Post Script

Dear Reader:

It has been two weeks since our last confession. These are our sins....

Actually, it has been two weeks since the four intrepid Jeffs returned from the Emerald Sod, having been refreshed in body, mind and soul. Tour photographer Healy dutifully distributed these final photos which we hope convey the satisfying brilliance of this trip. This was hard golf, made doubly difficult by surprisingly harsh winds and cold May rain, and at times testing the limits of one's endurance for physical and mental pain. In the end, for us four grinding gamers, it was all worth it. Each and every day was a revelation -- a time to focus and revel in the demands of 4-ball competition, and simultaneously renew age-old friendships with college classmates. This is "buddy golf" at the highest level. We all love links golf and a good pint of guinness -- and we all love Ireland.

All of us had jobs on the trip, performed splendidly: Haggerty - driver extraordinaire; Farrell - map-man and tunesmith; Healy - photographer and accountant; and yours truly, trip planner (with a friendly, able assist from Rosa at Swing Golf).

Special thanks to the Farrell gals for those delectable chocolate chip cookies. You have no idea how welcome they were and how good they tasted after a 7-8 mile hilly walk in the wind and rain. Brilliant!

Special thanks also to blogsite manager Shawnie who somehow figured out how to place photos on the blog when they were emailed to her from a dark corner in some distant pub. Thanks to all who commented and to all who followed our exploits around the Ring of Kerry.

And the biggest shout-out of all to our respective spouses and families who allow us the time and freedom to pursue this exacting and exhilarating activity called golf in a fairy-tale land called Eire. There is something real and tangible about luck of the Irish. And we four Irish Americans claim more than our fair share.

Slainte!

The "Considini"

Old Irish proverb: For each petal on the shamrock this brings a wish your way. Good health, good luck and ... a "Considini"!
How does one define a "Considini"? Those of us who have been playing golf with the inventor of the "Considini" know it only too well. Bill may have thought that his 165 hybrid eagle on the first hole at Lehinch could have qualified. However, he was under no delusion. You see his well struck ball rolled up the left side up the slope behind the green fell back down onto the green and into the cup.The ball encountered no obstacles on its journey. A perfectly struck ball, it tracked to the hole as if it had eyes. To qualify for a "Considini" at a minimum the ball would have had to bounce over a bunker into a gorse bush only to be expelled by some hidden hand ( maybe a leprechaun ) to the green where it would be redirected on its path and into the hole by a stone left from some previous bunker shot.
Fellow playing partners of our Master of the Considini, you know what I am talking about!
Now, as Thomas Jefferson so wisely said: "I am a great believer in Considini, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." Certainly this is true.
However, Ernest Hemingway also understood "For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good Considini and write better than I can."
We should all be so lucky!

