Irish Golf: Where to Go?

[THuckaby2]

Very cool, Tim.  Sounds like you'll be back again some day, so hell yes, focus on the one area.

I'd say the trip starting in Dublin as outlined by Allen Rebstock is just about perfect.  You could also even focus more on the far north and add Ballyliffen if you fly into Belfast... just a thought.  Those fligts are harder to find, though.

A trip going in and out of Shannon and doing the SW won't be bad either.. hell, like people have said, NO way to do this is bad!

I'd still vote for the north in any case.

TH

[Rick Nowosad]

Hi Tom!

I wasn't mocking you (lol), merely pointing out that a man of your unquestioned dedication to golf (and that goes for me too, ya know) realizes that the best trip is a balanced one.

Tim, I'd go Southeast, Dublin area. Stay in Portmarnock if you can. B&B's abound there. If you can't make it all the way up to the Portrush area, DO make it to County Down. I reviewed my diary and noted that we left Portmarnock at 9:15 and easily made it in time for our noon tee time there. Then you play Baltray on the return, Malahide, The European Club, Portmarnock, Portmarnock Links, The Island, Druid's Glen, St. Margarets, Royal Dublin (although the course doesn't excite me much as well), The K-Club (although I wouldn't recommend it - the worst experience related to golf I've ever endured), et al!

Maybe not the prettiest of the Irish courses except for RCD which is the prettiest of the lot, but excellent courses all. Also log onto Irishgolf.com for futher sketches of the courses and other interesting stuff!

[THuckaby2]

No hassles, Rick - I was just being a dork like I often am on this site.

I like your suggested trip as well... but I still might buypass some in Dublin area to get up to Portrush, Portstewart, Ballyliffen.

The best point on this entire thread is that one can't go wrong however one does it!

TH

[John_D._Bernhardt]

For a 7 day trip i vote n Ireland, but it is a tough choice over sw. but portrush and county down combined with county louth portstewart ballyliffen it give it the edge.

[Justin_Hanrahan]

I played twelve games in 13 days in 1997 and even thinking about the trip make me want to return.

Played South west first and loved Lahinch, Tralee, Waterville and to a much lesser degree, Killarney (beautiful scenery, but "park" courses were not the reason I was there.) Also played Dingle, but that was only so-so and wouldn't go back to play it again. All the others would see me back in a minute.

Couldn't get a hit at Ballybunion, so don't bother reminding me.

Up north played RCD, Portrush and POrtstewart. As a treble, these would make the trip worth making.

Castlerock and Ballycastle (if my memory serves me) were plain and your time would be much better spent doubling up at the first three.

My advice would be to cover Lahinch, B-bunion Tralee and Waterville in the south OR Portstewart, RCD and R portrush up north. Just play them MULTIPLE TIMES...

Drving is a joy and more enjoyable than just about anywhere I've been and make good use of teh long days where possible

[THuckaby2]

Sounds like a hell of a trip and ok, I'll be nice, I won't remind you of what you missed at Ballybunion!

As for multiple rounds at Portrush, Portstewart, RC Down over playing Castlerock.... well... again it depends on time available.  Me, I have a bias toward Castlerock, my cousin's a member and I had one of the great golf days of my life there.  I found the course way more than "plain".  I'd advise to do Portrush and RCD multiple times definitely, but twice at Portstewart and missing Castlerock?  Only if I could just play the front nine at the former...

TH