“Matt, going on your golf trip to Ireland last year was one of the best and most memorable trips I have ever experienced.”
Time to step into the mystic. To experience the game of golf in a way you never have before, in a land where the line between the mystical and the here-and-now are not easily discerned. Starting with your arrival in Dublin on Thursday, September 29, until your departure on Friday, October 7, you will play golf on some of the finest true links courses in the world. You will enjoy the camaraderie of other passionate golfers, luxury accommodations and chauffeured coach travel while Matt Adams, New York Times bestselling author and host of the Fairwaysof Life show on the PGA Tour Network guides you to some of his favorite parts of Ireland!
Thursday, September 29:
Arrive in Dublin on overnight flight from North America and transfer by early morning to Newcastle by luxury coach (2 hrs)
Play Royal County Down Golf Club
Royal County Down is a fine example of links golf situated in the shadows of the stunning Mourne Mountains. The course is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest golf links courses, challenging and beautifully set in equal measure. The hazards include blind tee shots,obscured second shots and excellent bunkering.
Check in at the Bushmills Inn
Friday, September 30:
Play Portstewart Golf Club (Strand)
Founded in 1894 Portstewart Golf Club was always a haven for the golfing purist. However, the reputation of the Strand Course was further enhanced by the building of new holes in the dunes between the Atlantic Ocean and the River Bann in the late eighties. Now the Strand course is a must for those embarking on golf travel in Ireland. Portstewart hosted the Irish Amateur Close Championship in 1992 and it is often quoted that Portstewart has the best opening hole in all of Golf – we will let you decide for yourself!
Overnight at the Bushmills Inn
Saturday,October 1:
Play Royal Portrush Golf Club (Dunluce)
Home course to 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, many golfers have portrayed Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Links as one of the most challenging in the world. The golf club was founded in 1888 and has hosted many championships, such as the first Open Championship ever held in Ireland in 1951. In more recent times, Royal Portrush has hosted the Senior British Open 1995-1999 and The Amateur Championship in 1993.
Check into the Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa
The Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa enjoys a commanding perch that offers sweeping views of this rugged region of Donegal including Ballyliffin’s two links golf courses that sit as silent sentries, awaiting your morning round. The four star Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa claims to “calm your spirit, relax yourbody and rejuvenate your soul.” I find it to be a first-class place to lay down your head, enjoy great food and even better Guinness. What more could we want?
Play Ballyliffin Golf Club (Glashedy)
Ireland’smost northerly golf complex is situated on the Inishowen Peninsula in North Donegal, just 25 miles from Derry City. The 36-hole complex at Ballyliffin is ranked amongst the very finest Links tracks in the world. The Old Links recently played host to the European Seniors Tour with the successful staging of The Irish Seniors Open in June 2008. The Glashedy Links at 7,217 yards is unsurpassed as a challenge to every aspect of the golf game and has hosted the Ladies Irish Open in September 1998 and the European Tour Event –The North West of Ireland Open in August 2002. Both links are consistently ranked amongst the top courses in Ireland and Britain making Ballyliffin a premier venue for true championship golf in Ireland.
Overnight Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa
Monday,October 3:
Play Narin &Portnoo Golf Club
Narin and Portnoo Golf Club is situated in a beautiful seaside resort in southwest Donegal. Opened in 1930, it is engagingly old fashioned with a meandering routing over and around the dunes. The course has recently been re-developed and the new par 73 layout offers a range of teeing areas and challenges to suit all golfers. All manner of shots are required here: draws around sharp dog-legs; crisp irons to par threes over cavernous terrain; accurate tee shots down snake-like fairways, some wide and some not so generous; low trajectory shots into the Atlantic breezes. Narin and Portnoo is a golf course you may have never heard of before, but after playing it, you will never forget it. Pro Connor Mallon is my golf coach and he is sure to make us feel most welcome.
Check in at Mount Falcon Country House Hotel
The luxury four star Mount Falcon Country House Hotel in Mayo is located on the west bank of the River Moy, on 100 acres of magical woodlands between Foxford and Ballina, in North County Mayo, a most beautiful part of the west of Ireland. Mount Falcon’s new owners visited the estate and fell in love with it. You will too!