Final Day - Lahinch

We woke up once again to hard rain and howling wind. The weather has been relentless this week. The golf has been consistently challenging, both physically and mentally. Keeping the ball in the fairway in 40-50 mph winds is extremely difficult. Try putting in these conditions... Absolutely futile at times.
Besides the wet weather, the television informed us of possible future flight cancellations or delays arising out of the latest volcanic eruption in Iceland. So we checked out of The Carrig and headed north - first to Shannon Airport (no earlier flights were available to us) and then to our final destination: wonderful Lahinch in County Clare. We have been fortunate to play many golf courses in the world, and this is one of our favorites. Lahinch is a true championship test of links golf. #1 leaves the clubhouse and flows uphill to a green sitting on an exposed dune and each shot is moved left to right by the prevailing wind off the water. #2 is a par five which is parallel to the first hole. Then the course moves to the water with a strategic par four and the eccentric par five Klondyke hole. The Klondyke features a tall mound which blocks views of the green. A white rock on the mound provides direction to the hidden green. The fifth hole is a par three called The Dell which is a one shotter with a green sitting between two dunes----the tee shot is blind and normally played against the prevailing wind. Lahinch progresses from one great golf hole to another and tests the skills
of golfers who travel to play the links.
BIG NEWS of the day: HEALY EAGLES #1.
This was the most amazing and astounding golf shot of the week. Healy hits a hybrid 165 yard shot to a plateau green in rain and (no kidding) 50 mph wind. We lose track of the ball as
it scurries up the left side of the green and seemingly disappears over a drumlin. We search
for the ball for four minutes and fifty-nine seconds. Finally, Farrell peers into the hole
and asks Buff what ball he is playing. Titleist 3 with the logo: "Go Jeffs" - in the jar in the opening hole. You can't make this stuff up.
That was the initial stunning strike against the 4-ball team of Considine-Farrell who went on
to lose hole #2 as well.
But then the C-F rally began...
Farrell's birdie on the fabled Klondyke and Considine's par on The Dell brought them even.
Haggerty's sterling sandy on #11 brought H-H to even. Healy's pars on #12 & #16 kept the
match close. (The legend of the Healy magical putting wand continues...). Haggerty shows some
magic of his own with several bunker saves. Considine birdies #14 when his knockdown shot
uses the green backboard to roll close to the pin. On #16 Farrell matched Healy's par with a terrific
scrambling par of his own. All golfers stripe their drives down the fairway on the par
five 18th. C-F convert two-putt pars to hold off the game H-H.
Game over. C-F win 1-up. Farrell notches his second victory in two days. A dynasty
begins....
The tour can't be over, can it? First the Queen of England visits Eire. Then Obama. And
finally the four Blogging Jeffs...
SPECIAL THANKS to Shawnie, our ace techie assistant and blogsite manager!
Lucky indeed....Slainte!!!!!!

Irish Music in Ennis

We are currently sitting in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis listening to an amazing impromptu musical performance by a group of local musicians. Eire is the most musical country in the world. Such a spontaneous jam session is not unusual. Fabulous entertainment - with an obligatory Guinness, of course....
We will try to send a link to what we saw and heard.
Enjoy!

Mike, blogging in Ennis. Our video of local musicians cannot be put on this blog, but can be emailed to interested fans--let us know!

Put up your Dooks!

Dooks Golf Club is a fairly short member-driven club located near Glenbeigh on the Ring of Kerry, near the northern tip of the beautiful Iveragh Peninsula. This was our penultimate stop on the great Southwest Schwing. Haggerty was the only member of our quartet who had played the course, but only back in 2005 prior to some extensive renovations. We were very impressed with the welcome and scenery at this friendly club. Best locker room yet. The weather finally cooperated to a degree. Four-Ball Match of the day featured Farrell-Haggerty vs. Considine-Healy. Farrell was itching to break into the win column having notched only one tie prior to Dooks. C-H ran out to a 2-up lead, but that was the end of their reign for the day. F-H were possessed throughout the day, clinching victory with Father Haggerty's miraculous chip-in birdie on #16. The match was closer than the 3-2 margin would suggest as Farrell and Haggerty constantly stymied C-H on the back nine with clutch chips and putts.
Docks' fabulous scenic layout along the Dingle Bay was compromised to a degree by its modest three-hole parkland finish. But no matter - this was a great day of golf on a terrific links course. And the grinding Farrell was rewarded with his first 4-ball win. Bravo!
After the round, we stayed at The Carrig Country House, one of the classiest guesthouses in Ireland. We thoroughly enjoyed the accommodations and hospitality shown to us by Proprietors Frank and Mary Slattery and the obliging staff. Superb libations and food in a spectacular lake setting. We all wished our wives were with us for this special evening. We are lucky guys indeed...

Ring of Kerry

Considine, Haggerty & Healy

Observations

Shout out to all those people following us around the Ring of Kerry and providing comments. Very much appreciated.
Bino: we have met hundreds, no thousands, of golfers in Eire and, unsurprisingly enough, they all know you and Wagon!
Bungee cords are indispensable accessories to golf bags in windy Eire.
Guinness best at Waterville so far.
Smuggles Inn at Waterville has great seafood.
Best 19th hole view: Tralee. Waterville a close second.
Red Breast vs. Midletons: value = Red Breast. Smoothness = Midletons.
Eire links golf is great exercise. Try it some time. We are losing weight and eating/drinking everything in sight....
Best Welcome: Teach de Broc in Ballybunion.
Best accommodations: Butler Arms upgraded top-floor rooms. Spectacular.
Guinness is good. Our Vitamin G.

