homeward bound....

SteveE and I (plus “the Beast” and five sets of golf clubs!) meandered our way from Lahinch to Waterford on Saturday – via Limerick and Tipperary. Stayed overnight at the same Travelodge we’d started at a week earlier (complete with a gang of noisy youths outside our bedroom window until the early hours – tooting horns, revving engines etc). Up early yesterday and drove to Rosslare in plenty of time to catch the 8.45am ferry and managed to have breakfast on board before the ferry had even left port! Back in Bristol by mid-afternoon – with SteveE having another couple of hours before he could get back to his home comforts in Chinnor.
Photo: SteveE catching up with news on the ferry – with Wales just coming into view on the horizon.

tour winner

Handicaps had been agreed at the beginning of the week (after months of careful pondering and negotiation) and these were then adjusted as/if necessary on a daily basis (winner’s handicap reduced by one, loser’s increased by one).
These were the final placings after the five rounds:
1. Ken; 2. SteveB; 3. SteveE; 4. Barry; 5. Simon; 6. Christian.

Ken was therefore the winner of the Claret Jug (complete with the engraved names of all the courses we played) and SteveE, typically generous to the end, presented everyone with a medal to commemorate the tour.
The result was quite a close in the end. SteveE led for the first three days but Ken’s consistency won through in the end and he ended up winning by three Stapleford points – in other words, just one hole either way could have made a difference over the 90 holes played through the course of the week.
Photo: Ken and the trophy!

friday: lahinch

It was a depressingly early start to the day. We could hear rain falling and had an early tee time booked (Simon needed to fly home this afternoon). We arranged to have breakfast in the hotel at 7.15am before driving the very short distance to Lahinch Golf Club – arriving in the car park before anyone else and in utter darkness. It proved to be a VERY wet round of golf - we all agreed that we’d never got quite as wet before on a golf course! The one positive note was that the wind had subsided a little (which probably meant that the rain wasn’t blown away!). Overall some of us were a little disappointed by the course (but perhaps it was the fact that we played under leaden skies, heavy rain and no sunshine?). Much to my surprise, I ended up winning the day again, with Ken coming second, Barry third and Simon fourth.
We all went straight back to the hotel to have baths and warm up. Simon had to depart soon after lunch (big hugs all round!). The rest of us played pool in a local bar before enjoying another great meal at the hotel before getting an early night – Ken, Christian+Barry departing very early the following morning to catch a flight home.
Photo: SteveE in Lahinch GC car park at “dawn” (in the pouring rain!).

thursday: old ballybunion

Woke up to pouring rain and high winds. One weather forecast we saw talked of two inches of rain and winds gusting at 60mph. It was all very depressing as, for most of us, Ballybunion was the key day of the tour. Amazingly, the rain had stopped by the time we teed off – then resumed after four holes but only lasted for 45 minutes or so and we were able to complete our rounds in the dry! Fantastic golf course – everything that we’d anticipated (and more!).
Ken won the day, with me coming second, Simon third and SteveE fourth – leaving Ken just two points ahead of SteveE as far as the overall leadership was concerned.
We drove north, caught the ferry across the River Shannon and ended up at Lahinch by nightfall – staying at the Atlantic Hotel. The rooms were far more basic than Castle Ross but we enjoyed a really beautiful meal in the hotel (and the odd glass of Guinness) before bedtime.

Photo: Barry on the 18th tee.

wednesday: tralee

Despite another day of very miserable weather forecasts, we were incredibly fortunate with the conditions at Tralee. We arrived in brilliant sunshine which showed the beautiful green course off to perfection. Although we did have our fair share of lashing rain, it was far better than we’d anticipated. It was another simply stunning golf course - everyone was really impressed and it now seems to becoming increasingly difficult for people to name their “best course ever played”!
Simon had a great day and won by three points, with me coming second, Ken third and Barry fourth.
We spent the evening revisiting our local bar and the “Smoke House” in Killarney. Guinness and red wine seem to go together very well indeed!
Photo: Christian hitting a tee shot at Tralee GC.

tuesday: waterville

Drove to Waterville under threatening skies. The empty clubhouse was in sharp contrast to the opulence of Old Head – but we were given a very warm welcome. It was very good to have a full complement - with Simon having flown into Cork first thing. The links course was impressively set between the sea and the estuary. Incredibly windy(!) and, somewhat predictably, we played half the round in driving rain. I actually won the day (in sharp contrast to the previous day) with Barry second (again) and SteveE+Ken coming in joint third (I think).
One of the highlights of the day was Ken trying to put up his brand new umbrella and watching it disintegrate within two seconds (literally) in the high winds.
We again finished off the day in Killarney. Enjoyed a good meal at the Smoke House restaurant (and even managed to find a bar with rather better musical accompaniment) before returning for a nightcap in the hotel bar.

