The Irish Road Less Traveled”

Golfers around the world are familiar with many of the famous Irish Golf Courses in southwest Ireland, the likes of Ballybunion, Waterville, and Tralee, just to name a few.  Many are also familiar with the famed K Club,  host of the 2006 Ryder Cup, and Royal Country Down,  a majestic golfing venue voted “the best golf course in the world outside the United States” by Golf Digest.

However, many golfers looking for good values and hidden gems are not all that familiar with golfing in Northwest Ireland.  This somewhat undiscovered golfing paradise in Ireland will be the destination for an upcoming golfing journey by Irish Golf Vacations North American Director Rick Hetzel; freelance writer, Sam Blackwell and a small group of lucky golfers, who will spend a week in March 2011 exploring the golf courses, pubs, hotels, and Irish hospitality or “Craic”.

Freelance writer Sam Blackwell, an avid golfer and frequent playing partner with Hetzel in the United States, will be chronicling their experiences in a daily blog on the company’s website (irishgolfvacations.net/blog).  According to Hetzel, “Sam is an excellent writer with keen insight and a love for the spirit of golf.

Blackwell, a seasoned journalist and college professor, also has a weekly column in the Southeast Missourian Newspaper in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  “Sam will do a great job blogging about our golfing and travel exploits in northwest Ireland. Blackwell is also planning to chronicle the events of the trip in a magazine article following the trip.”

“Although we have clients from all walks of life, this trip to northwest Ireland is designed to give the average golfer a taste of what hidden gems and great Irish communities exist off the beaten path”, said Hetzel. “Not only are there great golf courses and splendid Irish communities, there are tremendous values to be found for the traveling golfer.”

Hetzel and Irish business partner, Michael Danagher, are currently developing the itinerary for the group’s golfing journey, which will include links and parkland style courses, as well as a taste of several different hotels, restaurants, and pubs.

We are developing our travel group now, says Hetzel.  Golfers interested in joining us in March 2011 for some great golf and lots of fun should contact Rick at rick@irishgolfvacations.net.

“One warning” says Rick Hetzel – “a spirit of adventure is required”!

To follow our blog or for updates or information about golfing in Ireland, contact Rick Hetzel or Michael Danagher at www.irishgolfvactations.net.

The 15th Club – Your Attitude

As I watched the Scotty Cameron putter belonging to one my golfing friends wing its way across the green and into a shallow creek, I realized this round of golf at one of the most beautiful golfing venues in the world was going to be memorable, but not for the right reasons.

That very well could have been me many years ago, but then one day I realized that playing vacation golf was different than playing tournament golf, golf at our home club, or even golf at nearby courses.  Different in the sense that we should not always expect to play our best golf, but we should expect to enjoy the golfing experience.  So…..how do we do that?

I believe in the simple concept of “keeping all things in perspective”.  That is, accepting the simple realities that most of us are not professional golfers and we play the game of golf to enjoy the simple beauty of a well designed golf course coupled with the fellowship of good friends, a good cigar, and perhaps even a good pint of ale at the end of the round.

Why then do we get so frustrated when we can’t play up to the same standards as we do at home? I believe it is mainly due to our refusal to identify and accept the factors at play during our travel, which may include:

• Lack of experience with the course we are playing.
• No feel for the greens
• Possibly playing with strangers
• Lack of course layout knowledge
• Not having slept well, since we are not in our own beds
• Perhaps a bit thickheaded from one too many pints the night before
• Playing with rental clubs – not our own (this excuse works very well)
• Lastly, perhaps a bit nervous about all of the above.  (If you don’t believe this, try teeing off on the first tee at St Andrews.  George Peper – author of “Two Years at St Andrews”, refers to this experience as the “greatest natural laxative in golf”.)

Recognizing these factors and acknowledging them before we play will help us realize why we may not play a vacation course as well as we play at home.  The key………..Keeping it in perspective!

I recall my first experience playing the incredible Old Head Golf Links near Kinsale, Ireland.  On the practice range, all I could manage to hit were off center fades.  My back was stiff from the long train ride and I was a bit nervous playing with several new clients for the first time.  When we approached the first tee, I made the decision to just swing easy, keep the ball in play, and try my best not to let the course beat me up too badly.

After the first six holes, I discovered my easy swings were just the ticket to the difficult and demanding course, which was taking its toll on the rest of the group.  I continued to concentrate on keeping the ball in the middle of the fairways and hitting simple knock down shots on most holes.  As I watched one of the younger players in our group continue to hit the typical high, but off line shots resulting in lost balls and high scores, you could sense (and hear) his frustration directed toward the challenging course conditions.  I overhead one of our playing companions suggest he try what I had been doing by keeping the ball low and swinging easier.  Content to play the same game he played at home, this young golfer, who normally played to a 5 handicap, ended up with a round well into the 90’s. Needless to say, he also wasn’t much for enjoyable company on the long ride home.

On the other hand, despite not being at my best, I ended up posting a very good score on a course that I had never played before.  Simply because I had accepted the realities of the situation and adjusted my playing style.

