July Golf Trip to Ireland

[jdhallissey]

Been a good while since I have been on the board but I figured what better place to have the trip documented than here. So the trip is 8 days. We have 17 rounds of golf on the books. Absolutely bonkers I agree. This is the list of the courses. So to say the least it is a once in a life time trip that I may never want to touch the clubs again when we get done but lol. I am really looking forward to the trip tho. I will bring one pair of socks for each round of golf. I will also have 2 sets of shoes coming with. Outside of that going to be pretty epic. I will also be posting all the pictures here. I might break it down by course.

 

For the groups that have gone before anything you suggest I try and see too? I went back in 05. So it has been a few years. Thanks for the help.

 

July 15th
Group will arrive in Dublin Airport.
Drive to Porballintrae and check into The Bay View Hotel.
Play evening golf at Royal Portrush (16:48)
July 16th
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Portstewart.
Play 36-holes on The Riverside & Strand courses (River 11:30 / Strand 15:30)
Overnight again in The Bay View Hotel.
July 17th
Following breakfast, the group drive to Portrush.
Play golf on the Valley Course at Royal Portrush (08:50)
Drive to Newcastle, Co. Down.
Play golf at Royal County Down (15:48)
Drive to Dublin and check into The Grand Hotel.
July 18th
Following breakfast, the group will drive to the nearby Portmarnock
Golf Club for an early morning round (08:00)
Drive to Baltray for an afternoon round at County Louth Golf Club (14:30 as two-
balls)
Overnight again in The Grand Hotel.
July 19th
Following breakfast, the group will check out of the hotel.
Drive to Brittas Bay to play The European Golf Club (08:32)
Drive back to Dublin for an afternoon round at The Island (15:30)
Drive to Sligo and check into The Sligo Park.
July 20th
Following breakfast the group will check out of the hotel.
Drive to Belmullet and play Carne Golf Links (08:00)
Drive back to Sligo and play Sligo Golf Club (14:45)
Continue on to Letterkenny and check into The Station House.
July 21st
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Rosapenna.
Play 54-holes at Rosapenna (Sandy 07:00 / St. Pat's 12:00 / Old Tom 17:00)
Overnight again in The Station House.
Royal Portrush Dunluce
Portstewart Riverside & Strand
Royal Portrush Valley & Royal County Down
Portmarnock & County Louth
The European Club and The Island
Carne Golf Links & Sligo Golf Club
Rosapenna St. Patricks, Old Tom Morris & Sandy Hills.
Ballyliffin's Glashedy, Old Course & Pollen.
Bay View Hotel, Portballintrae, Co. Antrim
Grand Hotel, Malahide, Dublin
Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo Town
Station House, Letterkenny
July 22nd
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Ballyliffin.
Play 45-holes at Ballyliffin Golf Club (Old 08:00 / Glashedy 13:00 / Pollen 18:00)
Overnight again in The Station House.
July 23rd
Early checkout and depart for Dublin Airport.

 

 

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by jdhallissey

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, jdhallissey said:

Been a good while since I have been on the board but I figured what better place to have the trip documented than here. So the trip is 8 days. We have 17 rounds of golf on the books. Absolutely bonkers I agree. This is the list of the courses. So to say the least it is a once in a life time trip that I may never want to touch the clubs again when we get done but lol. I am really looking forward to the trip tho. I will bring one pair of socks for each round of golf. I will also have 2 sets of shoes coming with. Outside of that going to be pretty epic. I will also be posting all the pictures here. I might break it down by course.

 

For the groups that have gone before anything you suggest I try and see too? I went back in 05. So it has been a few years. Thanks for the help.