Photo: Christian, Ken+Steve in the clubhouse before the round (the ocean's beyond the green stuff!).

monday: old head

We were all really looking forward to playing this course – and we weren’t disappointed. A stunning location, laid out on a narrow headland with many of the holes teetering beside vertical cliff faces, dropping down to wild seas (very scary for me!). We were incredibly lucky because, despite a poor weather forecast, we actually managed to complete our rounds in dry (but very windy) conditions – and it started raining immediately we got back to the clubhouse!
We all decided it was the best golf course we’d ever played (and SteveE, Barry+Ken have played quite a few in their time!). SteveE played really well and won the day, Barry came second, Ken third and Christian fourth (sadly, I played very poorly and brought up the rear).
We finished off the day at an Italian restaurant in Killarney before ending up in a bar – where we’d been told we’d be able to enjoy some traditional Irish music. The bar and the Guinness were good but, in truth, the music was pretty dire!
Photo: SteveE on the 2nd tee.

sunday: castleross hotel, killarney

We arrived at the impressive Castleross Hotel in Killarney at about 11.30am and immediately felt the need to enjoy our first pint of Irish Guinness (which we did) before drinking our second and third (by which time Ken, Christian and Barry had joined in the drinking).
Great to meet up with the others in such beautiful surroundings (views over a lake and with the Purple, Tomies and Torc mountains as a backdrop) - and in sunshine too!
Played nine holes of the hotel’s own golf course in the afternoon (very nice too!) before seeking more solace in the bar. A little rest followed by supper in the hotel (which seemed to be absolutely full of young children running wild – apparently thanks to a special promotional deal for the Irish Bank Holiday weekend/half-term… brilliant!) before a ridiculous putting competition under a virtual full moon just before 11pm (which SteveE won).
Photo: me, SteveE, Ken, Christian and Barry before our afternoon golf.

sunday: breakfast and moving on

SteveE and I got up pretty early (actually much earlier than we’d anticipated!) and ended up being the first customers of the day at Eddie Rockets’s Diner for breakfast. The food was excellent but the most impressive thing is the retro American 1950s diner style – complete with mini jukeboxes on each table. This seemed in sharp contrast to our experience when Ken+SteveE+I were on a golf tour of New York State in 2001 when Ken had been really keen for us to experience the ultimate breakfast diner – I seem to remember us driving for about an hour before we found anything remotely suitable!
We were keen to get to Killarney to meet up with the others and it proved to be a lovely drive – with stunning scenery and beautiful sunshine (and areas of low mist).
Photo: SteveE (billy-no-mates) – the only customer in the diner!

two (of the six) make their way to ireland)

SteveE and I drove through Wales under sombre skies and heavy rain. At one point, it really did seem like the world was ending but, amazingly, by the time we reached Pembrokeshire the clouds disappeared and we actually saw some blue sky. We had coffee and read newspapers in the Tesco café and then convinced ourselves that it would make sense to have a spot of lunch before boarding the ferry…. and ended up buying spare ribs, chicken and sausage from their hot food counter (we went for the healthy option and didn’t include bread!). We think the shop assistant thought we were buying for our respective families…. little did she know! With amazing foresight, SteveE had booked us into Club Class lounge and so we enjoyed comfort, views and the option for more and drink (naturally, we declined the food due to our athletic status). It proved to be a lovely smooth crossing with sunshine and clear skies all the way – with the sun setting just as we approached Irish shores (see pic).
Drove to Waterford for our overnight stay in the Travelodge - and had a light snack at Eddie Rocket’s Diner – before forcing ourselves to sample some of SteveE’s Bushmills whiskey, as you have to.
Meanwhile, Ken+Christian are elsewhere in Ireland trying to track down the Barnes’s family history (SteveE+I still think there is some Irish link with the Italian mafia); Barry is about to fly over to Cork. We are due to meet up later this morning - with Simon joining us on Tuesday.
PS: At the time of writing, I have yet to meet ANY Irish people – everyone speaks with an East European accent (apart from SteveE).
PPS: SteveE won the snoring competition… easily.

the roadies set off in “the tank”

SteveE and I set out from Bristol on the much-anticipated Irish Golf Tour first thing this morning.