The awesome 18th hole at Waterville.

Healy's iron to the Mass Hole #12 at Waterville.

Farrell ponders his shot at the #12 Mass Hole - hit and pray

Rainbow Over Waterville!

Daily Routine in Eire

Buddy golf trips develop daily routines which add to the enjoyment of the tour. Our days begin with breakfast at our B&B which consists of continental offerings and a cooked breakfast----Porridge, omlettes, and Full Irish Breakfast dominate the selections. Then off to the golf course. First stop is registration and a routine purchase of trolleys, water, and chocolate bars-----we play mid-day and skip lunch. The golf is the focus of the daily routine and is chronicled in our other posts. After golf, Guinness in the club bar is required. We relax with several rounds and review the round. Back to the hotel, shower, change and off to dinner. We eat and drink well on our Irish golf tours---- no wine budgets Kidd! After dinner, we retire to the hotel bar for more conversation and Irish whiskey. Previous comments suggested that Red Breast was the whiskey of choice, but Midletons has its devotees in our group. So, what do we talk about with all this time on tour? What happens on an Irish links golf tour, stays on the tour.

Waterville - Act II

Last night we heard the howling wind in our top-floor bedrooms at the Butler Arms Hotel in Waterville. The rain pelted the windows throughout the evening but we were assured that the wet weather would pass before our 11AM tee time.
The rain departed.
But the wind didn't...
The locals informed us that Ireland was in the grip of a windy spell. We believed the wind would eventually dissipate as we wended our way around Kerry. In fact, the wind has increased in power and intensity. We arrived at the Waterville course in 30-35 mph winds to see two other golfers on the entire course. Even the locals refuse to play in such gusty conditions.
But not the four intrepid Jeffs...
Considine-Haggerty were teammates today as we teed off in splendid solitude. We saw/heard no one the entire day. This was survival golf. Drives begun down the left side were magically transported across the width of fairways to the gorse on the right side. Pitches and chips were adventures, and putting was impossible. Wind recordings at the clubhouse registered a steady 35-40 mph with gusts of 50+mph. Crazy golf. We swung and carried on... This was close match, made more exciting by some clutch putting by Doc Healy. Haggerty's birdie on #5 gave C-H an early lead negating Healy's 74-yard putt to two feet on the same hole. The teams traded blows throughout the match with Haggerty coolly trumping Healy's lengthy par putt on #16 with one of his own. Considine woke up on #17 and #18 to par both holes to keep the game H-F duo at bay and win the 4-ball, 2-up. Final scores: Healy 87; Considine 88; Haggerty 90; and Farrell 94. This was difficult demanding golf, exhausting and exhilarating.... We have never played in such awesome windy conditions. It almost felt like
work (with bow to Maynard G. Krebs).
But not in our doltish golfing minds...

Waterville

Red Breast - the nightcap of champions!
Waterville is a special place. Perched in the southwest corner of the Ring of Kerry, Waterville Golf Club exudes understated class and golf solitude. Its back nine is second to none among links devotees. It is no small wonder why PGA pros, including Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods, and Mark O'Meara, have prepared here for the British Open. A statue of the beloved Stewart sits prominently near the 10th tee and is a popular site for photographs.
Despite a pessimistic forecast, the weather was shockingly decent for our Sunday round. Sunny day, with winds at 15-20 mph. Considine-Farrell got off to a quick start in the 4-ball match, thanks to a slam-dunk 20 foot Farrell birdie note on the opening hole. This was a classic match, featuring good play by all players. Considine's par gave C-F the 1-up lead after nine. Farrell again came through on #14 with a stellar par, giving C-F a 2-up lead with four to play.
Not so fast....
Two holes later the match was tied. On the picturesque par-3 17th, Healy and Haggerty hit their irons to 20 feet. Considine responds with a 6-iron to 6 feet above the hole. Haggerty's effort just slides by. Healy rams his uphill birdie putt in the jar. Considine's sidehiller misses high, and the match is sealed. H-H play great all day and are rewarded with the hard-earned victory, handing Considine his first loss in four-ball play. Healy with a 79 is the individual star of the day with Haggerty close behind with 83. Considine (86) and Farrell (91) faltered late and were comforted by several pints of creamy guinness in the clubhouse.
Special post-round moment: in the clubhouse our attention was drawn to an enthusiastic group
of golfers adding up their scores and collecting their betting booty. Healy inquired and they
responded they were college friends. What college? WILLIAMS! An eruption of salutes and
laughter ensued. These were seven guys from the class of '82 who made the trek to the ol' sod
to play some links golf and renew relationships formed years ago in college on a small town
New England campus. Sound familiar? A kinship was sensed immediately, and we walked out
with our beers to the first tee to watch their late PM scramble tee-off. After the initial
drive (in the gorse, I might add), we four Jeffs dutifully bellowed out the first verse of
"Lord Jeffrey Amherst" (in perfect harmony, I might add). Awesome moment in a land where
awesome moments seem to occur all too frequently. These were good guys and we were happy to
have shared this time with them. Only in Eire...
Onto Waterville, Act II!