Now I must also tell you the following day, we played the Old course at Ballybunion and I ended up with a terrible score for the day amidst the rain and tough course conditions.  Nevertheless, it was a great experience for our entire group because we all accepted the realities of the situation and focused on the beauty of the course, the fellowship, and the good laughs about some of our play.

That being said, it becomes easier for the traveling golfer to accept the occasional bad shot or missed putt, but still enjoy the vacation experience with friends and fellow golfers.  After all, we have all experienced the occasional episode where a member of our foursome has a bad day and engages in a hole by hole tirade, which does little for their game, but does throw a wet blanket over the experience for the rest of the group.

Bottom line here is simple….”keep the traveling golf experience in perspective.”  Acknowledge up front the pitfalls and circumstances you will encounter and accept them.  If you end up playing well it will become an incredible experience.  If not, you will still have an enjoyable golfing experience to remember, without the expense of the new putter.

Do you know that Ireland has some of the most impressive golf courses in the world? Here are five excellent reasons to book your dream golfing vacation to Ireland.

1. If you are an avid golfer then the Ballybunion Courses, both Old and Cashen, are a must play. Located in Southwest of Ireland, County Kerry, the course is 65 miles from Shannon and presents a lovely drive to get there. The town of Ballybunion welcomes with a wonderful selection of fine restaurants, pubs, and shopping opportunities.
2. Druid’s Glen, 30 minutes South of Dublin in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, is considered to be one of the finest new parkland courses in Ireland. Do you know how this name came? The name of the course comes from a pre-Christian stone altar discovered during the construction of the course. The altar stands today with a Druid presiding over the 12th green.
3. Royal Dublin Golf Course was the first club in Ireland to have 18 holes. Besides offering a glorious golf experience, the setting provides breathtaking scenery.
4. Lahinch, County Clare, is often described as “The St. Andrews of Ireland,” and the site also offers two courses, the Old Course and the Castle Course. The small town of Lahinch is just over 30 miles west of Shannon Airport in County Clare. The Castle Course offers the sights of Castle ruins as you play.
5. Finally, Adare Golf Club, County Limerick was host to the 2007 Irish open. The course is built around the ruins of Desmond Castle, built in 1200, and the ruins of the Franciscan Abbey, built in 1464, offering challenges and diversions.

There are many accommodations either at the course itself or quite nearby and they range from luxury to more basic. You can plan your vacation yourself or avail yourself of our services at Irish Golf Vacations where we specialize in golf vacation planning. For more information just visit our website at www.irishgolfvacations.net

It was once part of every traveler’s pre-planning.  Along with passports and flight tickets, we would not set off without their travelers’ checks. Nowadays, with fewer merchants taking traveler’s checks and also the comparatively high fees for buying and cashing them, a number of travelers have moved to credit, debit, and ATM cards as their method to obtain money while traveling. Some of the following ideas might be helpful: Visa and MasterCard charge a one percent fee for foreign transactions, and most banks tack on another two percent to change the transactions to US dollars. Seek advice from your credit, debit and ATM card providers to ascertain which of your credit cards are most travel-friendly, or sign up for a brand new card with a provider that waives or reduces the fees. Make sure you have sufficient credit and/or funds deposited, and verify expiration dates on the cards you have selected.  Several foreign ATM’s accept four-digit PINs only and commonly don’t display letters on the keyboards. If you use a word to remember your PIN, commit to memory the numeric equivalent before departing home. Unusual foreign transactions may be flagged as bogus, therefore notify your credit, debit and ATM card companies about your travel plans to prevent a freeze on your bank account. Consider taking more than one credit card to make certain you have a choice should your account be frozen. Create a record of convenient ATM locations in your vacation destination cities just before you set off. Both Visa and MasterCard have on-line global ATM locators covering more than 210 countries. Make certain the ATM card displays a Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus or Plus logo for worldwide approval. Prepaid debit cards are a safe, albeit more expensive, alternative to a conventional debit or ATM card. You merely purchase the value required in advance of the occasion and use it in ATM machines while vacationing. Because the card is not linked to your checking account, there is no risk of being wiped out should it be stolen or lost, however there are usually extra fees involved. Make all of your purchases in local currency, and beware of retailers offering to change your purchases into US dollars. These vendors generally increase the exchange rates by as much as five percent. Cash-to-Cash machines are widespread, especially in Europe. They look like ATMs – the big difference being that you feed in currency rather than a card. Although they seem very practical, they are best avoided because they charge higher exchange rates. The exact same is true for the currency exchange booths at numerous international airports. Exchange rates and commission fees may be expensive when changing foreign currency back to US funds, so try to reduce your cash withdrawals to just what you need. Use your remaining currency for a final meal or souvenir, or tuck it away for your next trip. One last note for those souvenirs and purchases in the pro shop, make sure you request the tax refund forms if the country you are visiting offers tax refunds to tourists.  In many cases, it is simply a matter of completing the form, attaching a copy of your receipt (normally an extra copy of the receipt is provided by the retailer) and dropping it in the appropriate box at the airport when you depart. This travel tip for golfers is provided by Irish Golf Vacations, Ireland’s premier inbound golf vacation provider.  To plan your Irish golfing vacation, go to www.irishgolfvacations.net for a free vacation itinerary.