Weekend Away: Suggestions?

Bazzmundo

Thinking of organising a weekend away for myself and a few mates - round on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Can anyone suggest anywhere good? Has to be pretty cheap as some of our number aren't flush but would like one of the 3 course to be a cut above if possible. The intention is to drink a lot of beer also of course. We're all Kildare based so a trip away is what I'm after.

The one option I looked at was:

Athenry
Galway Bay
and Conemara

Any opinions or suggestions?

Kevinmarkham

One of your biggest challenges will be to find two courses where playing over the weekend isn't a problem. I imagine Galway Bay and Athenry will have a Members' Day on either Sat or Sun, or both. You may be able to get out on such days, but Visitor slots will be very limited. Connemara won't be such a problem, but that's a fair trek out to the coast.

Three other tracks around there to consider are Bearna, Gort and Portumna. And even Oughterard.

It also depends on what sort of nightlife you're after. If you don't want to be based in a city you could consider Castle Dargan in Co. Sligo, and play there, Strandhill and Rosses Point (as your 'cut above').

How about Bunclody? There's a hotel opposite the golf club entrance and while it's not a big town, there's a good buzz to the place. Courses nearby include Mount Wolseley, Carlow, Macreddin, Coollattin, Enniscorthy, Woodenbridge.

I saw an ad on the back of the Irish Times promoting Druid's Glen Resort, with Stay and Play offers from €75 pps - I doubt that's for Druid's Glen, but you can ask.

Have a look back through the Threads and you'll find plenty of other recommendations.

david

http://www.woodenbridgehotel.com/Wicklow_Golf_Tour/80

Three lovely courses and what a deal at 145pps.

Kevinmarkham

david wrote: »

http://www.woodenbridgehotel.com/Wicklow_Golf_Tour/80

Three lovely courses and what a deal at 145pps.

Nice find

Tin_Cup

Second for Bunclody. Played there last week and the course is fantastic. The Carlton Hotel is literally outside the front gate of the course and as Kevin advised plenty of quality courses local aswell

Freemount09

Hi Bazzmundo,

Come to Cork, boy !

Friday afternoon come down, stop off and play in Fermoy. http://www.fermoygolfclub.ie/home.asp

Then after head to your hotel, check in and hit blarney village to warm up your drinking arm !

You could get a play and stay deal here http://www.blarneygolfresort.com/

Saturday, Don't play Blarney ... yet.
Go about 8mins drive to this place.
http://www.muskerrygolfclub.ie/

Then head out in Cork City.

Then, Sunday have a big durty fry, and play Blarney !

These are 3 fine courses imo and great value too.

If you want to play one 'a cut above' maybe rejig the above and substitute Fermoy for Fota. But maybe play that on the Saturday then ?

pauldoo

you can play mount juliet, Faithlegg and waterford castle for less than 150, and you can do rosses point, enniscrone and strandhill for 118(these 3 are in the top 100 courses in ireland)

Have done both and have been great value, 3 games and 2 nights in a hotel for under 150

SM746

Base yourself in Sligo and play Enniscrone, Sligo and Donegal. Or base yourself in Letterkenny and play Ballyliffen (Glashedy), Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) and Narin and Portnoo. Donegal / Narin will allow you out on a Sunday from mid - day on. The 6 courses there are top quality and if you have never played Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Ballyliffen or Donegal, I feel they are a cut above. If you book the above wisely and look for discounted green fees you should not be hit too hard. And I am pretty sure all of the above take the Open Fairways cards if you have one.
Letterkenny is the perfect spot to drink a lot of beers with Sligo not being the worst either.

mike12

SM746 wrote: »

Base yourself in Sligo and play Enniscrone, Sligo and Donegal. Or base yourself in Letterkenny and play Ballyliffen (Glashedy), Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) and Narin and Portnoo. Donegal / Narin will allow you out on a Sunday from mid - day on. The 6 courses there are top quality and if you have never played Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Ballyliffen or Donegal, I feel they are a cut above. If you book the above wisely and look for discounted green fees you should not be hit too hard. And I am pretty sure all of the above take the Open Fairways cards if you have one.
Letterkenny is the perfect spot to drink a lot of beers with Sligo not being the worst either.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but am heading to Donegal for 4 days in September am staying in Donegal town, what 4 courses would you recommend going from thursday to sunday and would be playing each day, wouldn't want to drive any more than a hour any day. Earlish on the Sunday might be hard to get out? Can't find a Map of courses to get an idea of travel time.
Mike

Kevinmarkham

mike12 wrote: »

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but am heading to Donegal for 4 days in September am staying in Donegal town, what 4 courses would you recommend going from thursday to sunday and would be playing each day, wouldn't want to drive any more than a hour any day. Earlish on the Sunday might be hard to get out? Can't find a Map of courses to get an idea of travel time.
Mike

The nearest courses are Murvagh (Donegal), Bundoran, Narin & Portnoo and then you can either stretch to Cruit Island to the north or Rosses Point to the south west. Or head to Ballybofey & Stranorlar (the only parkland nearby). Personally, I'd play either Murvagh or Narin & Portnoo twice - or maybe both of them. Rosses Point is under 40 miles and Narin is a mere 25.

charlieIRL

Stay in Athlone and play Glasson, Moate & Mount Temple or of you fancy an impossible ball swallowing challenge add in Athlone GC.

All within a few miles of each other.

TheGrump

I'm looking at this myself at the moment. I'm looking at heading down to Fota Island. Play the Heritage in Portlaois either on the way down or the way back and then play Fota the other two days.

SEORG

http://www.swinggolfireland.com/special_offers.php?products_id=649

This offer looks ok, Ennis, Shannon and Dromoland

SM746

mike12 wrote: »

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but am heading to Donegal for 4 days in September am staying in Donegal town, what 4 courses would you recommend going from thursday to sunday and would be playing each day, wouldn't want to drive any more than a hour any day. Earlish on the Sunday might be hard to get out? Can't find a Map of courses to get an idea of travel time.
Mike

Hi Mike I am from the area and basing yourself in Donegal, I would play Cruit Island (absolute hidden gem), Rosapenna (Sandy Hills), Sligo and Donegal. They would be my preferences and they range from 10mins to Murvagh to c.1hour for the other three. Narin and Portnoo is also a good course, Ballyliffin (90mins approx) and Lough Erne (50 mins) are world class in my opinion. If you need any more details on travel routes, etc just drop me a PM as it can be a tricky county to get around.

Bazzmundo

Thanks for all the responses lads!

david

This may also be of interest for your group?

Macreddin Golf Club in conjunction with The Brooklodge Hotel are now doing a Play or Pamper deal from just 80pps. You get B&B and a choice of either a round of golf on the McGinley course or a spa treatment in The Well's Spa, all on site in the Macreddin Village complex.

http://macreddingolfclub.com
http://brooklodge.com


Dave,
Golf Manager
Macreddin Golf Club