Waterville

Considine, Haggerty & Healy @ Waterville

Haggerty & Healy

Farrell & Healy

#11 at Waterville--named Tranquility. One of the greatest par-fives in the world.

Payne Stewart statue at Waterville.

Williams College Alums at Waterville!

Ephmen tee off at Waterville.

Tralee

Tralee Golf Club of Arnold Palmer design fame, is a tale of two nines. The initial nine is built on relatively flat seaside meadowland. #2, 3, & 8 are the best examples of links holes. On the outgoing nine. A golfer can feel pretty good about his game/score walking off the short uphill par-five ninth, maybe even reaching the green in two when aided by the prevailing wind. Nothing hints at the dramatic links surprises awaiting you during the second half of play.
The 10th features a gorgeous green complex. On the #11 tee the stunning course contours begin to unfold with an ascending par five culminating on Palmer's Peak. #12, with a deep chasm in front of the green, is a tremendous test of golf and possibly the most challenging hole on the course. The par-3 13th requires an accurate iron shot over a deep gorge to a narrow plateau shelf. The 14th offers stunning views and a well-placed drive amidst strategically located pot bunkers. And the beat goes on... Hole after hole of magnificent and testing links golf. #16 is a dune-to-dune gem of a par three aptly called Shipwreck. Our caddy told us to add FIVE CLUBS on our approach shots to the elevated 17th green. We were fortunate to play Tralee twice in the span of two days and we were not disappointed.
The weather was another story...
on Friday, we were greeted by strong but manageable winds. 20-25 mph, but still playable. Considine-Haggerty jumped out to an early lead and hung on to defeat Healy-Farrell 5-3. Farrell made it interesting by birdieing both #8 and #9, but C-H answered the rally with four birdies of their own. At the end of the day, Considine (83, with three birds) and Haggerty (87, with one bird) logged the two lowest scores while Healy and Farrell visited the gorse too often to break the coveted 90 number. In the clubhouse, while drinking in the sumptuous panoramic views along with the frothy guinness, we met the gracious Frank Stevenson who regaled us with local history about the area and the club. Dinner at the West End Bar & Restaurant, served by the friendly O'Keefe family, was superb.
Part II - We woke up on Saturday to a howling wind and driving rainstorm. 40mph with water pelting you from all directions. Despite the busy weekend schedule, very few golfers showed
up at the course for their tee times. We debated for a while. But, in the words of the famous Irish patriot James McBino, "we didn't come for a haircut" - so out we marched to the
first tee. We were not going to pass up a day on the links due to a little rain and wind.
This was a challenge of the highest order - not merely of golf, but of survival. Flags were bent to 45 degrees. (The 12th flag was blown out of the hole!) The unflappable and determined Healy was unfazed by the conditions and immediately parred the
first hole. We were totally soaked in a few minutes. Umbrellas were useless. And we didn't
see any other golfers until the second nine when the winds occasionally hit 45-50 mph. Considine-Healy survived long enough to prevail in the four-ball match, each scoring
respectable 89's. Every golfer finished and scored some impressive pars. This was difficult
but fun golf - testing one's stamina and perseverance. We were heralded upon our return to
the clubhouse and quickly took long hot showers, tempered with obligatory Guinness. What a day.
Onto Waterville, a special place indeed...