 

July 15th
Group will arrive in Dublin Airport.
Drive to Porballintrae and check into The Bay View Hotel.
Play evening golf at Royal Portrush (16:48)
July 16th
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Portstewart.
Play 36-holes on The Riverside & Strand courses (River 11:30 / Strand 15:30)
Overnight again in The Bay View Hotel.
July 17th
Following breakfast, the group drive to Portrush.
Play golf on the Valley Course at Royal Portrush (08:50)
Drive to Newcastle, Co. Down.
Play golf at Royal County Down (15:48)
Drive to Dublin and check into The Grand Hotel.
July 18th
Following breakfast, the group will drive to the nearby Portmarnock
Golf Club for an early morning round (08:00)
Drive to Baltray for an afternoon round at County Louth Golf Club (14:30 as two-
balls)
Overnight again in The Grand Hotel.
July 19th
Following breakfast, the group will check out of the hotel.
Drive to Brittas Bay to play The European Golf Club (08:32)
Drive back to Dublin for an afternoon round at The Island (15:30)
Drive to Sligo and check into The Sligo Park.
July 20th
Following breakfast the group will check out of the hotel.
Drive to Belmullet and play Carne Golf Links (08:00)
Drive back to Sligo and play Sligo Golf Club (14:45)
Continue on to Letterkenny and check into The Station House.
July 21st
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Rosapenna.
Play 54-holes at Rosapenna (Sandy 07:00 / St. Pat's 12:00 / Old Tom 17:00)
Overnight again in The Station House.
Royal Portrush Dunluce
Portstewart Riverside & Strand
Royal Portrush Valley & Royal County Down
Portmarnock & County Louth
The European Club and The Island
Carne Golf Links & Sligo Golf Club
Rosapenna St. Patricks, Old Tom Morris & Sandy Hills.
Ballyliffin's Glashedy, Old Course & Pollen.
Bay View Hotel, Portballintrae, Co. Antrim
Grand Hotel, Malahide, Dublin
Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo Town
Station House, Letterkenny
July 22nd
Following breakfast, the group will drive to Ballyliffin.
Play 45-holes at Ballyliffin Golf Club (Old 08:00 / Glashedy 13:00 / Pollen 18:00)
Overnight again in The Station House.
July 23rd
Early checkout and depart for Dublin Airport.

 

 

 

Don’t want to rain on your parade, but that is an incredibly tough itinerary physically. The walks on the courses listed are VERY hilly and are no joke. If you’re a marathon runner and regularly play 36 holes on your normal days then it could be doable. Not saying it can’t be done, but in essence you will be doing a half marathon or full marathon EVERY day for 8 straight days AND addition to swinging a golf club many times, AND sitting in a car for hours every day after or before the previous physical feats. In addition the drive time you are accounting for between some of your rounds leave a VERY tight window. The roads over there are not like here, so travel time is often more than what a gps may tell you. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by hammergolf

[puttnforthe8]

Very ambitious trip.  Seriously doubt you will enjoy it, or even complete it.  Best of luck...that is both a terrible itinerary and a great one at the same time.

[Chanceman]

Phew! Good luck. I would not attempt that schedule.
Ps Are you aware what Irish roads are like? 

[Pastit]

8 minutes ago, Chanceman said:

Phew! Good luck. I would not attempt that schedule.
Ps Are you aware what Irish roads are like? 

Because they were laid on the sea originally and the land came in on the tides. Apart from Iceland and Arctic Russia, worst roads in Europe. 

[jdhallissey]

7 hours ago, hammergolf said:

Don’t want to rain on your parade, but that is an incredibly tough itinerary physically. The walks on the courses listed are VERY hilly and are no joke. If you’re a marathon runner and regularly play 36 holes on your normal days then it could be doable. Not saying it can’t be done, but in essence you will be doing a half marathon or full marathon EVERY day for 8 straight days AND addition to swinging a golf club many times, AND sitting in a car for hours every day after or before the previous physical feats. In addition the drive time you are accounting for between some of your rounds leave a VERY tight window. The roads over there are not like here, so travel time is often more than what a gps may tell you. 

Ohh 100000 percent. I didn't set the trip. Also we have a driver so that won't be a problem. It has been years since I have been to Ireland. 

 

To the golf.. It is a massive walk. I will have a caddy for the big boy courses. I am also flying in a day earlier and leaving a day later. The day later is so I can cry in the hotel for a entire day before I fly back lol. Like I said I my never want to look at my golf clubs again after this trip 

[ousuxndallas]

Way too many rounds.  You will get physically exhausted and play worse and end up grumpy.  I know because I've been there, done that.

