Ireland Trip Planning

[hbrar99]

Hello everyone, wanted to get some insight. Planning a family vacation in Europe where my brother and I will stay behind to play golf in Ireland. After some travel, we anticipate ending the family trip in Dublin for a few days, where they will head home and we will start our golf trip.

 

A tentative itinerary, assuming we can get tee times would look like this

 

We were thinking of trying to play Royal Portmarnock one morning while with the family still in Dublin. to squeeze in an extra round.

On the day the family leaves, we would like to get to Royal County Down. I consider this day 1 of our golf trip. After RCD, travel to the Southwest coast.

Day 2 play Lahinch

Day 3 play Ballybunion (preferably 36, both courses)

Day 4 play Tralee

Day 5 play Waterville

Day 6 play Old Head and travel back to Dublin

Day 7 head home.

 

We don't mind traveling and switching hotels, but my question is whether anyone thinks that will be too much travel and whether there are other courses that are recommended. Looking for recommendations on lodging that would be convenient to the courses.

 

Last year we used a tour operator to schedule a trip to St. Andrews and am on the fence as to whether to use one again. The big issue is on determining whether we can get tee times on our own and scheduling transportation around.

 

For those that have been, is this schedule unrealistic?

 

Thanks for taking the time to take a look and I appreciate all responses.

[duffer987]

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1596768-ireland-golf-trip-june-2018/

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1501476-ireland-trip-reportreview-may-june-2017/

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/1574248-our-ireland-itinerary-march-2018-please-advise-acceptability/

 

The top 1 is pretty much what you're looking at doing - minus RCD. The 2nd one is what me and mate last did, which matches you x-country bit. Have a read of all three and that might help firm up your thoughts.

I'm a DIYer, no point using an operator, unless you really really don't want to do the leg work.

Call RCD tomorrow morning and build around that.

[hbrar99]

http://www.golfwrx.c...trip-june-2018/

http://www.golfwrx.c...-may-june-2017/

http://www.golfwrx.c...-acceptability/

 

The top 1 is pretty much what you're looking at doing - minus RCD. The 2nd one is what me and mate last did, which matches you x-country bit. Have a read of all three and that might help firm up your thoughts.

I'm a DIYer, no point using an operator, unless you really really don't want to do the leg work.

Call RCD tomorrow morning and build around that.

 

Wow, thank you so much. That is great information. Your trip looked like a blast. I am hoping to coordinate it all on my own, but between work, family and life not sure on how much time I will have.

 

I will definitely call RCD soon and look closer at the writeups you have posted.

 

Thanks again

[davep043]

I think the first day is pretty aggressive, 2 hours to RCD from Dublin, and something like 4-1/2 hours or more to drive from RCD to Lahinch. After Lahinch, you'll want to drive the 2 hours to Ballybunion, especially if you want a 36-hole day there. I'd stay 2 nights in Ballybunion, play Tralee, and then drive to Waterville, 3 hours driving that day. From there, its 3 hours to Kinsale, either after you play or the following morning. Another 3 hours back to Dublin. Looking at it, you have a LOT of driving included.

[hbrar99]

I think the first day is pretty aggressive, 2 hours to RCD from Dublin, and something like 4-1/2 hours or more to drive from RCD to Lahinch. After Lahinch, you'll want to drive the 2 hours to Ballybunion, especially if you want a 36-hole day there. I'd stay 2 nights in Ballybunion, play Tralee, and then drive to Waterville, 3 hours driving that day. From there, its 3 hours to Kinsale, either after you play or the following morning. Another 3 hours back to Dublin. Looking at it, you have a LOT of driving included.

 

I appreciate the insight. One thing I have discovered in my travels is that the time to travel certain mileage / Kilometers in different places in the world is not always the same at home. 120 miles on CA freeways is not the same as 120 miles on country roads. Thank you. I will definitely have to take that into account.

[davep043]

I think the first day is pretty aggressive, 2 hours to RCD from Dublin, and something like 4-1/2 hours or more to drive from RCD to Lahinch. After Lahinch, you'll want to drive the 2 hours to Ballybunion, especially if you want a 36-hole day there. I'd stay 2 nights in Ballybunion, play Tralee, and then drive to Waterville, 3 hours driving that day. From there, its 3 hours to Kinsale, either after you play or the following morning. Another 3 hours back to Dublin. Looking at it, you have a LOT of driving included.

