GOLF ON THE EMERALD ISLE
At the beginning of the summer, my family got the chance to embark on the trip of a lifetime to the beautiful country of Ireland. Not only was this the first time I’d been to Europe, but this was also my first chance to play golf outside of the United States. I would like to share my thoughts on what makes Ireland such a great place to visit, and especially, to play golf.
Being from Louisiana, the first thing I noticed in Ireland was the weather. Summers in Ireland are mild with highs rarely topping 70 degrees. This was a welcome change from the hot and humid New Orleans weather. Second, I noticed the people. Irish people are very welcoming, happy, and humorous (see Rocky below). The people in every town we visited made our trip that much better. Lastly, the incredible green landscape for which the country received its nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” and mesmerizing views from coast to coast, can only be done justice by seeing in person. The only thing missing was a little golf… .
In a small town outside of Galway, we scoured the internet for the best courses, available tee times, and local recommendations. All fingers pointed to Lahinch Golf Club. The course, founded in 1892, is in a town of less than 1,000 residents, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Lahinch is golf at its purest – no trees, no carts, no nonsense. It was the perfect setting – just us and the golf course. And Rocky. Our forecaddie.
Rocky was a local guy in his mid-40s who started caddying at Lahinch when he was 15 years old. Rocky guided us through the rolling dunes for the next 5 hours, keeping the mood light by cracking jokes all afternoon. As the day went on, we realized the round was more about the memories we were making and less about scores.
The one exception was my eagle 2 on the drivable Par 4 13th. That was special. Not long after that play, the sun began to set. We walk off the 18
th green 9:30pm, concluding what was one of the most memorable rounds in one of the most unique places.
My wish for all the kids I coach is that one day, they can take a trip across the pond and make memories like mine. You will not be disappointed with what Ireland has to offer.
To read more about Lahinch, click the button!
http://www.lahinchgolf.com/
PS: Also, check out the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open…
Coach Brad
GOLF ON THE EMERALD ISLE