 

[ajgoodal.704]

Wow.  The logistics are a nightmare and you risk missing some very good afternoon rounds.  I can't fathom playing The European Club, The Island and driving to Sligo in one day and then being at Carne so early the next morning.  

[jdhallissey]

16 minutes ago, ajgoodal.704 said:

Wow.  The logistics are a nightmare and you risk missing some very good afternoon rounds.  I can't fathom playing The European Club, The Island and driving to Sligo in one day and then being at Carne so early the next morning.  

Ohh I know. I didn't set the trip. I hope advil is cheap over the pond lol. The good thing is I don't have to drive not that I can't but sleeping will be important and maybe finding some iv bags lol

[ajgoodal.704]

21 minutes ago, jdhallissey said:

Ohh I know. I didn't set the trip. I hope advil is cheap over the pond lol. The good thing is I don't have to drive not that I can't but sleeping will be important and maybe finding some iv bags lol

 I hope you hit a straight ball because the potential for lost balls with that many rounds on the links is astronomical.  You might want to have ammo air dropped at certain points.  🙂  That would be a fun wager.  Which day in your itinerary will net the greatest loss of dimpled balls? 

[Noles]

I feel like it would be difficult playing that many holes at your home club, let alone all the travel in between.

[jdhallissey]

2 hours ago, ajgoodal.704 said:

 I hope you hit a straight ball because the potential for lost balls with that many rounds on the links is astronomical.  You might want to have ammo air dropped at certain points.  🙂  That would be a fun wager.  Which day in your itinerary will net the greatest loss of dimpled balls? 

I mean..... It takes a lot for me to lose golf balls. Might lose one a month? But the last few rounds of survival might play differently on that wager lol. 

[jvincent]

I say this as a guy who played 7 rounds in Ireland this spring at several of the courses on your list and just came back from the Bandon Dunes solstice event.

 

You are doomed to a week of misery.

[hammergolf]

8 hours ago, ousuxndallas said:

Way too many rounds.  You will get physically exhausted and play worse and end up grumpy.  I know because I've been there, done that.

 

I tried to give some sound advice. The biggest mistake many make when going to Ireland is trying to pack way too many rounds in.

[hammergolf]

4 hours ago, jdhallissey said:

I mean..... It takes a lot for me to lose golf balls. Might lose one a month? But the last few rounds of survival might play differently on that wager lol. 

Not sure where you play, but if you miss a fwy on the courses you’re playing in Ireland you will be very lucky to find it in the heavy grass. I added some pics so you can see what you’re dealing with if you miss the short grass.

[st1800e]

You’re more than ambitious.  Forgot your  exact details, but you’re driving from some faraway places to… more faraway places….   I was there 2 weeks ago , 15 games in 11 days, too much. Sadly I can’t remember a good part of 4 or 5 of the courses.   And your first game is Portrush?  What a waste.   You’ll be jet lagged.   Go back and forth to portrush, from across the country?   Putting it bluntly, you’ll have some bragging rights, that most everyone won’t get, but a great golf trip?   You better take notes just to remember.  🤷🏼‍♂️
 
 

[jdhallissey]

16 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Not sure where you play, but if you miss a fwy on the courses you’re playing in Ireland you will be very lucky to find it in the heavy grass. I added some pics so you can see what you’re dealing with if you miss the short grass.

I have played in Ireland before so yes I know. 

[jdhallissey]

3 minutes ago, st1800e said:

You’re more than ambitious.  Forgot your  exact details, but you’re driving from some faraway places to… more faraway places….   I was there 2 weeks ago , 15 games in 11 days, too much. Sadly I can’t remember a good part of 4 or 5 of the courses.   And your first game is Portrush?  What a waste.   You’ll be jet lagged.   Go back and forth to portrush, from across the country?   Putting it bluntly, you’ll have some bragging rights, that most everyone won’t get, but a great golf trip?   You better take notes just to remember.  🤷🏼‍♂️
 
 

I won't be jet lagged. I am going in a day early and I used to travel internationally for work. I will be alright there. It is going to be the miles upon miles of walking

[hammergolf]

12 minutes ago, jdhallissey said:

I won't be jet lagged. I am going in a day early and I used to travel internationally for work. I will be alright there. It is going to be the miles upon miles of walking

250 miles up and down steep hills in 8 days plus driving time should have a documentary made about it. Very little time to sleep and recover between rounds. Hope the guys in your group prepare accordingly or already are marathon runners.

