{"id":341,"date":"2011-03-29T21:29:48","date_gmt":"2011-03-29T21:29:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/teemoore.com\/?p=341"},"modified":"2011-07-15T17:02:31","modified_gmt":"2011-07-15T17:02:31","slug":"tips-for-a-successful-irish-golf-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/golf\/341\/tips-for-a-successful-irish-golf-trip","title":{"rendered":"Tips for a Successful Irish Golf Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_360\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2011\/03\/waterville-21.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-360\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-360\" src=\"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2011\/03\/waterville-21-300x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-360\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Waterville Golf Links<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Planning a successful golf trip to Ireland is not rocket science. But like a space launch, it does take some forethought and attention to detail to better guarantee a safe and memorable excursion. So here are some handy tips I share with family and friends whenever they ask me for advice about a golf trip to the Emerald Isle:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Start early and plan ahead: A year in advance is enough time but don\u2019t dawdle. Check out some of the reputable and experienced golf travel companies and begin reviewing their itineraries. Some of the regional and national firms may seem pricey at first\u2014especially if you\u2019re traveling during the prime summer season\u2014but their major advantage is that often have blocks of guaranteed tee-times. They also remove much of the worry and stress about all of the details and that shouldn\u2019t be dismissed just to save a few bucks. Remember: they\u2019re travel pros and you\u2019re not. Yet, for the more adventuresome, self-drive trips deliver more independence and are less expensive. In either case, www.DiscoverIreland.com is a good place to start.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Golf Bag and Luggage: Give your back muscles a rest by using durable, soft-covered luggage and golf bag covers, each with built-in wheels. And a light-weight carry golf bag is also essential.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Packing: Ireland has fickle yet mild weather. Depending on the time of the year, you can\u2019t go wrong by packing some Under Armour-type long sleeve shirts, some turtlenecks, windbreakers, vests and some sweaters. Create a packing list and finish it at least two days before departure. Don\u2019t over-pack. Wearing the same woolen sweater twice or more won\u2019t offend anyone (especially the sheep) and you\u2019ll probably buy a new one anyway. Of course, a quality rain suit, rain hat and water-proof golf shoes are all must items.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Clubs: Forego the \u201cfour wedge system\u201d and instead think ahead and imagine playing courses more on the ground and less in the air. For most golfers, that\u2019ll mean more hybrids and also relying more on your putter and higher irons for pitching and chipping around the greens. Don\u2019t be surprised to see your partner use his putter from twenty or thirty yards short of the green\u2014especially if it\u2019s windy which it will often be.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The First Day: It\u2019s best to stay hydrated and get some winks on your transatlantic flight. If possible plan your itinerary so that your Day One destination is not too distant. It\u2019s body-smart to get outside in the daylight and in the fresh air and play nine or 18 holes, have a light dinner and then hit the hay, getting as much sleep as your internal clock will allow. Regardless of your routine, you\u2019ll still be wiped out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trolley: Unless your back\u2019s in great shape for carrying your bag, consider renting a trolley (pull cart) or even a battery-powered trolley. Avoid riding at all costs unless physical impediments compel you. As a wise Irishman once told me, \u201cRiding in a cart destroys the journey of the game.\u201d Walk and savor the course and the surroundings. And feel wonderfully spent at the end of the day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Courses: Ireland has some fine parkland courses (Adare Manor, The K Club, where the Ryder Cup was held, Mount Juliet, Druid\u2019s Glen, to mention only a few) but its golfing spirit may be forever found at its incomparable links courses. Don\u2019t attempt a whirlwind 36-holes-per-day tour to knock off your bucket list on your first visit. Instead, consider visiting a region of Ireland where you can hunker down and play several courses, some even more than once. As far as courses, you can never go wrong with the ones that reside on the celebrated \u201cbest\u201d lists. For me, my favorite links courses in alphabetical order are: Ballybunion (Old), Ballyliffen, Carne, County Louth, County Sligo, Ceann Sibeal, Connemara, Donegal, Dooks, Doonbeg, Enniscrone, European Club, Island Club, Lahinch, Old Head, Portmarnock, Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Tralee and Waterville.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Game: Don\u2019t be score-conscious slowpoke! The only thing worse than seeing a fellow Yank getting bogged down by pre-shot and distance-gathering routines is watching another one all angry and frustrated by poor shots, bad bounces and lost balls. For goodness sake, you\u2019re on a golf trip not the final leg of Q School! Enjoy your privileged travel experience, your companions, the vagaries of the game and the soul-stirring terrain. Play with dispatch and imagination. And if you and your group need some competition rely on kinder-on-the-psyche match play or Stableford instead of the plodding hole-it-all-out medal play.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Caddies: Admittedly, they can be overrated at times, yet for me caddies\u2014even if hired by only one member of your group\u2014are a treasured part of playing golf in Ireland. Not only do they know the course and lend valuable playing counsel, they tell stories and impart local history. And if you\u2019re lucky when facing a downhill speedy putt, your caddie will stoop down and whisper: \u201cNow <em>dolly<\/em> it down\u2026<em>dolly <\/em>it down to the cup.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Irish: The golf will be memorable. But the Irish people, so historically tied to the U.S., will be wonderful and affable hosts. So take time to savor the sights, attractions, and these warm-hearted people. A pint or two amongst your new Irish friends will take the edge off even the most embarrassing shank.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0Image courtesy of Discover Ireland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Planning a successful golf trip to Ireland is not rocket science. But like a space launch, it does take some&#8230;  <a class=\"excerpt-read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/golf\/341\/tips-for-a-successful-irish-golf-trip\" title=\"ReadTips for a Successful Irish Golf Trip\">Read more &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4907,5048,9,5353,6569,5355,1483,6570,5975,2226,1694,6127,3600,3729,17],"tags":[916,3352,1973,2832,909,1555,1991,141,915,6218,414,4864,6219,4739,6216,907,6217,2788,905,6220,1974],"class_list":["post-341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oregon-golf-assoc","category-alternative-golf-assoc","category-golf","category-tourism-ireland","category-azga","category-miura-golf","category-kalos","category-conn-golf-assoc","category-long-island-golf-assoc","category-perrygolf","category-haversham-baker","category-so-cal-golf-assoc","category-world-golf-tour","category-golf-travel","category-courses-and-travel","tag-sligo","tag-k-club","tag-portmarnock","tag-terry-moore","tag-eddie-hackett","tag-royal-county-down","tag-waterville","tag-royal-portrush","tag-donegal","tag-ballyliffen","tag-ireland","tag-golf-trips","tag-connemara","tag-links-courses","tag-discover-ireland","tag-doonbeg","tag-carne","tag-european-club","tag-ballybunion","tag-dooks","tag-old-head"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2011\/03\/Carne-17th.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=341"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":517,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions\/517"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theaposition.com\/teemoore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}