Which was better and if you had to make just one trip which would your recommend? Well, that is a difficult question as both were very special and in a way quite different. During our Scotland trip we settled into the Park House B & B a five minute walk from the Carnoustie Championship course which was going to be the site of the British Open one month later. We quickly became friends with Robin and his wife Francis who owned the Park House. Robin was on the Carnoustie Links Board and so we had the inside scoop on the all the Open preparations. We also played the Carnoustie Championship course which is rated about 17th in the world. We then played three other Open Qualifying courses and added three more including Balcomie Links which might be the windiest course in the world and top 100 in the world, Glenneagles. From strictly a golf standpoint, that was the best.
During this Ireland trip we played six courses including Lahinch (rated about 57th in the world) and as a group they were more difficult than the seven we played in Scotland. In fact, all of the Ireland courses were very difficult and especially the extreme sand dunes courses of Carne and Lahinch. Golf World rates Carne 28th in the world, but I would highly question that rating. All the Ireland courses were on the Atlantic Ocean and they all had holes right on the ocean. As a group I felt they were more spectacular than the group we played in Scotland.
My favorite course on this trip was Rosses Point. It was the oldest with the first nine holes being laid out by Old Tom Morris of Scotland in 1894. Other than a couple of newly designed dunes holes at the finish it had retained the feeling of a very old links course which is what I love.
Dr. Bob was suffering a bit from a "bum" hip and that hindered his golf a bit later in the rounds. But he still played very well and had about 5-6 birdies compared to my paltry 2 birdies. My short game was very weak the first two rounds, but prior to our three round we had a lot of time to chip and putt and that really helped. In the end I had played to my expectations for the trip which was like "icing on the cake". While I slightly got the best of Dr. Bob in our golf matches, he evened the score and then some during our nightly games of Quiddler.
Several have asked if we did any sightseeing on our trip. While we only ventured once off our 600 mile golf route and that was to the Cliffs of Moher located just north of Lahinch, every minute of our golfing and driving time was sightseeing. Ireland is a beautiful and pristine country.
We expected the average high daily temperature was going to be between 55-60 degrees and we expected some wind and possibly some rain. Just on the chance the we might get a day of 65 degrees and sunshine I packed one pair of shorts. Well, I washed that pair out often as six out of the seven days we had sunshine and the locals said it might well be the warmest weather of the decade. They were flocking to the beaches!
I'm pleased to report to my beer drinking family members and friends that there is still some beer left in Ireland. I did have the second beer in my life but that was a mere half pint of Guinness which the locals seem to "throw down" like water. Yes, they are a beer drinking and partying group! OK, I have to admit I could only get down about one-half of the half pint!
We had hoped to hear a lot of live Irish Celtic Music at our nightly stop for dinner at the Irish pubs, but the music didn't start in most Pubs until 10:00pm or later and after a full day of golf we were ready to get back to our B & B and relax after dinner. Therefore we only caught one group, but they were as great as the food.
Prior to heading back to the Shannon Airport we spent the last two nights in the favorite B & B of our trip. The Berry Lodge was in the country with our neighbors being some friendly holstein cows. What a setting about one half mile from the Atlantic Ocean.
One great trip!
During a semester break at Thammasat University near Bangkok, Thailand where our Son Rich teaches English, he came home for a couple of weeks. One of his goals was to "see his breathe". He did not have to wait long as the morning after landing there was a light dusting of snow and "frost was on the pumpkin".