 

I appreciate the insight. One thing I have discovered in my travels is that the time to travel certain mileage / Kilometers in different places in the world is not always the same at home. 120 miles on CA freeways is not the same as 120 miles on country roads. Thank you. I will definitely have to take that into account.

Yeah, I'm not dead certain of those travel times, I took them from Google Earth. I've read that the AA Routeplanner is one of the more accurate ones:

https://www.theaa.ie/routes/#/r/

Most travel in Ireland is much slower than we expect in the US. A couple of things to consider would be:

Fly home from Shannon, a much shorter drive from Kinsale. I don't know what the drop fee would be for a rental car.

Leave out RCD. I know, its a brilliant course, but its so far from every one of the others.

Leave out Old Head. Again, its a bit of a drive from the others.

You could add in Doonbeg (good course, but overpriced in my book) and/or Dooks (less famous, less dramatic, but still really solid), and/or the new course in Waterville

Or you could throw out most of your plans, and go to RCD and further into Northern Ireland. Not sure of the rental car cost if you were to drop it in Belfast instead of Dublin.

Face it, you'll have a great time wherever you go, wherever you play.

[Chanceman]

You did not say what time of year you are going - that would determine a lot of decisions because in the colder months there is much less daylight to fit in your golf.

What you have planned is doable but you face a fair bit of driving on the left on unfamliar roads.

As a decent alternative maybe you consider Dublin - Royal County Down - Ardglass - Portstewart - Royal Portrush - Ballyliffin and back to Dublin where you can play Portmarnock/Baltray/The Island. These are all top level courses if you dont mind leaving BB,TL, WV and OH till next time! Also keeps your driving to a minimum by staying in the northern half of the country.

If you do decide to go to the South West, other courses worth a try are Dooks and Hogshead. Swing Golf can help you book your tee times at all these courses.

As to lodging just book hotels and BnBs nearby according to your budget. Most are good quality and local pubs cant be beat for food and drink. The clubs themselves always have good fare. One tip though, dont stay in Dublin which is tres expensive, Malahide is better and closer to the golf courses.

[hbrar99]

Thank you. We are planning on going in mid June after the kids are out of school. Probably be there for Fathers day time frame, give or take a week. I will definitely explore the idea of staying in the north.

 

Thank you for the recommendation on Swing Golf. I will look into them as well.

[duffer987]

Thank you. We are planning on going in mid June after the kids are out of school. Probably be there for Fathers day time frame, give or take a week. I will definitely explore the idea of staying in the north.

 

Thank you for the recommendation on Swing Golf. I will look into them as well.

 

If you're set on certain courses, go play them! :)

Getting from RCD to the Southwest is easy. On consecutive days we played Ballybunion, Bettystown & Laytown on the drive up, and Portrush. We weren't hurried or tired. It was easy.

You're just looking to do some flavour of the reverse.

Swap Lahinch and Tralee down in your sequence above and it's no prob.

Day 1-4 stay in Tralee/Listowel.

Day 5 stay somewhere between Waterville and Kinsale

Day 6 stay in Dublin/somewhere near the airport depending on departure time.

 

That's not excessive. Personally I'm not a fan of Old Head, so I'd skip it for a course near Dublin, which also enables you to have 4 nights in the Southwest and 2 nights in Dublin, with only the drive swapping coasts and then back again, of any consequence. But if you're keen on it, it just means staying different places on consecutive nights instead. No biggie.

And really, you don't need someone's help getting tee times at these courses. If you were doing something for 16 people OK fair enough, but Irish courses are very adept at handling visitor inquiries, they handle a lot of them.

[tad950]

I would also suggest Dooks. Less expensive, nice views. Local atmosphere.

 

Just be aware, the roads leading to a lot of the courses in SW Ireland are really narrow.

 

I don't know what airline you are flying, but you might look at flying out of Cork. Instead of driving back to Dublin. Cork might have a couple direct flights to the States. Or you could connect through Heathrow.