Edited June 24, 2023 by hammergolf

[puttnforthe8]

We should lock this up.. Clearly @jdhallissey doesn't care about anyones input.  Your arrogance and lack of comprehension are astonishing. 

 

So...best of luck!

 

Please provide your tee times on day 5, 6, 7 -   I may stop an have a good laugh and a pint. 

Edited June 24, 2023 by puttnforthe8

[jdhallissey]

13 minutes ago, puttnforthe8 said:

We should lock this up.. Clearly @jdhallissey doesn't care about anyones input.  Your arrogance and lack of comprehension are astonishing. 

 

So...best of luck!

 

Please provide your tee times on day 5, 6, 7 -   I may stop an have a good laugh and a pint. 

Dude again... I didn't setup the trip. I voiced my concern also. So this is what the other 3 guys wanted to do. I agree with all of what you guys have said. 

[jdhallissey]

20 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

250 miles up and down steep hills in 8 days plus driving time should have a documentary made about it. Very little time to sleep and recover between rounds. Hope the guys in your group prepare accordingly or already are marathon runners.

 I have a 360 HD camera I am thinking of having just running for the trip lol. Then see what comes of it

[toypor]

12 minutes ago, jdhallissey said:

Dude again... I didn't setup the trip. I voiced my concern also. So this is what the other 3 guys wanted to do. I agree with all of what you guys have said. 

I think you need to find some new “friends”…. LOL 

[st1800e]

We’ll all be awaiting your post trip report, if you survive….

[st1800e]

A 2 ball at County Louth?  It’s in the top ten, and in the best condition we saw 2 weeks ago,   Save the 2 ball for somewhere else….

[jdhallissey]

14 minutes ago, toypor said:

I think you need to find some new “friends”…. LOL 

Agreed. That is also why going in a day early and leaving a day after. I will be crying for a entire day before the flight back

[Malvern]

Best of luck, I find the itinerary ludicrous but as you said, it wasn't your doing.

 

Hopefully you have some time for a pint or two.

[Hawkeye77]

Your trip, do it how you want and enjoy.

 

But since you asked, no, you won't have time to see or do anything else, so no point suggesting anything.

 

You have at least one day where the golf/driving itinerary you set up will fail, guarantee it, other days where you are underestimating driving or likely will.  

 

Golf death march - visit Ireland, see nothing of significance but golf courses, get completely worn out and crabby and time pressured, but everyone values their time and experiences differently.  If that trip was all expenses paid and I had to complete every day as laid out, I wouldn't go, lol.

[jdhallissey]

13 hours ago, Malvern said:

Best of luck, I find the itinerary ludicrous but as you said, it wasn't your doing.

 

Hopefully you have some time for a pint or two.

The pint or 2 is just how I am going to  survive. The golf isnt the true issue. It is going to be the 115 or so miles walked in 8 days.

[jdhallissey]

9 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

Your trip, do it how you want and enjoy.

 

But since you asked, no, you won't have time to see or do anything else, so no point suggesting anything.

 

You have at least one day where the golf/driving itinerary you set up will fail, guarantee it, other days where you are underestimating driving or likely will.  

 

Golf death march - visit Ireland, see nothing of significance but golf courses, get completely worn out and crabby and time pressured, but everyone values their time and experiences differently.  If that trip was all expenses paid and I had to complete every day as laid out, I wouldn't go, lol.

 

No I still had to pay my way lol. A guy backed out and I am filling in for him. I am going to splurge at Rosapenna for the golf cart tho. That will be the best money spent on the entire trip.