Thanks, everyone - plans are coming together - a couple more thoughts:
- due to tee time availability we may flip and go from north-to-south...will likely mean more lodging stops but that's a compromise i'm okay with
- so day 1 straight to Lahinch...tee time at 1230 so may in fact go to the Cliffs of Moher first, then stop somewhere for a great Irish breakfast, then play 18 at Lahinch and either stay in Lahinch or power on down to the town of Ballybunion
- as advised, Ballybunion limits tee times after 1pm to members-only, so the 'tralee in the morn/BB in the afternoon' isn't working...we can flip those however, which is now our day 2 plan
- day 3 will be waterville then dooks then head back north
- day 4 tbd - thinking ballybunion mid-morning then a leisurely drive back north toward Lahinch to be close to airport
- day 5 #1 son off to London...#2 son and I will play Lahinch a 2nd time then add some more golf ... possibly the 10 open holes at Doonbeg, but have also just been reading about the 9-hole Spanish Point...is that a good final round or waste of time?
Total drive time is fairly similar to the other route, though we will backtrack north toward the end of the trip - more relaxing day 1, but a bit more driving the other days - play 18 at waterville, tralee and dooks and 36 at BB and Lahinch - likely night stays in Ballybunion, Waterville and Lahinch - this excludes Dingle, which I may squeeze in but the timing is tight. Someone asked about heading north...I am going to Northern Ireland with friends in 2016, and unfortunately don't have time this trip for the Connemara's or County Sligo's.
I've found remarkably reasonable rental car prices and am currently looking at a Mercedes C200 auto - don't know the size of it but hoping that works!
Keith
a c200 is not going to work for 4 people with golf clubs, travel bags and luggage, esp/ with your itinerary.
I really don't understand day 3 as it's a long way down to Waterville which you'd have to do after your 36 hole day 2.
Spanish Point is ok, but it's more of an after 18 lark.
Calling about tee times often proves more fruitful than internet if you run into problems.
Killarney Mahoney's Point or Dingle are worth squeezing in (for different reasons)
Given you already have a day 1 tee time, the below involves less hotel switching and avoids 2 big slow courses in one day (ex. BB zoo and Tralee same day tough)
and gives you the scenery you were looking for
Day 1 Lahinch (stay BB)
2 BB, Dooks (Dooks easier walk than Tralee) (stay waterville)
3 Waterville, Killarney Mahoney's Point (nice inland contrast to links and stunning and a small course mixed with big Waterville)also gives you Ring of Kerry drive. 36 too much? play Parknasilla or Kenmare 9 holer inland/seaside outside Waterville on Ring of Kerry(StayTralee)
4 Tralee/optional Castlegregory 9 holer day 4 or 5 (stay Tralee)
5 drop off son, Dingle/optional Castlegregory (stay Tralee)
Lahinch is not THAT much closer to airport than Tralee town
all that said Lahinch/Doolin, Dingle, Waterville nice towns to enjoy night out