4 days in GB or Ireland

« **on:** January 22, 2003, 02:47:20 PM »

Sorry if I am bringing up a tired topic, but I am looking for some ideas...

I am planning an October trip to play in Great Britain or Ireland. This will be my fifth trip and I have played many terrific courses, including Turnberry, Prestwick, Loch Lomond, St. Andrews, Royal Dornoch, Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay, Nairn, Brora, Royal Dublin Portmarnock, Royal Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, and Lahinch.

This year, I only have four days to play. I plan to leave on a Wednesday night and return on a Monday morning.

My question is this: Where would you recommend I go to play a good group of links courses? I want to minimize travel and driving time, stay in one hotel if possible (two if necessary), play courses I haven't played before (see above). I don't need to play a different course every day, but I am in search of a quality experience.

Any suggestions?

« **Reply #1 on:** January 22, 2003, 02:50:44 PM »

I vote for Green Bay.

« **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2003, 02:54:38 PM »

Seems to me you've yet to see many greats near Edinburgh. I'd vote for:

Thu: Muirfield (although access might be problematic)
Fri: N. Berwick West / Gullane No. 1
Sat: Carnoustie
Sun: Kingsbarns

There are many others within easy driving distance that could be seen also... you could stay at one hotel, in Edinburgh, or maybe one near Gullane and then one near Carnoustie...

TH

« **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2003, 03:26:46 PM »

Craig,

I'd vote for a trip to SW Ireland. Fly to Shannon, stay in Killarney and play (among others) Ballybunion, Dooks, Killarney, Waterville.

All the Best,

« **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2003, 03:36:10 PM »

I'd say you can't go wrong with Doug's idea also, and the issue there would be getting on Ballybunion, which is also problematic... not so much as Muirfield, but still it is an issue... even if you can't do that, substitute Lahinch and you still have a hell of a 4 day trip without that much driving.

TH

« **Reply #5 on:** January 22, 2003, 03:48:13 PM »

Maybe try something different and stay away from the golfing crowds:

St Enodoc, Saunton, Westward Ho! and possibly Trevose, Burnham & Berrow and Perranporth. I don't think weekend access is a problem for these courses.

On the east coast and south:

Brancaster, Hunstanton, Sandwich and Deal. Could be a problem for weekend access at these.

« **Reply #6 on:** January 22, 2003, 04:21:38 PM »

I second Paul Turner's suggestion of visiting the North Cornwall/Devon Coast and playing St. Endoc, Royal North Devon, Saunton (36-holes) and Burnham-on-Berrow. There is also a good links course in Bude.
However, my first suggestion would be to go to Southport on the Merseyside/Lancashire Coast. Right in Southport, you can play Royal Birkdale, Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale, which are adjacent to each other. There is another good course in town called Hesketh. 20-30 miles south of Southport, you can play Formby and West Lancs. Another 20 miles south is Royal Liverpool (Hoylake). 45 miles north of Southport is Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Basically, Soutport is located midway on the 90 miles of coastline between Hoylake and Lytham/St. Annes. In that stretch, you have seven links courses in the top-100. That is about as strong as region as you will find.

« **Reply #7 on:** January 22, 2003, 04:55:42 PM »

And Wallasey too! (near to Hoylake).

« **Reply #8 on:** January 22, 2003, 07:06:54 PM »

Agree with previous posters, Liverpool area seems to be overlooked all too often. I flew in overnight this year on Wednesday, arriving Thursday morning in Manchester. Played Thursday afternoon at Hillside and Friday at Formby. Getting on any of these courses over the weekend would be difficult i would guess.

Formby and Hillside are fantastic for around $100 (Both courses feature in the Top 20 in England).

Birkdale and Hoylake are pricey ($200).

Have heard good reports of Wallasey, West Lancs and S&A too.

« **Reply #9 on:** January 22, 2003, 08:25:56 PM »

Any thoughts about Carne, Enniscrone, County Sligo and perhaps Doonbeg (on the way back to Shannon)?

« **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2003, 08:37:58 PM »

Thanks all for good food for thought.

Paul and David,

I am intrigued by your suggestion... I am not as familar with England as Scotland and Ireland... I assume one would fly to London then either drive to Cornwall for St. Endoc, etc. or catch a connecting flight to Liverpool for courses there... or drive to Southport for Royal Birkdale etc...

Any suggestions on logistics if traveling from the east coast of the United States?

It's fair to say any of these courses would deliver a "quality experience"!

« **Reply #11 on:** January 22, 2003, 08:41:15 PM »

Quote

Any thoughts about Carne, Enniscrone, County Sligo and perhaps Doonbeg (on the way back to Shannon)?

You can stay at Mrs Gallagher's B&B at the entrance to Enniscrone. She will wake you up and feed you breakfast before you play Enniscrone in the morning, have lunch and drive over to Co Sligo and Carne on separate afternoons and still be back in time a beer at the Enniscrone clubhouse.

I did it last summer and I highly recommend it. I would suggest you land on the redeye at 7:00 AM, drive to Doonbeg, play and then drive to Enniscrone. Thus your goal of one hotel.

« **Reply #12 on:** January 22, 2003, 08:43:01 PM »

Ireland has too long a drives for even those ideas and the courses are weak as compared to Scotland options that are near each other. I say the Turnberry, Troon, Prestwick and one again or Western Gailes. You are never more than 2 hours from Glascow airport or 30 minutes from any of the courses. the St. Andrews area is not bad either. TOC, Kingsbarns, Carnoustee, New. East Lothian has Muirfield, Gullane 1 N Berwick and Dunbar.

