Jealous. Planning on a Ireland or Scotland trip for my 40th and I have been leaning Northern Ireland and playing a few of the courses you listed!

The first time that I went to Ireland to play, the weather was absolutely fabulous. Seven days of sun, no rain and very little wind.

I have been back several times since and have played in pouring rain and winds up to 50 mph. I remember playing the Cashion course at Ballybunnion in a wind so strong that you couldn't hold the club still behind your ball because the wind was pushing your body around!

Glad you enjoyed your trip. Ireland is my favorite place to play golf!

Love it, my first trip over there is next June. We are playing Mulranny, Carne, Strandhill, Enniscrone, County Sligo, Criut Island, Narin and Portnoo, and St. Patrick's Links. Very excited.

People actually pay to go overseas to play golf?

The Grinder (99) said:

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Last time I went to Ireland for a week it only rained twice…. Once for 3 days and once for four.

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That's what my buddy had me prepared for.

Nice - Old Head is one of the courses I want to play the most.

Ireland is fantastic. Loved the people, culture, and golf.

Lahinch was my favorite although I didn't do RP or RCD.

Had a layover there last month for a day the week after the Open. We go back to Ireland every few years to see my wife's relatives, but have never golfed there. This was a last second change so it was too late to book any of the big name courses. Ended up playing a small links course (Corballis Links) right next to The Island north of Dublin for 25 euros and it was incredible. So much fun.

That afternoon I went and played the O'Meara Course at Carton House where they had just hosted the Women's Irish Open. That place was a ton of fun as well. I need to post some pictures.

Old Head is an incredible spot. Doesn't have the history as the bigger names but a very dramatic course in terms of where it was built. Getting out there you feel a bit like it's the end of the earth.

Caddie had one of the best lines that day…that ball is so lost even if it was wrapped in bacon lassie couldn't find it.

Only to be topped by the caddie at ballybunion. There is a cemetery wedged between the #1 fairway and the road about 150 yards down on the right. My friend who is a lefty and doesn't play much golf of course smothers one right into the cemetery. I am sure this has happened 1000 times for this caddie but I about fell over when he said…if that ball had a little more hook it would have hit my pappy.

Ireland is a blast.

They definitely have some fantastic one-liners over there.

Different topic but Ireland related. We went to Darkey Kelly's in Dublin for drinks and live music, and had the most incredible fish n chips I've ever had.

Post some pics Melty

We just got back yesterday after being there for two weeks and play (10) out of (11) days. I prefer Ireland over Scotland or England and we also had perfect weather as well.

Got to play Royal County Down as well as Royal Portrush with Tralee, Trump Doonbeg and St. Patrick's being my other favorites.

If anyone is considering going I'd recommend it.

Second nine at Tralee is so badass. The whole course is fun but second nine was unreal.

Agree, everyone in Ireland said that back 9 was the best (9) holes in the country and in all of the UK and they weren't wrong

This event hit my email today: https://lyonslinks.wetravel.com/i/684bf5ac4448eb1e2986b210

Basically for nearly 10K you get a trip that includes Old Head, Ballybunion, Killarney, Dooks, Tralee and Portmarnock. You will also be hosted by Dave and Ron Stockton.

I've never attended one of those champion hosted events and I haven't started researching what an itinerary to Ireland will cost. So idk what a comparable trip with concierge service would actually cost. I imagine this one is significantly higher because of the Stocktons.

Wow, simply stunning, and the golf course pics too.

No lie, the 5th pic from last was about 140 to the pin, hit my best 9-iron ever and the ball hits the the top of the hump in front of the pin. Everyone's like "that may go in". I walk up and the ball is 2' past the hole.

Damn it would have been awesome to ace it; it's was the 12th hole.

Nice pics.

Does the Guinness over there taste the same as over here?

jonj101 said:

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Nice pics.

Does the Guinness over there taste the same as over here?

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Whether it's psychological or not, it sure tasted better to me.

The Guinness is absolutely better for whatever reason and doesn't seem to weight you down like it does over here.

We had (16) from our club go over and we played:

Rosapenna - St. Patrick's links
Rosapenna - Old Tom Morris
Belfast (stayed at the Hotel Europa, the most bombed hotel in the world)
Royal Portrush
Royal County Down
Trump Doonbeg
Kilarney at the Ross Hotel
Ballybunnion
Lahinch
Old Head
Tralee
Waterville

I'll try and post some pictures later.

Our Director of Golf arranged it all and he's from England (our trip over there to play was also insane) and got us on some great courses. Unfortunately, he left our club and took the same position at Monterrey Peninsula so the next international road trip might not be for a bit.

He had two teams of (8) and we played fourball and singles so you were always trying to stay in it regardless of how sore you were. Frankly, at some point the swing breaks down and you're trying to find something that works for you through the match.

If you're thinking about ever going remember not every place has a practice area, like Portrush, so "getting loose" doesn't happen all the time. Personally, I would take Ireland over Scotland or England.