15 Rounds, 1 Scottish, Welsh, or Irish Links (ie NO English)

[Mark Bourgeois]

With civil twilight until 2250 ..."I'm a tourist and I'm okay, I golf at night and I surf all day."

[jeffwarne]

I just don't think I could do 15 rounds anywhere, but would like to stay a week in one place and wander from there.

Not even Royal County Down?

Not in a week-no.
Too many great choices and places in the world, to cram that many rounds at the same place in a week, and I've always hated studying .
Gotta have that nearby course to play that emergency beer 9/18.

Love RCD the course, but can't say it's one of the warmer places to visit.

[Sean_A]

Sherman


not in a week-no.
Too many great choices and places in the world, to cram that many rounds at the same place in a week, and I've always hated studying Wink.
Gotta have that nearby course to play that emergency beer 9/18.

You have ants in yer pants  

Ciao

[Mark Bourgeois]

Jeff, a rolling stone may gather no moss but it only goes downhill!

[jeffwarne]

Jeff,

 A course not worth 15 rounds is not worth playing, is it?

perhaps a topic for another thread but...
if you don't play it once......
How would you know if it warranted further attention?


If I had followed "conventional wisdom" (the best available GCAish advice available at the time of play)
I would've missed Palmetto (in 1978),Aiken GC (1978),Forest Hills (unloved Ross-1977 right down the street from my home!)and a host of others...The listed courses were at best UNLOVED at the time of play, and mostly villified as outdated cabbage patches.......

To say nothing of what there is to discover nationwide, worldwide, and most importantly the UK/ireland gems.

Gweedore, which barely anyone would recommend in their right mind, and NO ONE would recommend for 15 rounds, and beloved my Goat Hill ( ditto on zero recommendations)are the two courses that have taught me the MOST about the opportunities available for outstanding golf via widely diverse preferred angles,one for coping with wind and slope, and the other for coping with extreme slope and firmness.

So while I can see basing a trip around a worthwhile course and club culture, I could never not sneak away to explore the nearby surrounds.
I think my best prep for an event is to get away from the hoopla surrounding the host course and the NONSENSE that goes in formal practice rounds and sneak out to a nearby gem.

[Bill Crane]

Ally and Niall (and Mark P)

For value golf you have to head for Donegal but I know nothing about surfing there.  Narin and Portnoo, North West and Murvagh are on the West Coast and fine golf courses.  I suspect Donegal Town is the liveliest place for a weeks stay.


PS The water is warmer the futher south you go thanks to the Gulf Stream. I've swum without a wetsuit at Lahinch at Easter but I got much colder at Rossapenna on a fine June day.  There's a reason why there are tropical plants growing in Kerry.

If your kids are serous about spending time in the water, don't skimp on Wetsuits!

Enjoy

Tony this is such an excellent post -- exactly what I needed. When I settle on something I'm expecting you to visit. I have been looking at water temps when we're visiting (late June). 12-17 C !! Tell me again how Ireland gets the Gulf Stream??
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FYI ;    The Coriolis  effect creates spinning of air and water away from the equator, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere – speaking from a Northern Hemisphere perspective.   Coriolis causes ocean currents called gyres, including the North Atlantic Drift portion of the gulfstream.

Wm Flynnfan

[Mark Chaplin]

Not sure how Lahinch gets the Gulf Stream, poor Brian Sheehy is there now and the course is closed due to frost!

[Tony_Muldoon]

Not sure how Lahinch gets the Gulf Stream, poor Brian Sheehy is there now and the course is closed due to frost!

Scraping windscreen here in West Cornwall. Fingers crossed for golf tomorrow

No matter what, surfing New Years Day!   

[Mark Bourgeois]

Tony, I have this advice on good authority: don't skimp on wetsuits.

Jeff, yes maybe we should start a new thread -- why don't you use your post as the first salvo? For clarity, what I meant in my question was not the importance of discovery, or how to discover courses in the first place, rather the course that can 'stand up to' 15 rounds is what we all should be after. I think in a way we are looking through the telescope from opposite ends. I am not sure if it's you or me looking through the wrong end. 

[jeffwarne]

 For clarity, what I meant in my question was not the importance of discovery, or how to discover courses in the first place, rather the course that can 'stand up to' 15 rounds is what we all should be after. I think in a way we are looking through the telescope from opposite ends. I am not sure if it's you or me looking through the wrong end. 

There is no "wrong end"

[Mark Bourgeois]

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread and who IMed.


Lahinch exceeded all expectations -- that would be Lahinch the course, Lahinch the club, Lahinch the beach, Lahinch the town, and Lahinch the people ('Lahinchmen').


I think I have figured out this "15 rounds 1 town" thing but I am running out of kids. 

[Ally Mcintosh]

I met a very fit looking Mark & Son yesterday at The Island for a last round before they returned home.

Mark informed me that his regular day (for the week) was 18 in the morning followed by 3 hrs surfing, 18 in the evening and finally a couple of pints whilst taking in the local music to round things off.

All this with only a single 15 minute power nap during the 7 days. It's that lack of a regular power nap that really boggles the mind.

Sounded like a great trip. Sounds like my ideal.

[Tony_Muldoon]

So pleased it went well.  I trust we wil get a full report when time allows.
 
Mark I realise you are not a man to do things by halves, but am in awe of your levels of fitness  and committment.  To celebrate my 50th I had 10 rounds lined up in the following 6 days.  I had to bail on round 8 and played one more round hitting a max of 160 yards and only because my deposit covered that morning round. I had an inflatable bodyboard with me but no energy to blow the thing up!  Before the BUDA now  I make sure I've got a few 36 hole days undermy belt.
 
 
Where to next year?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Tony


Ally generously neglected to mention the state of my game when we played Friday. It must've been the pitch n putt round I unexpectedly squeezed in Thursday on top of the regular schedule. 


Ally, hopefully you received my email but if not thanks so much for the hospitality and come visit !


Mark

[Ally Mcintosh]

Whilst it's safe to say that the Family Bourgeois didn't bring sharp shooting accuracy to The Island on Friday, it's also worth remembering that the course is one that really doesn't help anyone off their game, one of the (only) reasons I keep it from the very top tier in Ireland.
 
Jeff Warne had similar struggles at Open qualifying there on Monday, albeit at a slightly different level to the one we were playing at.
 
I'm looking forward to Mark posting his views on Lahinch (the course) because he's now played it more times than I have and anyone with that much golf under his belt on one course should at the very least have their opinions taken more seriously than the one hit wonder brigade.
 
Ally