Ireland/Northern Ireland: wandering advice

[Dave McCollum]

Hello Treehouse,

I’ve never had the nerve to ask before, but I’d like your advice.  I’m going to be on an Ireland trip with some American superintendants the first week of October.  My first trip to Ireland.  Good courses on the organized part of the tour:  Waterville, Ballybunion, Lahinch, European Club, and Baltray.  I’m staying an extra week and am planning on wandering up to Northern Ireland (maybe Donegal) on my own.  I’d like to play RCD and Portrush if I can get on.  I’m fairly familiar with my other choices, but would be most grateful for any suggestions our experienced traveling golfers can provide, either here, by email, or IM.  I’d prefer links over inland choices, but also enjoy pretty, interesting, quirky, fun courses and clubs wherever they may be.  I know the courses I’ve mentioned are on most collectors’ lists, however, I’m just an average old golfer and not really much of a trophy hunter.  Most of the really good courses that I’ve sought out have appealed to me through books, the discussions here, or through the single gca.com outing that I’ve been lucky to attend (what great guys).  I’ll be traveling alone during the second week (8-15 October, 2011) and open to whatever I can see and do, whatever fun I can have.
                 
BTW, I’m not a super myself.  Just a golf nut with a bit of experience running a golf course that nobody has ever heard of.
 
At my age, 62, I better take advantage of all the opportunities I can and not put off too many things for tomorrow or next week/month/year.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide.

[Brian Stewart]

How much do you want to move around?  I've been fortunate enough to play almost all of the links in Ireland (and several parkland courses as well) over the course of 9 different trips and will be glad to provide insight as I sure many others here will as well.  If you want to move around and you are ending at Baltray you can move right on up to RCD (and Ardglass if you feel like 36) and then Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock, head on over to Ballyliffin, down to Narin & Portnoo, over to Enniscrone (one of my favorite places in the world) and then hit Carne or Connemara the next day before heading to Shannon.  I left out several in this list of course.  I can look up places to stay as well if you want or also recommend a great person to help you out that has organized all of my trips.  If you want to stay a little closer to one place or play a little less I can come up with other ideas as well.

[Dave McCollum]

I love to move around.  I’ve never met a hill that I didn’t want to see what is on the other side.  I really like your suggestions.  For whatever reason, my return flight is out of Belfast (16 October).    For this short trip, I thought I might depart from my usual road warrior ways and just see what happens.  Maybe multiple plays on fewer courses.  Nothing really planned out at this point.

[Carl Johnson]

How much do you want to move around?  I've been fortunate enough to play almost all of the links in Ireland (and several parkland courses as well) over the course of 9 different trips and will be glad to provide insight as I sure many others here will as well.  If you want to move around and you are ending at Baltray you can move right on up to RCD (and Ardglass if you feel like 36) and then Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock, head on over to Ballyliffin, down to Narin & Portnoo, over to Enniscrone (one of my favorite places in the world) and then hit Carne or Connemara the next day before heading to Shannon.  I left out several in this list of course.  I can look up places to stay as well if you want or also recommend a great person to help you out that has organized all of my trips.  If you want to stay a little closer to one place or play a little less I can come up with other ideas as well.

At Royal Portrush you might also consider the Valley Course, quite good according to some traveling golfer companions of mine earlier this year.  In addtion to Portrush and RCD, which I take you are intent on playing, I'd recommend Portstewart and Ardglass before Ballyliffin or Castlerock, all of which I have played.  Moreover, if you're not really a trophy hunter, I'd suggest you skip playing RCD, but seeing if you could use you position to get a tour -- a look -- at the course.  You could stay in Belfast and drive out in different directions to play many of these courses.  If you do, I'd recommend Madisons Hotel -- if you're there on Fri. or Sat. night, you'll prefer a room on the back with no view to one on the front with plenty of bar noise.

[Brian Stewart]

I haven't been to the Belfast airport since 2003 but it was, uh, less nice than Shannon   If you want to keep your flight there then I would stay up in NI and play all of the courses we have listed there already.  Many great tracks.  It will cost you quite a bit more that way but, hey, it is only money, they'll make more of it. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Add Portmarnock period and drop European Club if you have to fit it in. RCD and Portrush are must plays as well. The newer courses tend to have more American feel to them therefor less impressive. Sligo is a must play if near there.

[Jim Tang]

Dave -

If driving yourself, by all means, get GPS in your rental car.  It will be expensive, but worth its weight in gold.  I did a solo trip several years back and never could have done it without GPS.  Also, the smaller car you can get, the better.  The roads are skinny!

I remember Lahinch having a crazy good replay rate, something like $40 American to go a 2nd time.  You may want to set it up so you can get a day of 36 there.  Man, I love Lahinch!

I drove from Royal Portrush to Lahinch, which, basically, was the drive of death.  I think it was a 6 or 7 hr. drive.  If I did it again, I would find a course halfway, somewhere up in the NW, to break that drive up.

I basically tried to keep my drive times to around 2 to 3 hrs.  I did fine on the roads, but, driving can be stressful and wear you out, since you are hyper-concentrating the entire time.

Have a fantastic time.  Ireland is magical.

[Garland Bayley]

My impression is that if you like to see what's over the next hill, you should play Carne as there will be lots of hills to see what's over them.

