OT - Golf in Ireland - Do's and Don'ts?

[Brian Colbert]

My father and I are heading over to Ireland in September for a 9 day golf trip. We already have our tentative course lineup setup so there are no concerns there. This is my first time playing golf across the pond; what are some of the important things to do while I am over there? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Padraig Dooley]

Rule No.1 - Enjoy yourself

Rule No.2 - remember rule no. 1!!

[Bill_McBride]

Visit Dunluce Castle, the Giant's Causeway and the Bushmills distillery near Portrush.  Good non golf things to do.  And be sure to play the Valley Course at Portrush, lots of fun Colt course.  

[Paul Gray]

A few words in the local lingo usually works wonders anywhere in the world.

Cart = Buggy
Push Cart = Trolley

Avoid wearing shorts and that should do the trick. 

[Ed Brzezowski]

Find and read a book  " a course called Ireland" , fairly funny . It does include some great places to eat and drink.

[Rory Connaughton]

Play for the green not the flag

[Tim Johnson]

Although you should be fine in September, sun block is not a bad idea. I didn't bring it and paid dearly for it at Donegal one year. Top of the ears were bleeding from the sun.

What courses are you planning to play?

[JMEvensky]

Have a drink with as many Irishmen (and women) you can-- the friendliest people on Earth.

[Mike Sweeney]

Have a drink with as many Irishmen (and women) you can-- the friendliest people on Earth.

Call and try to play a local event or two, or certainly play with locals during your rounds.

[Jon Nolan]

Be prepared for all sorts of weather... often on the same day.  Practice your low ball.  Bring a camera.  Don't duck hook off the first tee at Dooks.  Stay at The Talbot and order the steak.  Don't be afraid to like the course that cost 1/3 x the other one three times as much.  Fly in/out terminal #2.  Pay for the bumper to bumper, 100% coverage auto insurance and call it a bargain.  If there's a bus or two full of gray hairs in the car park go the other way.   If it's been a wet spring take a drop out of the weeds or risk breaking a wrist.  When eating in pubs ALWAYS try the cream of veg soup.  Order Murphy's in Cork and Guinness everywhere else.  When in doubt, toasted sandwich.  Bring more, cheaper balls.  In Dublin, carry your cash in your front pocket and stick your hand in on top of it.  You suck at snooker, don't even begin to think you don't.  The greens are slower than you think and truer than you think possible.  Bring two pairs of golf shoes.  The vans parked on the side of the road may have speed cameras.  Carry €10 in €1 coins for tolls.  Take a day or three off golf and enjoy what's on offer wherever you happen to be.  Play Enniscrone twice.  Take your picture with the Phil Lynott statue or regret you didn't.  If you have four people and the car they want you to hire fits six plus luggage... get two.  Don't count on the B&B serving breakfast before your first tee time of the day.  Don't even think about leaving your beanie at home and then bring another one too.  Bring back as much duty free Redbreast as you can.  Walk down High Street while working your way through a 99 - one of life's simple pleasures.  You'll run into people who have English as their mother tongue and you won't understand a word.  Mike's chipper in Killarney is five times better than Quinlan's although everyone who isn't a local will send you to the latter.  Carry your bag, especially on links courses as the seaside air is like the fountain of youth.  Don't try to be all that and a bag of chips, nobody cares.  Four out of five members of the ladies society can kick your ass from any tee you want to play.  Enjoy your time.  Have fun even when it goes sideways.  Because it will, and those will be the best stories you bring home.

[Tommy Williamsen]

The roads have improved but in rural areas driving can be slow and on narrow roads, scary.  Drive slowly.  Americans tend to look look,left when we drive because we watch the middle line.  Try to look right so you are seeing the middle line on the road.  It makes staying centered on the road easier.  Meet some of the locals and visit some of the sights.  My first few time in Ireland I riches from course to course and missed the country.
Read James Finnegan's book Emerald Fairways and Foam-Flecked Seas.  It is the best.

[Thomas Dai]

Fuel in the Republic is usually cheaper than in the North. Fill up your hire car accordingly.

