Regarding water, I am simply amazed at how there is just a lack of drinking water on these courses. I literally drank 4 liters of bottled water yesterday and a Pedialyte before I got somewhat hydrated. So, I will definitely pick up some bottled water before my rounds next time!
Thanks for taking the time to relate your tales and I'm delighted you and your friends had a great time.
Re the water. Try considering the members perspective. Why would you want the expense of installing and maintaining water in a cool country where they like to play in less than 3 hrs? Membership of a GB&I Club comes without all the added extra's that help make Golf so expensive in the USA.
(Also: I have a weak bladder and most links course lack comfort rooms or trees to hide behind. 
)
Quite true Tony-to a point and that was certainly my first impression.
I am appalled at the sheer volume of wasted(1/2 empty water bottles) water daily at a high end American courses and wonder when hydration became a national sport and the responsibility of operators to provide water every 100 yards rather than the player taking proper steps in advance-or simply being willing to drink, or better yet fill up, from a fountain.
But.....once members have made the decision to charge high end resort prices to substantially subsidize their own dues, and the decision to tolerate 4 1/2 + hour rounds (from the leadoff spot no less)
it is indeed a slippery slope, and they may need to provide amenities that high $$ green fee payers expect.
A slippery slope indeed, which is why I rarely to be found on such courses when there are so many at 1/5 the price of high quality with an authentic Irish culture and less covered in belt notching tourists. But to each his own and kudos to JW for maximizing his geography seen in Ireland.
As far as those on this board lecturing, that's the nature of posting about a trip on a public forum.
Much useful information could have been gleaned by a search of prior threads, and certainly two threads on the same trip aren't needed.