[Steve Strasheim]

Dave,

I think it's great that you are extending your stay, well done!

If there was one thing I could have changed from our recent trip it would be that we did not play any course more than once. Funny thing is, we really had planned to, it just didn't work out that way.

Do you have a GPS with an Ireland map loaded? If not, PM me and I'll hook you up.

[Sean_A]

Dave

If you are finishing up at Baltray the first order of business is to double back and play The Island.  Then head up to RDC.  You now have a choice depending on your whims.  You can head up to Portrush and play the Dunluce and Portstewart with some combo of Valley Links, Castlerock and Ballycastle or be windshield aggressive and head further west dropping a few days around Portrush in favour of Portsalon and Narin & Portnoo. If you are aggressive I would make sure to play the Valley Links along with the Dunluce.  I would probably plop for staying in the Portrush area, but that is because I am smitten by the Valley Links and would play there two or three days.  

Even though the Carne Enniscrone/Donegal/Strandhill area is great I wouldn't even consider combining it with Portrush in a 7 day trip.  Too much time is wasted behind the wheel. 

Ciao  

[Kevin Pallier]

I agree with a lot of what Sean says. Try and walk RCD before you play it - the blind shots wont be as daunting.

[Anthony Gray]

  Ardglass is within minutes of RCD and has great views and the oldest clubhouse in the world. I think you'll find the quirk you are looking for.

  Anthony

[hhuffines]

Sean is right about the Island.  I'll probably get busted for this but the Corballis course is next door to the Island and offers some cool golf for a low green fee.  The first 12 holes are varied and offer some beautiful views down the coast. The last 6 holes are not as good but you can walk off the 12th green very close to the clubhouse.

RCD is a must play.  Ask for the caddie master's son, Sean, if you get a caddie.  Hard working and knowledgeable.  I would play at the Portrush courses rather than Portstewart.  Great golf at Portrush and I would image the people are sky high after the Clarke win.  The European Club is cool but they watered the course heavily when I played and there was no bounce or roll in the greens.

Lastly I highly recommend chatting with Matt and Bart Bradley at bradleygolftravel.com.  They are super nice and are a great resource that can save time and money... the GPS is essential!

[Dave McCollum]

Life intervened and I sort of let this thread fall into the dark.  

Thanks all, great suggestions.  

Carl--
I did want to play the Valley course at Portrush.  Also Portstewart.  Good suggestion on RCD.  I’d love to walk it early or late in the day.  As a mediocre golfer, I’d probably do better with a camera.

Tiger—
European Club is part of set itinerary for the superintendant's trip.  We’ll play golf, but what I am looking forward to is the dicussion with Pat Ruddy afterwards.   I’ll be around Dublin on a weekend, but I’ll try for Portmarnock.  

Jim—
Thanks for the GPS tip.   The Irish fellow leading us around the first week is member at Lahinch.  The first week is with supers and the bill for golf and lodging is really cheap.   My former super is the organizer over here as well as a good friend.  He once told me:  “Pay for golf?...against my religion.”  Instead of replays, we’ll head for the maintenance sheds and talk with their Irish counterparts.  I’ll like that too.

Garland—
Carne has been on my wish list almost since I started playing this game.  I don’t think I’ll work my way back around that far.  Maybe next time.  I’m not sure that I’ll get as far as Donegal.

Steve—thanks again.

Sean & Kevin—
Solid advice all around about The Island and Portrush.  I’ll be around Dublin on a weekend and hope that isn’t a problem as I’m trying to arrange games at Portmarnock and The Island.  I was thinking about covering less ground and lingering longer in one place before reading your note.  That pretty much settled it.  I loved my road warrior tour of Scotland (14 courses in 16 days—no record, but I’m old), yet really longed to play some clubs again when I knew where I was going.      

Anthony—
Ardglass always on my list for the treck north.  Thanks.

HH—
I already accepted Sean’s sound advice.

In general:
An Irish friend says a drive to Ballyliffin would be easy and worth it, but I don’t see as much enthusiasm here. Any thoughts?

[Cristian]

I thought Ballyliffin was fantastic; great setting, great course and the drive from Portrush indeed is not too bad as far as I can remember. In fact it is very beatiful as you get closer to the course. If you have only time for one round; be sure to play the OLD course over the more well known and higher ranked Glashedy. If you have time play both on the same day as this will be a great experience comparing vintage links golf terrain with a typical modern links golf course.

[Dave McCollum]

Thanks Cristian—

Perhaps I am confusing comments here with Doak’s CG, a less than favorable impression from early in the construction of the new course.

[Brad Isaacs]

If you are around Baltray, or County Louth,  you should look into the Island Club. Fun shorter than some but no pushover! Great track! 
European club is a bit different but a really good track and fun. You might even run across Pat Ruddy, the designer.

[Dave McCollum]

Ruddy may be there and we hope that he'll make some time for us after our round.  Should be entertaining and informative.

[Cristian]

Thanks Cristian—

Perhaps I am confusing comments here with Doak’s CG.  He panned it, I think,  because he was there when Ruddy was building the new one and thought they had wrecked the Old:  “An unspoilt place, spoiled.”   

The Old course was still there and a fantastic track, when I visited in 2001/2002 (not quite sure), the website does say that Faldo did some work on the old and by the scorecard it is a little bit longer than I remember. The routing is roughly the same however...