On narrow, twisty roads always assume there's a car coming the other way!

Don't ignore the lesser links courses. Fit in some of the 9-hole seaside gems highlighted regularly herein if you can.

Check thoroughly the websites of any Clubs where you are thinking of playing. Many Clubs have Open Competitions during the week, Wednesday seems to be the usual day, and the entry fees are less than the normal green-fees. Also look for less expensive twilight or early morning greenfees.

Take lots of photos.

Have a great time wherever you go.

atb

[Ally Mcintosh]

Brian,

What is your tentative course line up?

Best Regards,
Ally

[Michael Graham]

Be prepared for all sorts of weather... often on the same day.  Practice your low ball.  Bring a camera.  Don't duck hook off the first tee at Dooks.  Stay at The Talbot and order the steak.  Don't be afraid to like the course that cost 1/3 x the other one three times as much.  Fly in/out terminal #2.  Pay for the bumper to bumper, 100% coverage auto insurance and call it a bargain.  If there's a bus or two full of gray hairs in the car park go the other way.   If it's been a wet spring take a drop out of the weeds or risk breaking a wrist.  When eating in pubs ALWAYS try the cream of veg soup.  Order Murphy's in Cork and Guinness everywhere else.  When in doubt, toasted sandwich.  Bring more, cheaper balls.  In Dublin, carry your cash in your front pocket and stick your hand in on top of it.  You suck at snooker, don't even begin to think you don't.  The greens are slower than you think and truer than you think possible.  Bring two pairs of golf shoes.  The vans parked on the side of the road may have speed cameras.  Carry €10 in €1 coins for tolls.  Take a day or three off golf and enjoy what's on offer wherever you happen to be.  Play Enniscrone twice.  Take your picture with the Phil Lynott statue or regret you didn't.  If you have four people and the car they want you to hire fits six plus luggage... get two.  Don't count on the B&B serving breakfast before your first tee time of the day.  Don't even think about leaving your beanie at home and then bring another one too.  Bring back as much duty free Redbreast as you can.  Walk down High Street while working your way through a 99 - one of life's simple pleasures.  You'll run into people who have English as their mother tongue and you won't understand a word.  Mike's chipper in Killarney is five times better than Quinlan's although everyone who isn't a local will send you to the latter.  Carry your bag, especially on links courses as the seaside air is like the fountain of youth.  Don't try to be all that and a bag of chips, nobody cares.  Four out of five members of the ladies society can kick your ass from any tee you want to play.  Enjoy your time.  Have fun even when it goes sideways.  Because it will, and those will be the best stories you bring home.

I couldn't help but read your post Jon with Baz Luhrman's Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen) playing in my head.

Michael

[Greg Taylor]

The one piece of advise I would give is, dont bother bringing any short pants/trousers....

I'm over there again in two weeks and top of the list in terms of packing is the rain suit.

[Mike_Trenham]

One caddy in the group is enough, only Americans take caddies.

If you play two rounds in a day best if they are on the same property, better if it is the same course.

One Full Irish Breakfast is enough for the trip.

Pack lightly and get laundry done twice along the trip.

[Jud_T]

Leave the umbrella at home-useless in the wind.
Leave the high fade at home- useless in the wind.
Definitely bring 2 pairs of golf shoes.
Plan for all types of weather- in one round.
Practice chipping with a wood or rescue- and a putter.
Build up your alcohol tolerance.
Play match play and don't sweat the medal scores- you can't post 'em anyway.
Bring more golf balls.
Bring a good camera.
Don't order lite beer-and don't complain that your beer isn't cold enough when it arrives.
Remember they sell Cuban cigars there if you're into that kind of thing.
Pace yourself- we typically alternated 18 and 36 hole days
Book a massage sometime in the middle of the trip-  book it now.
Stretch before, during and after each round.
Skip the free round at Ballybunion Cashen- Play the Old Course twice, regardless of cost.
Play Lahinch, again.
Make sure to spend time in the town of Lahinch, watch the surfers.

