Legendary golf, extraordinary hospitality and it's still affordable
By David Brice, Golf International, Inc.
There are very few golfers who haven't dreamed of taking a golf trip Across the Pond and playing the fabled links courses of Ireland. Walking in the footsteps of the greatest names the game has ever known and experiencing the very same layouts they played, 50, 100 or even 150 years ago, is a unique privilege no other sport can offer and a part of what makes golf in Ireland so special.
The call of those original links courses is something every golfer hears and we all promise ourselves, that someday we will take that long promised, golf trip of a lifetime. Unfortunately for many, procrastination takes-over, other priorities prevail and all too frequently, someday never comes around - the dream remains a dream. Oh what pleasures those folks are missing
Excuses for not taking a golf trip are easily found and with the news media, delighting in negative news and sensationalizing the falling value of the US dollar and the purported expense of traveling internationally, one more reason to stay at home has been added to the list. But don't take this latest excuse too literally. As Mark Twain said upon reading his own obituary in the New York Journal, "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated" - reports of the high cost of international travel have similarly, been distorted and blown out of proportion to the reality.
Nowhere is this as true as on the Emerald Isle where true golf travel values abound for those who seek them out. The unique Irish golf experience remains within reach of most who have so far only dreamed.
How much a golf trip to Ireland is likely to cost is a question not unlike, how long is a piece of string? If you want to stay in the finest, luxury hotels and be chauffeured around in a limousine, costs are going to be high, no matter which country you visit. Play only the top ranked, championship courses, where green fees are similar around the globe and expensive can quickly become very expensive. On the other end of the scale and with some careful planning, a good one-week Ireland golf trip can be surprisingly affordable and cost less than $2,000. Increase the budget to $2,500 or even closer to $3,000 and you could be staying in first class hotels and playing a few of the top ranked links.
Make no mistake, prices everywhere only move in one direction and that is upward, but for solid, good values in golf travel, Ireland is a hard destination to beat and the prices just mentioned are less than 10% higher than the identical trips cost a year ago -- weak dollar and all!
Finding the very best values, even in Ireland, may prove to be difficult, but with the help of an experienced, reputable golf travel company, such as Golf International, a hard job can be made easy. With their own offices in Shannon, they are on the spot and through daily contacts with golf clubs, hotels and other travel suppliers, know where the best deals (seldom advertised) are to be found.
In the southwest of Ireland, home to some of the country's most famous links courses, Golf International offers a weeklong golf trip, staying at a beautiful Bed & Breakfast in the heart of Killarney, 5 rounds of quality golf and a car rental for the week, for only $1,960 a person. A week of golfing in Northern Ireland, staying in first class hotels costs just $400 more and a week in Dublin, again using a first class hotel, $2,524.
With other weeklong golf packages to Ireland often costing twice as much, or even more, you might be wondering how such bargain prices are possible.
The largest single expense on most golf trips is the cost of green fees and when only the high demand, championship courses are being played, green fees become expensive. But there are a multitude of lesser-known courses; often the equal of the more famous layouts, but with green fees only a fraction of the price. These are Ireland's true hidden gems and by carefully selecting the very best, amazing savings in costs are to be gained and with no sacrifice in the quality or challenge of golf being played.
These unsung heroes of Irish golf may offer the most genuine Irish golf experience of all, not to be found on those other pricey and some would say, over-rated household name courses where you are more likely to bump into a neighbor from your home club than you are a real Irishman. Sure you should include a famous course or two, but don't miss out on at least a couple of the real gems.
Hotels are another significant cost on any golf trip and another area where meaningful savings can be made. If you are on a tight budget, be very careful when using commercial hotels in the lowest one and two star categories. They can be a terrible disappointment and quickly turn a dream trip into a nightmare. Instead, opt for Bed & Breakfast accommodations, but again, be very careful in your selection. Best go with the personal recommendations of your golf travel company, who should know the best from experience. Find a really good Bed & Breakfast (and Ireland has them) and you may never want to stay in anything else again, no matter how large your budget.
Be wary of relying on guide books, hotel brochures and the Internet when choosing hotels, it's amazing how talented many have become at writing exaggerated pros and using a camera, successfully making the proverbial sow's ear look and sound like a silk purse.
There are other ways to keep the costs of your Irish golf trip down to a minimum and the timing of the trip can make a significant difference. Rather than the height of summer, consider the so-called, shoulder season -- March, April and May and from late -September thru November, taking advantage of reduced rates and less crowded golf courses.
Be a little adventurous and get away from the well-trodden path followed by most other golfers and even more savings are to be made. The northwest and west coasts' of Ireland are only just being discovered by visiting golfers and here you will find some of the most spectacular links courses in the entire country. With names not yet familiar to most and a lack of visitors swarming to play them, green fees are reasonable, hotel rates are equally attractive and top quality golf is guaranteed. Look for names like Ballyliffin, Rosapenna, Carne, Rosses Point, Enniscrone and Westport are just a small sampling of the treasures waiting to be discovered.
The bottom line is yes, an Irish golf trip can be expensive, but it needn't be. With the guidance of a reputable golf travel company, it can all be done very nicely for a lot less than you may have thought possible -- Reports of the death of golf travel values have been greatly exaggerated.
For a sampling of some real Irish golf bargains, click here.
©2008 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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