making my european golf debut

[Mark Johnson]

due to a last minute training class for work I will be in Dublin for 3 days in a couple weeks and have managed to squeeze in a couple rounds.

Will be playing 2 courses on the SW side of Dublin -- Newlands and Rathfarmham.    Wont have time to play any other courses in the area due to the tight nature of the trip.

As an American making his first trip to play golf in Europe,  what should I expect?

[Tom Culley]

Lots of boarded up shop fronts.

[Mark Johnson]

Brian,

I didnt set this up-- some locals did and i was lucky enough to have been included.

I do know that both of the courses are within 10 minutes of our office and the hotel that we are staying at.    my guess is that these are the places where someone at our company is a member and were able to secure the tee times.

Also, i think a few of the people playing are occasional golfers as well

[Shane Wright]

I'm going to guess that since you are flying to Dublin for work, your job is probably pretty secure. You are a member of GCA for a reason, get food poisoning or something and go play county Lough, the Island, or Portmarnock.  I thought you were actually joking in your first post.

[Rich Goodale]

Don't listen to the belt-notchers, Mark--there are no bad courses in Ireland particularly if you are playing with Irish people.  Even the great Tom Paul (long may he live and prosper, ooooooommm...) played his inaugural game of Irish golf at the underdistinguished Mallow on his first trip acorss the pond.

Enjoy and return.

Rich

[Ally Mcintosh]

Both redesigns by Jeff Howes on fairly bland land... Rathfarnham has (I think) only 14 holes...

There are quite clearly better courses but I like Rich's positive outlook...

[JMEvensky]

 Mark--there are no bad courses in Ireland particularly if you are playing with Irish people. 

Amen to this.

[Shane Wright]

 Mark--there are no bad courses in Ireland particularly if you are playing with Irish people. 

Amen to this.

I agree with this 100%.  Other than with family, there is no place I'd rather spend my time than Ireland and the people there would be one of the big reasons.  But I also know what a religious experience it was to hit a ball on a links course for the first time at Gullane in 2001.  Who cares about belt notching, but play a links course for Heaven's sake.  How many times are you going to get across the pond and you never know when it will be "your" time.

[Mark Johnson]

 Mark--there are no bad courses in Ireland particularly if you are playing with Irish people. 

Amen to this.

I'd rather spend my time than Ireland and the people there would be one of the big reasons.  But I also know what a religious experience it was to hit a ball on a links course for the first time at Gullane in 2001.  Who cares about belt notching, but play a links course for Heaven's sake.  How many times are you going to get across the pond and you never know when it will be "your" time.

well, one of the reasons i am going to do network and try to at some point get an expat assigment there.   which is why on this trip I am more into networking than golf. 

Also, i am on a global project based here so i will likely be returning a few times in the future so then I will be able to tack a couple personal days on at the end.

What I was really asking was more about etiquette?  are they any social norms here that an American wouldn't know?   For instance, my club plays ready golf.  If I hit out of turn in Europe, would it be a party foul?

[Scott Stearns]

wear the shoes you wear to work into the clubhouse and everywhere therein except for the locker room.  Do not wear the same shoes you wear on the golf course into the dining room/bar.  No trues/eccos, spikeless wonders, etc. in the clubhouse.

didnt find that jacket and tie were required into the clubhouse quite the same way they are in Scotland.

[David Davis]

Yes you might not have a choice but if you don't ask you will never know. Tell them you've never played a links course and always dreamt of it. Southwest, you might be equidistant from European Club as well as Portmarnock I guess 20-30 minutes but maybe my memory fails me, I always stay down town Dublin in the centre. That would be an ideal initiation to Irish golf. I once played Portmarnock in 2 hours and 18 minutes because I need to catch a flight. Still enjoyed it tremendously so tight schedule is not a problem. I don't agree that there are no bad courses in Ireland but it's all relative I guess. There are boring courses. Perhaps there are no bad links courses but I've not played them all and certainly have not played a boring links course in Ireland. If you want to play parkland courses you are better off to stay home as they are better in the US (with perhaps a few exceptions).

[Bart Bradley]

Yes you might not have a choice but if you don't ask you will never know. Tell them you've never played a links course and always dreamt of it. Southwest, you might be equidistant from European Club as well as Portmarnock I guess 20-30 minutes but maybe my memory fails me, I always stay down town Dublin in the centre. That would be an ideal initiation to Irish golf. I once played Portmarnock in 2 hours and 18 minutes because I need to catch a flight. Still enjoyed it tremendously so tight schedule is not a problem. I don't agree that there are no bad courses in Ireland but it's all relative I guess. There are boring courses. Perhaps there are no bad links courses but I've not played them all and certainly have not played a boring links course in Ireland. If you want to play parkland courses you are better off to stay home as they are better in the US (with perhaps a few exceptions).

Portmarnock is great but expensive.  Perhaps your partners need for the golf to stay cheap.  If so, try the above strategy and suggest Corballis.  20 euros and real links golf. 

Bart

[Tony_Muldoon]

Mark

In my experience Golf in Ireland is as unpretentious as it comes. However you behave no one will bat an eyelid.  It will take you minutes to pick up on the pace of play. In a typical suburban club I think you'll find they are most likely to emulate the American 4BBB model, and while a few might talk about how long the round is taking no one will do anything about it.  (Conversely at Castlerock in a Open Competition I think I played my fastest ever round. A 3 ball in a competition, 3hrs 15mins.)

I wouldn't try and change the plans that have been made. It will shock many on here, but if you ask the guys you are set up to play with, I bet the majority will express a dislike for links golf!

Enjoy

[Mark Johnson]

recently got bad.

wanted to post a few highlights from an american point of view.

- first off, the kindness and lack of pretension from the irish people blew me away.

- in terms of golf, played 2 parkland courses -- Newlands and Hermitage;   Hermitage was rather interesting with some great hill of hilly terrains

a few comments from a yank

- Notice 3 big difference between Irish parkland courses and US ones

1) amount of golf staff around;  very minimal staffing  very similar to a small 9-hole muni next to my house

2) green speed and rough length.   from a scoring perspective the biggest difference,  at least 2-3 feet slower than the green at a comparable clourse.    The rough was not that thick and not a penalty at all;    From what I could tell these course really call for more of a bomb and gauge style

3) A few maintaince things -- fairways not cut consistantly, the rough that was there wasn't that well maintained , tee boxes a bit raggard.   didnt really impact playability, but it could get a super fired in the US
 

-had a newly found friend drive me to see Portaramock,  Malahide and Corballis.    At Corballis, one of the pros introduces himself and actually walked the course with us and showed us the best holes and how to play them

- biggest thing is i cant wait to go back.   thinking of cashing in some frequency flier miles, renting a car for a few days and just drive around and play in east ireland

[Bill_McBride]

That's a great intro, Mark, I hope you get back soon. 

[hhuffines]

Ditto on Corbalis, I had a great day there myself.   There are some great holes on the front and very impressive views from the sea wall tees.  In fact I enjoyed it more than my round at the Island...