[Matt Bielawa]

This thread makes we want to book a trip NOW.

[Thomas Dai]

A couple more thoughts - actually they probably apply to all UK&I links golf -

- stand bags blow over in the wind - consider a lightweight bag without a stand - less weight for that all important baggage allowance too
- if you're good enough, get that old 1 or 2-iron out of the cupboard. If you're good enough but don't have one, then buy one off e-bay, there are lots going cheap
- hybrids/fairway metals with more loft than about 22* (or thereabouts) are pretty much useless, except for chipping
- wedges with lots of bounce and/or wide flanges are pretty much useless, you want at least one wedge, probably two, with a narrow flange/low bounce
- the lies will be tight - before you go practice hitting shots off a wide plank of wood, this includes chips and pitches
- play Cruit Island!

atb

[Shane Wright]

Brian - there is some really good advice mixed in this discussion.  I make it to Ireland as often as I possibly can.  Reread everyone's advice several times.  

- Driving - highly likely you will get a flat tire at some point, check rental car spare tire, jack, and wrench before you take off.  Hug the center line when you are driving and inch over when a car is coming in your direction

- Food - it has gotten a lot better over the years, fish is really good, don't plan on premium steaks/burgers

- Drink - The Redbreast duty free recommendation is excellent.  But in order to enjoy the golf, don't go stupid on the drink, mix in lots of water.  

- Golf - if you are playing 9 days, I recommend taking pull carts, it will make your last several rounds much more enjoyable. My testosterone level fought this for years, but I have since learned on long golf trips, I enjoy the end of the trip much better by putting my bag carrying ego aside.

 - Courses - screw your handicap, have fun.  You will take X's on holes.  The style of golf and visual dynamic is much different than parkland golf in the U.S.  You will often have a hard time finding the right spot to aim.  Soak up the little nuances and details as they will be a large part of the memories.  As for a course list, if it is seaside in Ireland, you almost can't go wrong.  

- Sight Seeing - Rick Steve's books are some of the best.  Pick one up, and give yourself a little time to see some of the local stuff.  It is well worth it.  If you want a list of recommendations based on where you will be, send me a P.M.  I know this is blasphemous here, but there are a few spots that I would even skip a day of golf in order to soak up.  But I didn't learn about some until after 5 or 6 trips.

Enjoy!

Shane

[Daryl David]

Don't take practice swings on the tee box.   If you do and happen to ground the club, you will get the stink eye from the locals. 

[Jason Topp]

On my one trip to Ireland we had a group of 16.  Four of them arrived earlier than the rest.  After two days of play, one of them called home and forcefully requested "Bring us more golf balls!"  At the time (2004) golf balls were very expensive in Ireland.

On my first morning I saw the weather forecast called for a "fresh breeze."  I thought that sounded lovely.  I learned a "fresh breeze" means a good Texas wind.

It seemed as if there was far less chance of doing something that the locals found offensive in Ireland than there was in Scotland or England.

[Carl Johnson]

Have a drink with as many Irishmen (and women) you can-- the friendliest people on Earth.

Don't know if you're talking the Republic or Northern Ireland or both, but as a novice I ran into a whiskey issue in Northern Ireland.  If you're in a bar in Northern Ireland and want an "Irish" whiskey, look at the bottles they have displayed behind the bar.  If you see Bushmills, but not Jameson, ask for the Bushmills, and vice versa.  I only made the mistake once of asking for a Jameson in a Bushmills bar, or was it the otherway around?

Beyond that, I'll second what JME and others are saying.  Get out and meet the locals.  I found some pubs/bars with great live music, too.

[Martin Toal]

If you are into whiskey (not the extra 'e'), then a side trip to the Bushmills distillery while playing in the Portrush area is a good idea. The Bushmills Inn is a great base for staying and doing both things.

[JMEvensky]

If you are into whiskey (not the extra 'e'), then a side trip to the Bushmills distillery while playing in the Portrush area is a good idea. The Bushmills Inn is a great base for staying and doing both things.

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