Monday

Golf, Kissing and John Daly... in Autumnal Ireland

Back in the waning years of the 20th century I was an intrepid young traveler with a backpack, a railpass, very little money... and not the slightest interest in golf.

One of the most enchanting places I visited on my year long odyssey was Ireland, and I've often longed to go back. Since
taking upbecoming obsessed with golf, that longing has only gotten stronger, as beautiful Irish courses are so often featured in the golf media.

So this morning when I ran into a neighborhood friend of mine just back from a week on the Emerald Isle, I couldn't wait to hear about it. It turns out that she... a beginning golfer... and husband who's played forever, stayed on the east coast, in and around the city of Cork, and though it was originally planned as a golf-free week of sightseeing and relaxation, in the end, her low handicap hubby had turned it into a full-on golf trip.

I remembered Cork as old fashioned and charming with its Georgian buildings, ornate cathedrals and winding canals, but I didn't associate the area with golf. For some reason I'd always (somewhat pretentiously) pictured myself playing on the ragged, windswept coast of Western Ireland, at Ballybunion or Old Head.

However, my neighbor managed to change my mind on this. She described the east coast courses they played at as visually stunning and very challenging, but without the fierce gales of the Atlantic. The highlight it seems, was their two nights (and two rounds)at Blarney Golf Resort. The course was designed by none other than John Daly which at first intimidated my novice golfer neighbor but she reported that the multiple tee locations allowed her to enjoy the winding woodland track as much as her better-half did. They raved about the resort and it's amenities too.

I must warn you though if you do decide spend time in the area around Cork your stay will almost certainly include a trip to Blarney Castle where you'll be urged to kiss the Blarney Stone and you'll probably accept like I did, because after all, kissing the mystical stone is supposed to make you an articulate and eloquent speaker. What they don't tell you is that in order to accomplish this magic kiss you'll need climb to the top of the castle and wait in a sometimes lengthy kissing line. Then you'll have to bend backwards over the ledge of a soaring stone tower while
some random dudea trained "Stone Kissing Assistant" holds onto you in disarmingly intimate way. Then you're in position kiss the cold, ancient grey stone... that's already been kissed by millions of strangers and has been named one of the world's most unhygienic tourist attractions.



You may wish to stick to golf.

8 comments:

  1. I was brought up approx 30miles from Blarney Patricia so i know it well.
    Ireland has some great little parkland courses that never get a mention.
    As for kissing the blarney stone, my only advice would be not to do it after a night out in the town :-)

    Great piece. I will treat to a round of golf the next time you are over.

    James - wegetgolf

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  2. Pick up a copy of "A Course Called Ireland", by Tom Coyne. He walked the entire circumference of Ireland, playing every links course. Pretty cool read.

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  3. When I saw "kissing" and "John Daly" in the same sentence I got a little scared. ;)

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  4. Golf in Ireland it the ultimate dream. My buddies play all over the world but so far our "links pilgrimage" to SW Ireland stands out as my favorite trip so far. We played Ballybunion,Lahinch and Old Head and the weather was typical. It was gray and chilly with occasional drizzle and one really blustery day. But the atmosphere, the people and the pubs more than made up for the lack of sunshine, for me at least. Unfortunately the other guys I play with prefer Vegas and this year they want to go play in Dubai. I'm going to try to steer them to Blarney instead. Wish me luck, I think I going to need it.

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  5. I was there last year and there was no way I was going hang upside down with a total stranger (I'm pretty sure it was the same guy!!!) grabbing me. My friends did it and survived but I was OK with skipping that tourist attraction. The countryside was beautiful though and I'd love to play golf there. Definitely will next time.

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  6. Last time I was in Ireland - I was single and not a golfer. Ran the Dublin Marathon and then spent the remaining time "recovering" in pubs. I'm older and a golfer now - on the list for trips for my golf-playing family.

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  7. Geez Jenn - the guy is a trained professional. He was bracing - not groping. No fears about all those germs on the rock where other peasants...errr...people's lips have also kissed the stone ?

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  8. This is a great post I would love to be in ireland.

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