« **Reply #13 on:** January 22, 2003, 09:58:25 PM »

Craig-
I expect you will fly into London/Heathrow.
From there, Southport should not be more than a 4 hour drive, maybe less. Once you are in Southport, there is plenty of golf there or within a 45-50 minute drive north or south.
I have played Birkdale, Hillside, Hesketh, Lytham St. Annes & Hoylake. I would be delighted to play any and all of them again.
Barnstaple (Saunton & Royal North Devon) is about a 3-hour drive from Heathrow. Wadebridge (St. Endoc) is a little more than an hour past that. The two courses I have played down that way are St. Endoc and Trevose. St. Endoc is terrific. Trevose was nothing special.
The courses in England get overlooked by everyone who is in a hurry to get to Scotland or Ireland. They are missing some VERY good golf.
DT

« **Reply #14 on:** January 23, 2003, 01:20:06 AM »

I'll second all of the suggestions, but would think that England would be a better addition to your golfing education, given your past experiences. If you choose Lancashire (Birkdale, etc.) fly into Manchester. There are a lot of non-stop flights threre from the East Coast and you avoid Heathrow, which vies with JFK as the least user-friendly international airport in the world.

« **Reply #15 on:** January 23, 2003, 03:51:55 AM »

Quote

Thanks all for good food for thought.

Paul and David,

I am intrigued by your suggestion... I am not as familar with England as Scotland and Ireland... I assume one would fly to London then either drive to Cornwall for St. Endoc, etc. or catch a connecting flight to Liverpool for courses there... or drive to Southport for Royal Birkdale etc...

Any suggestions on logistics if traveling from the east coast of the United States?

It's fair to say any of these courses would deliver a "quality experience"!

I would heartily recommend the Lancashire coast - the possibilities are endless and even if you can't get on the Championship courses for whatever reason the Open Qualifiers ie. Hesketh, St Annes Old Links, Caldy etc are superb.

You can get a direct flight from JFK or Newark to Manchester which is about 45 mins to one hour away from all of the courses mentioned. That would be my route - I think it is US Airways which flies from there. Alternatively try Glasgow rather than London - traffic heading south is much better than making your way around the M25 and Birmingham.

« **Reply #16 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:16:55 AM »

I'd have to agree also that he can't go wrong with all these England ideas - they might even be logistically easier - I just figured from your initial post and what you've been to already that hitting the big names was what you were into, thus my Edinburgh suggestion. If a "golf education" is your aim, by all means see these less well-known courses several have suggested.

So you have many choices, Craig - and all will be wonderful golf experiences.

Enjoy!

TH

« **Reply #17 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:18:07 AM »

I must cast my vote for SW Ireland. Great courses, wonderful people, beautiful scenery. I will also toss in one unknown gem of a course. The Little Island Club in Cork. It does not have the "name" but it certainly has the "game".

« **Reply #18 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:26:33 AM »

Great call, Rob. We tried like hell to get on Little Island last time I was there and it just didn't work logistically... every person I've talked to who has played there loved it... both the course and more importantly the people.

Obviously I'd go on and offend my friend Paul Turner and say one will get a warmer welcome in Ireland than anywhere in England, but that's just my bias showing and my devilish urge to rankle him this morning.

To be honest the few places I've been in England it's as if they were honorary Irishmen during my stay. They couldn't have been nicer.

TH

« **Reply #19 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:45:59 AM »

I would have thought Edinburgh would be a good base for good golf, but maybe it would be nice to play new places, such as those suggested in England.

On the driving front, Carne is 1 hour from Enniscrone, which is one hour from Rosses Point, which is 40 mins from Murvagh... That does not seem too bad to me.

« **Reply #20 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:51:50 AM »

Jack: understood. But note he hasn't been to any of Muirfield, N. Berwick, Carnoustie... not to mention Kingsbarns, Gullane, or anything else near Edinburgh besides TOC... they are all logistically very doable and most importantly, at least the first three I mention do NEED to be seen, wouldn't you say?

And given he said he wanted links courses and seems to favor the big names (from his list in his first post), well... For difference we could suggest the great heathland type courses in and around London... if we're talking LINKS, can't see how those in England are inherently "different", or any more "new courses", than those near Edinburgh...

TH

« **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2003, 07:59:49 AM »

Tom

Nevermind Tom, the survivor thread showed where your true loyalty lies

Certainly some advantages of staying of the tourist track.

« **Reply #22 on:** January 23, 2003, 08:03:11 AM »

Touche, Paul!

And you're right, staying off the tourist track would have its advantages. I shall crawl back in my hole now...

TH

« **Reply #23 on:** January 23, 2003, 08:11:38 AM »

Tom

Sorry to pile on, but implying that the links courses in the Lancashire/Liverpool area are no different than the ones near Edinburgh is just not true. Have you been there? IMO, there is nothing in Scotland that comes close to the look and feel of Birkdale or Hoylake or even Lytham. By your logic someone who has played Prestwick wouldn't have to play Lahinch because he had already seen a links course with two blind shots to he green on it. (insert smiley face here).

« **Reply #24 on:** January 23, 2003, 08:11:45 AM »

Tom

It's well I agree that Edinburgh is a great place to visit. In fact, you can't go wrong with any of the suggestions above.

I hate having too many good choices. Makes deciding too hard.

Jack

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