It’s no secret that Ireland is a top destination in the world for golf. Having experienced a playing holiday on the Emerald Isle, I thought I would put together some information on what courses you could incorporate into your dream Ireland golf trip.
But first let me reminisce for a moment.
It’s been over 5 years since the Europeans took it to the Americans at the Ryder Cup over at the K Club in County Kildare, Ireland.
But the memories from the K Club are still fresh in my mind.
Now I am an American, so make no mistake that I was pulling for the US. But I am also an Irish American (I have relatives in Mayo, as well as all over Europe), so also make no mistake that the gravity of that scene on that magical Sunday afternoon will never be forgotten.
What Darren Clarke did only 6 weeks after the loss of his wife was special to say the least. And the rest of the European team rallied around him to make that weekend Ireland’s greatest sporting spectacle, by most accounts.
I’ll be spending some more time in future posts examining the power of momentum, or the elusive “zone” in sports. It’s amazing how pressure and the will to win, can both propel the athlete to victory, or serve as an obstacle to the very same goal. I have some unique ideas on that subject and as soon as they are down on “paper”, I’ll share them with my Instant Golf Lesson subscribers (you can subscribe to the right on this page by requesting my free Golf Ball Guide).
There is no doubt that the subject of performance under pressure is no more prevalent in any other sport as in golf.
Now back to the subject of Irish golf vacations. I have been lucky enough to enjoy a few Ireland golf tours that incorporated several destinations, including the breathtaking Mahony’s Point at the famous Killarney’s Golf and Fishing Club.
Another gem was Dooks, a links course in Kerry, which is situated in a corner of beautiful Dingle Bay.
Unfortunately, torrid weather (even by local standers) prevented us from playing Lahinch on the west coast. Hey, I was ready to play, but my golf partners weren’t! A 2012 trip is in the planning stages so I hope to test my repeating golf swing on that one soon.
We also played a number of lesser known golf courses throughout the country. Ireland has over 300 courses to choose from (no wonder it’s so green), so you don’t need to stay at a golf resort or famous hotel venue to experience great golf.
Indeed the great memories prompted me to recent pull out my pictures from Killarney’s. It’s even greener in person, and quite a place.
Have you played in Ireland, and what was your favorite course? (please comment below)
Even if you have never been to Ireland, but are curious about a specific course(s), indicate which ones so I can add some feedback.
I look forward to your input.
Robert Cotter – Instant Golf ®