Tuesday,October 4:
Play Enniscrone Golf Club
Enniscrone is one of Ireland’s finest links golf courses set in scenic splendour in Killala Bay in County Sligo. This championship venue provides golfers with the ultimate golf vacation experience: dramatic dunesland, an inspired design concept, superb greens all year round and breathtaking views. Originally designed by the great Eddie Hackett -Enniscrone’s reputation as a top class golf venue has been embellished with the addition of six new holes threading the path through the mountainous dunes. The new holes, expertly designed by the famous course architect, Donald Steele add an exciting dimension to the 27 hole golf championship layout.
Overnight Mount Falcon Country House Hotel
Wednesday, October 5:
Play Carne Golf Links
Carne Golf Course was the last links golf course to be designed by the late Eddie Hackett and is now believed by many who have played there to be his greatest challenge. Carne is one of those finest golf courses in Ireland to have opened in recent years and it can only be described as a hidden gem. Situated on the west coast of Ireland, Carne lies in the splendid sand dunes overlooking Black sod Bay, the legendary Inis Geidhe and Inis Gluaire Islands and dramatic Achill. Affording little disturbance to the natural and unspoilt environment that surrounds it, Carne is “everything you could ever ask for from the 1st tee to the 18th green” , – James W. Finnegan – ‘Emerald Fairways and Foam Flecked Seas‘
Travel to Lahinch
Check in at Vaughan Lodge Lahinch
The Vaughan Lodge Hotel in Lahinch, County Clare is a family run, four star hotel featuring superb sea food (Michael Vaughan’s Sea Bass is to die for), an ultra modern European design and a warm, friendly attitude that will serve as the perfect place to stage your assault on one of the world’s best links golf courses. A visit to the nearby Cliffs of Moher and to some of my favorite pubs (with some of my best friends) are encouraged.
Thursday, October 6:
Play Lahinch Golf Club (Old)
Playing the Old Course at Lahinch just a week before winning the 2009 Open Championship, Stewart Cink came away smitten with the club. Phil Mickelson rates Lahinch among his all-time favourite links layouts though that’s what you’d expect from a golf course touched by the magical hands of Old Tom Morris and Alister Mackenzie. Lahinch is a traditional, out-and-back links and is a true classic and you’ll relish every moment, specially the unique challenges of the par 5, 4th followed by the blinding par 3, 5th (an Old Tom original) set amidst the dunes. In moments of reflection, I have sat staring into the dancing embers searching my heart and mind for the answer of which two Irish courses are my favorite, between Ballybunion Old and Lahinch. I think I’ll use this trip to provide that much more fodder for contemplation. What a perfect way to cap a perfect trip!
Overnight Vaughan Lodge
Friday, October 8:
Fly back to North America from Shannon Airport
All of our travel will be by chauffeured luxury coach!
What they are saying:
“Matt, going on your golf trip to Ireland last year was one of the best and most memorable trips I have ever experienced. The golf courses, hotels and pubs were all better than I could have expected. I had been to Scotland twice before and had heard that Ireland was just as spectacular and the people were even friendlier. This rang true everywhere we went. The people we met in Ireland went out of their way to be helpful and I cannot wait to experience that again this year with another group of golf courses, hotels and pubs and locals. I am also thrilled we are going back to Lahinch, which is now one of my favorite courses and towns!”
What’s included in this trip:
All of the above, plus a welcoming dinner (alcohol not included)
Breakfast each day
What’s not included:
Food (other than noted) and booze
Airfare
Cost:
€ 2,365 (approx. $3,350)
Please be aware that costs are usually listed as double occupancy. I would highly recommend that you opt for a single room as I have found the the marginal additional cost is more than worth the rest you’ll get (and you’ll need your rest)
How to Book:
PLEASE NOTE: This trip is organized, booked and administered by North and West Coast Links Ireland (I am hosting only hosting/deciding where to go for the trip, To confirm, you must go through N&WCL. Contact information below). I have worked with John and Justin at N&WCL many times and they are first-class in everything they do.
PLEASE NOTE II: This trip is being offered on a first-come, first-served opportunity. Once it’s full, it’s full
TO BOOK: Email Justin at: wclgolf@iol.ie (copy/paste his email if your browser does not allow the link)
3 Comments
Leave a Reply
Haha, shouldn’t you be charging for that kind of konlewgde?!
Great work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the web. Shame on Google for no longer positioning this submit upper! Come on over and visit my site . Thanks =)
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!