Figuring Out My Irish Golf Adventure
Right, so planning this Ireland golf trip felt like trying to herd cats at first, you know? So many courses, so little time. I just wanted something solid I could follow without losing my head.
I started simple: grabbed my big map of Ireland – the old paper kind, feels more real – and a marker. My main goal? Hit top courses without spending hours driving every single day. Five spots seemed doable.
Here’s the actual mess I sorted out step by step:
- Dublin Landing: Flew into Dublin (obvious choice). First day’s a wash basically after travel. Stayed near the airport, cheap and easy.
- Portmarnock Morning: Next day, up early. Played Portmarnock. Classic links, felt the wind immediately. Bit stiff after the flight, scores weren’t pretty. Finished around lunch.
- Drive West Chaos: Packed the hire car quick – felt like trying to stuff a mattress into a shoebox. Aimed for Lahinch in County Clare. Long drive, man. Stopped halfway for terrible coffee and a greasy sandwich. Typical.
- Lahinch Drama: Got to Lahinch later than planned. Course was bonkers. Hills, blind shots, more wind. Lost a sleeve of balls easily. Had a pint in the old clubhouse afterward. Felt proper.
- North Kerry Push: Next morning drove south into Kerry. Base was in Tralee. Course right there near the town. Views were mental over the ocean. Toughest walk so far, legs were screaming.
- Ballybunion Pilgrimage: Short hop the day after to Ballybunion Old Course. This was the big one. Place lives up to the hype. Scary holes over dunes. Pure adrenaline. Grinned like an idiot most the round, even when hacking out of gorse.
- Adare Manor Finish: Last golf day. Drove back east towards Limerick. Adare Manor is totally different – parkland, posh, manicured within an inch of its life. Total contrast to the links. Felt fancy, played poorly but the scenery was a nice wind-down.
- Shannon Escape: Last night near Shannon airport. Repacked the suitcase full of dirty laundry and wet golf shoes. Flew out knackered but buzzing.
What Actually Worked (And What Cost Me):
- The Base Strategy: Staying in Tralee for two nights worked a treat. Meant only one pack/unpack mid-trip.
- Driving is Relentless: Those “short” drives? Nah. Irish roads are smaller and slower than you think. Factor in way more time.
- Weather Dictates Everything: Packed waterproofs used every single day. Sunscreen too, weirdly. Be ready for four seasons by lunch.
- Booking Ahead is Non-Negotiable: Tried winging one tee time? Big mistake. Almost missed out on Lahinch. Booked everything else months before.
- Clubhouses are Gold: Forced myself to stop for a drink after each round, meet people. Best part sometimes.
Honestly, five courses nearly broke me. Itchy legs, confused swing… but man, the golf? Unbeatable. Worth every wrong turn and dodgy sandwich. Wouldn’t change those routes much, except maybe skipping that mid-drive coffee stop.
