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.

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.

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