Somewhat predictably, it rained almost as soon as we set off!
The photograph illustrates our modest form of transport (Audi Q7 - parked next to my Citroen C2) which managed the five sets of golf clubs and our individual luggage with ease. The machine, which is now referred to as "the tank" or "the beast", just about managed to weave its way through the narrow side streets of Southville heading towards the ferry at Pembroke Docks.

weather forecast

From my experience of previous tours, SteveE is the weather expert as far as long-term forecasting is concerned. Actually, Ken (“The Rev”) thinks he has a “direct line” to higher authorities and will no doubt have a view on this. I’ve been trying to look up a 10-day forecast for south-west Ireland and have been failing miserably. The nearest I’ve got is using Cork as a location (which doesn’t quite have the exposed coastline criteria etc).
Anyway, the image reflects the predictions for Cork and, on the face of it, things don’t look altogether too disastrous (having said this, the forecast for our Scottish trip in 2003 was absolute “doom and gloom” and it ended up being absolutely glorious weather!), so who knows?
I‘m meeting up with SteveE later on today and feel sure he’ll have a slightly different view….
This is my last post before we set off for the emerald isle – I’m intending to take my computer and to try to put up the odd post from there, but I’m promising nothing!

the cunning plan....

SteveE (who thinks about such things, thank goodness) realised that those generous people at RyanAir and the like would be charging far more to carry golf clubs than passengers. So he came up with a cunning plan: he’s booked a car ferry from Pembroke to Rosslare and back (I’m going to ride shotgun to accompany him) and to take all the clubs with us. The rest of the “team” will fly over in the usual fashion. This way, Mr Eyre calculates they’ll save £80 each!
It’s so good that SOMEONE is on the ball.
PS: I notice that the Rosslare Harbour website describes itself as “the Gateway to the Sunny South East” (I’ll try to remember that in the lashing rain and howling gales!).

golf practice for ireland… in sunshine?

Thought it would make sense to add a short piece about the pre-tour practice undertaken by four members of the illustrious tour party (previously referred to in my “normal” blog). We played at Ogbourne Downs Golf Club, near Swindon, a fortnight ago and, in theory, there seemed to be a strong likelihood that we’d play the exposed downland course in high winds and heavy rain (it was practice for Ireland after all) but we ended up playing in beautiful October sunshine.
Barry and I are currently trying to find some sort of obscure family connection (long lost brothers perhaps?) to try to keep up with SteveE and brother Simon and with Ken and son Christian….
Nothing so far!
Photo: still smiling at the end of the round – me, Steve, Barry+Ken.

you are here....

Somewhat pathetically, even though Moira is a quarter Irish, I’ve never been to Ireland and I’m really looking forward to my “first time”. I’ve just been having a look at our itinerary and realising just how many amazing golf courses there are in this comparatively tiny corner of the country. We certainly won’t have to be covering many miles travelling between our selected five courses (see map!): Old Head, Waterville, Tralee, Ballybunion and Lahinch – unlike our previous glorious golf tours in New York State and Scotland (well, for Ken+Steve+me).
Click on the links to discover a little more about the courses!

it could be wet....

These disparate characters were selected from a shortlist of six to go on a golf tour to south-west Ireland in October (when it doesn’t get much wetter or windier). The tour itinerary includes playing (in a manner of means) the following courses: Old Head (Monday), Waterville (Tuesday), Tralee (Wednesday), Ballybunion Old (Thursday) and Lahinch Old (Friday) – just five out of the top eight courses in Ireland according to Google!
From left to right in the photographs:
StevieE (tour planner and boy racer); Simon (StevieE’s brother, who described himself as “bald and even worse at golf than his brother” – he says he’s really only on the trip for the Guinness); Ken (The Rev: “please see the attached photo from my high school yearbook. As you can see I once had a text book golf swing. Of course I also had a text book physique. Unfortunately, my current game resembles my current body shape - wide and out of control!”); Christian (Ken’s son and the best golfer on the Norwegian music scene); Barry (who simply describes himself as “very worldly” – we’ll soon put an end to that!) and StevieB (red wine drinker and former golfer - now considered to be “every golfer’s dream opponent”).
The tour takes place 23-30 October 2010… approximately.
It’ll be interesting!