GOLF ON STEROIDS IN WEST OF IRELAND
By JO MAES
A week's golf on rugged and exposed links courses in the West of Ireland seems a daunting task on paper but 30 members of the European Golf & Travel Media Association were fearless as they embarked on their second test of Irish links golf.
After a successful event in 2006, John McLaughlin of North & West Coast Links, the marketing organization for 11 of the best links courses in Ireland, immediately extended the invitation to a sequel event. This trip would bring us a bit further south and as far west as one could possibly go in Ireland.
Journalists, all dressed in Glenmuir, from 11 European countries descended on Dublin Airport only to be transferred to Sligo. First we tackled the exposed links of Co Sligo Golf Club or Rosses Point as more commonly known. One should play this course for the views alone.
The course itself offers a variety in links golf that is rarely found. An uphill opening hole reminiscent of the first hole at Royal Portrush immediately sets the tone for the day.
Co. Donegal Golf Club or Murvagh welcomes all golfers as the Pat Ruddy-redesigned links offers a stiff but fair challenge. Immaculately maintained and with views over the surrounding bays and the Atlantic, this course is as good as any course you will play.
The Enniscrone golf links has really moved into the Premier League with the incorporation of five new holes designed by Donald Steel. What is on offer here is a roller-coaster ride from elevated tee boxes through towering dunes onto undulating greens. This course will not disappoint you.
The Carne Golf Links is the result of the vision and hard work of a tight-knit community in a remote part of Ireland. Carne was the last design by the late Eddie Hacket and he obviously knew what he was doing after his designs at Donegal, Enniscrone and Connemara drew praise from golfers all over the world.
The Carne links epitomizes links golf in all its ruggedness and harshness. (Un)lucky bounces are very much part of this course as it grows on you with every hole.
Playing golf on the moon is something only astronaut Alan Shepard was privy to but the championship links at Connemara is probably the nearest thing to it on earth. A lunar landscape surrounded by sandy beaches with waves crashing in the distance provides the extraordinary backdrop for this fabulous course.
The new nine-holes, together with the existing back-nine, will make this an even better course than it is now.
Along the way we were treated to typical Irish hospitality and good honest food. The Radisson SAS and Clarion hotels in Sligo proved to be a good benchmark for what was still to come. The family-owned Downhill House and Downhill Inn in Ballina are ideally located to sample a number of courses in the region and both the Abbey Glen as well as Foyles Hotel in Clifden made sure the peat fire was burning and the band was on duty.
The EGTMA North West Coast Links Challenge was played over five courses with four rounds counting for the final result. There was room for one discard and most of us were thankful for this lifeline. A mention should go to Norwegian Louis Roren from Golfposten Magazine when he scored his first ever hole-in-one on Donegal's third hole. A little knockdown seven-wood covered the 165 yards and hopped his brand new Wilson ball straight into the hole.
After five days of fierce competition it was Tristan Jones, the official photographer of the Ladies European Tour and an 11-handicapper with golf clubs in his hands, who held his game together for a four-round total of 146 Stableford points.
He kept the tall Dutchman Erwin Mulder, a two-handicap player for Golfers Magazine, a solid 6pt behind.
The ladies' challenge was won by Sue Farmer from England but based on the Algarve in Portugal.
The Irish tourism authorities with Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland North West and Failte Ireland West supported the EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge.
The seemingly endless (and indeed very welcome on courses like this) supply of golf balls came through Wilson with their all-new Dx2 Soft ball.
Glenmuir made sure we had clothes to wear with a long sleeved polo top embroidered with the EGTMA Logo and MacGregor Europe supplied us with an impressive prize table. Both winners received Galway Crystal as a trophy, courtesy of North & West Coast Links.
The EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge was supported by the following golf courses:
Co Sligo Golf Club
Co Donegal Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club
Carne Golf Links
Connemara Championship Links
We stayed in the following hotels:
Radison SAS Sligo and Clarion Sligo
Downhill House and Downhill Inn, Ballina
Abbey Glen Hotel and Foyles Hotel, Clifden
Clayton Hotel, Galway
For further information and more pictures,contact Jo Maes or Denise Gallagher of the European Golf & Travel Media Association
Tel +353.40.23.00.00
e-mail: info@egtma.com
By JO MAES
A week's golf on rugged and exposed links courses in the West of Ireland seems a daunting task on paper but 30 members of the European Golf & Travel Media Association were fearless as they embarked on their second test of Irish links golf.
