American work colleague visiting looking for advice on a golf trip around ireland

Bowlardo

Hi folks,

My work colleague is coming over to work for the last week in June. Her golf crazy husband will then be joining her along with another golf crazy husband's friend and his wife.
her is the general gist
[ul]
[li]They are travelling from Kilkenny on the 1st of July[/li]
[li] and flying out of Shannon on the 9th.[/li]
[li]The will be visiting Cork , Kerry and clare.[/li]
[li]I think they have already visited Galway and Mayo is too far out of the way for the limited time the had[/li]
[li]Said they don't mind paying 150 for a round of golf [/li]
[/ul]
I have no idea of golf do need a but of help here.
Could anyone recommend the best route they should take to cover the counties in the least amount of travel time on the best road.

I was think of suggesting travel to Fota wild life (cork). Then over to Killarney and finish in Adare before heading home

moycullen14

Bowlardo wrote: »

Hi folks,

My work colleague is coming over to work for the last week in June. Her golf crazy husband will then be joining her along with another golf crazy husband's friend and his wife.
her is the general gist
[ul]
[li]They are travelling from Kilkenny on the 1st of July[/li]
[li] and flying out of Shannon on the 9th.[/li]
[li]The will be visiting Cork , Kerry and clare.[/li]
[li]I think they have already visited Galway and Mayo is too far out of the way for the limited time the had[/li]
[li]Said they don't mind paying 150 for a round of golf [/li]
[/ul]
I have no idea of golf do need a but of help here.
Could anyone recommend the best route they should take to cover the counties in the least amount of travel time on the best road.

I was think of suggesting travel to Fota wild life (cork). Then over to Killarney and finish in Adare before heading home

If they're golf mad Americans then the best bet are links courses. You cannot get the links experience outside of these islands and there are better parkland courses in the US than anything you might find here.

No links courses in Cork but any Americans I have talked to are blown away by the Old Head of Kinsale. €150 might not be enough though. It's quite close to Kinsale which is also worth a visit.

In Kerry, you can take your pick of Waterville, Tralee, Ballybunion and maybe Dooks (Glenbeigh).

In Clare, Lahinch.

Pick a selection of those (all of them except maybe Dooks will be €150+) and they will be blown away.

Day 1: Old Head
Day 2: Waterville
Day 3: Tralee
Day 4: Ballybunion.
Day 5: Lahinch

I've played Tralee, Ballybunion and Lahinch on successive days. It's manageable but you'd be exhausted. Old Head to Waterville is a fair hyke. From a golf purist point of view I'd skip the Old Head (setting is magnificent but the course is only so-so) and from a travel point of view, Waterville is a bit out of the way (pity as it's the best setting IMHO).

If they are to play all five, they will be broke, exhausted but very happy.

Domo1982

Great post Moycullen

Ronney

Agree with Moycullen there.

Did Waterville and old head on consecutive days a few years ago and it wasn't too much a stretch. (was staying in glenbeigh though)

(Adare is closed at the moment as JP McManus is doing a big job on The Manor for the next year or 2)

If you are round Kilkenny Mt Juiliet would also be an option.

http://swinggolfireland.com/ might be a help if you dont want to go the independent way

slave1

There are any amount of online crowds who organise golf trips for the US market, get the golf mad to get a quote and itinerary off them and then use their knowledge and pricing as a guide and book direct himself, chances are the saving will be made on local B&Bs instead of hotels and not so much on green fees. They need to be prepared for early starts and not getting out on their own. They should also factor a caddy.
I would skip Old Head and go for a more comforting round in the likes of Dooks or Castle course in Lahinch, tough run of links blind can take the soul to dark places very quickly.

ShivasIrons

The well known golf courses are extremely busy here this Summer, with no or very limited availability in tee times on some of them.

Their best bet would be to go to an Irish Golf Tour operator as if they try to organise some rounds themselves they could be on the phone for a while trying to sort an itinerary out that flows together.

lowelife

moycullen14 wrote: »

If they're golf mad Americans then the best bet are links courses. You cannot get the links experience outside of these islands and there are better parkland courses in the US than anything you might find here.

No links courses in Cork but any Americans I have talked to are blown away by the Old Head of Kinsale. €150 might not be enough though. It's quite close to Kinsale which is also worth a visit.

In Kerry, you can take your pick of Waterville, Tralee, Ballybunion and maybe Dooks (Glenbeigh).

In Clare, Lahinch.

Pick a selection of those (all of them except maybe Dooks will be €150+) and they will be blown away.

Day 1: Old Head
Day 2: Waterville
Day 3: Tralee
Day 4: Ballybunion.
Day 5: Lahinch

I've played Tralee, Ballybunion and Lahinch on successive days. It's manageable but you'd be exhausted. Old Head to Waterville is a fair hyke. From a golf purist point of view I'd skip the Old Head (setting is magnificent but the course is only so-so) and from a travel point of view, Waterville is a bit out of the way (pity as it's the best setting IMHO).

If they are to play all five, they will be broke, exhausted but very happy.

Scotland says HAHA! Close but HAHA!

Domo1982

lowelife wrote: »

Scotland says HAHA! Close but HAHA!

I think he means authentic Links courses and not the Trump made reproductions that you guys have:eek:

irish coldplayer

slave1 wrote: »

I would skip Old Head and go for a more comforting round in the likes of Dooks or Castle course in Lahinch, tough run of links blind can take the soul to dark places very quickly.

The castle course in Lahinch isnt a bad course but if you're golf mad and over from the states then you really want to play the old course for the experience.
The hawtree revamped Doonbeg is open soon too and would probably be a bit easier to get a tee time while still getting the coastal links experience albeit without the history of Lahinch.
(assuming the trump branding doesn't scare them off!)

Dayor Knight

Can't skip Ceann Sibeal out on the Dingle peninsula if going that route. Lovely golf course, fantastic scenery, and great craic in Dingle. They'd love it. And now the location for filming of the latest star wars movie.... about 300 yards from the golf course (filming in late May, but who knows, they may be still doing it in June....).