After a successful event in 2006, John McLaughlin of North & West Coast Links, the marketing organization for 11 of the best links courses in Ireland, immediately extended the invitation to a sequel event. This trip would bring us a bit further south and as far west as one could possibly go in Ireland.
Journalists, all dressed in Glenmuir, from 11 European countries descended on Dublin Airport only to be transferred to Sligo. First we tackled the exposed links of Co Sligo Golf Club or Rosses Point as more commonly known. One should play this course for the views alone.
The course itself offers a variety in links golf that is rarely found. An uphill opening hole reminiscent of the first hole at Royal Portrush immediately sets the tone for the day.
Co. Donegal Golf Club or Murvagh welcomes all golfers as the Pat Ruddy-redesigned links offers a stiff but fair challenge. Immaculately maintained and with views over the surrounding bays and the Atlantic, this course is as good as any course you will play.
The Enniscrone golf links has really moved into the Premier League with the incorporation of five new holes designed by Donald Steel. What is on offer here is a roller-coaster ride from elevated tee boxes through towering dunes onto undulating greens. This course will not disappoint you.
The Carne Golf Links is the result of the vision and hard work of a tight-knit community in a remote part of Ireland. Carne was the last design by the late Eddie Hacket and he obviously knew what he was doing after his designs at Donegal, Enniscrone and Connemara drew praise from golfers all over the world.
The Carne links epitomizes links golf in all its ruggedness and harshness. (Un)lucky bounces are very much part of this course as it grows on you with every hole.
Playing golf on the moon is something only astronaut Alan Shepard was privy to but the championship links at Connemara is probably the nearest thing to it on earth. A lunar landscape surrounded by sandy beaches with waves crashing in the distance provides the extraordinary backdrop for this fabulous course.
The new nine-holes, together with the existing back-nine, will make this an even better course than it is now.
Along the way we were treated to typical Irish hospitality and good honest food. The Radisson SAS and Clarion hotels in Sligo proved to be a good benchmark for what was still to come. The family-owned Downhill House and Downhill Inn in Ballina are ideally located to sample a number of courses in the region and both the Abbey Glen as well as Foyles Hotel in Clifden made sure the peat fire was burning and the band was on duty.
The EGTMA North West Coast Links Challenge was played over five courses with four rounds counting for the final result. There was room for one discard and most of us were thankful for this lifeline. A mention should go to Norwegian Louis Roren from Golfposten Magazine when he scored his first ever hole-in-one on Donegal's third hole. A little knockdown seven-wood covered the 165 yards and hopped his brand new Wilson ball straight into the hole.
After five days of fierce competition it was Tristan Jones, the official photographer of the Ladies European Tour and an 11-handicapper with golf clubs in his hands, who held his game together for a four-round total of 146 Stableford points.
He kept the tall Dutchman Erwin Mulder, a two-handicap player for Golfers Magazine, a solid 6pt behind.
The ladies' challenge was won by Sue Farmer from England but based on the Algarve in Portugal.
The Irish tourism authorities with Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland North West and Failte Ireland West supported the EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge.
The seemingly endless (and indeed very welcome on courses like this) supply of golf balls came through Wilson with their all-new Dx2 Soft ball.
Glenmuir made sure we had clothes to wear with a long sleeved polo top embroidered with the EGTMA Logo and MacGregor Europe supplied us with an impressive prize table. Both winners received Galway Crystal as a trophy, courtesy of North & West Coast Links.
The EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge was supported by the following golf courses:
Co Sligo Golf Club
Co Donegal Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club
Carne Golf Links
Connemara Championship Links
We stayed in the following hotels:
Radison SAS Sligo and Clarion Sligo
Downhill House and Downhill Inn, Ballina
Abbey Glen Hotel and Foyles Hotel, Clifden
Clayton Hotel, Galway
For further information and more pictures,contact Jo Maes or Denise Gallagher of the European Golf & Travel Media Association
Tel +353.40.23.00.00
e-mail: info@egtma.com
Labels: WHERE TO GO
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Tuesday, October 16, 2007
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home