Ballybunion - Dinner

Fabulous night at McMunn's, a terrific bar/restaurant in Ballybunion town center with a stunning ocean view. Tony McMunn, the proprietor, greeted us warmly and presented us with official McMunn's Ballybunion golf shirts. Upon arrival back at the Brock House, Glenn opened up a surprise box of chocolate chip cookies prepared by Glenn's daughters, Shannon & Devon. Tremendous treat! We are now sharing them with workers and patrons alike - a huge hit. (They go well with our favorite irish whiskey, Red Breast.) A collective thank-you to S & D for these delectable delights!

Ballybunion Old

There are few courses that provoke such awe and reverence in the golf world as Ballybunion Old. It is a magnificent links that builds to a stunning climax on the back nine. The 11th hole is a masterpiece, and the long and difficult par-3 15th is an acknowledged beauty. The four-ball match of the day featured Considine-Farrell vs. Healy-Haggerty. Wind at 20 mph to begin the day. A lot of blood early as the evenly matched teams traded blows for the first five holes. On the exquisite and simply designed 6th hole, C-F were well-positioned to strike again with two balls on the thin green in regulation -- only to be hornswoggled by a scrambling Healy par from the gorse. That set the stage for a stunning set of back-and-forth holes where each team refused to surrender. Leads were short-lived. Healy's kick-in bird on #14 was soon matched by twin birdies by Considine & Farrell on the incredible 16th hole, a par five wending its way through pillared dunes. Even match with two holes to go. On the 17th tee, the wind kicked up to 30-35 mph. Despite understandably wayward drives, both teams registered good bogeys to proceed to #18. On the final hole, each player striped his drive approx 250 yards, front and center. Classic -- no one wanted to lose this match. Minutes later, the scorecard displayed four solid pars and a halved four-ball match. Awesome day on the links, validated by fish chowder, brown bread, and three rounds of silky smooth Guinness. We all agreed it really doesn't get much better than this... on the golf course, that is... C-F are claiming that, despite the even 4-ball match, their two birds prevailed over H-H's one bird. But there is admittedly some dispute/disagreement on that score...
Scorecards showed Considine & Healy with 83's; Haggerty 86; and Farrell 89. Off to dinner for seafood and, yes, more Guinness....

Ballybunion Cashen

Smooth flight over Boston to Shannon, quick drive to Teach de Broc, hosted by Aoife "Considine" Broc and her affable husband Seamus, not to forget Wendy our dinner waitress. Teach de Broc (House of Brock) is located directly across the entrance to Ballybunion Golf Club. Cashen, designed by Robert Trent Jones in the early 80's, is the sister course to the famous Old Ballybunion and the site of our initial round during our return of the Southwest. Rain-less day, but the wind was relentless. 25 mph on front nine; 30-35 mph on back nine. Cashen is a hilly course and uniquely features several par fives and par threes. Tight lies, along with the strong winds, were the order of the day.

We decided to pair off with best-ball four-ball matches throughout the week. Luck of the draw had Considine-Healy facing off against Haggerty-Farrell. C-H won the front side 4 up, and withstood a late rally to prevail handily. (For the record, H-F did not win a hole until lucky #13.) Considine was medalist for day with 88, with rest of field registering in the low 90's. Interestingly enough, each golfer scored a birdie today.

Many firsts on initial day: 1st pre-round Guinness - Haggerty (no surprise there!); 1st seafood stew - Considine & Farrell; 1st ball in dunes - Healy #1; 1st par - Considine #1; 1st lost ball - Farrell #2 (it didn't take long...); 1st trolley tipover - Considine #5; 1st birdie - Healy #11; and 1st Unnecessary Whining Penalty - Farrell #7 (booming drive thought to be in gorse but wind carried it to middle of fairway).

We are tired after the transatlantic flight, long day on the windy links, and sumptuous dinner courteous of Chef Seamus Broc. More info (and photos!) later when we figure out how to access and upload the blogsite in Eire. Yes, we four aging blogging dolts are technologically challenged in Eire!

The classic Old Ballybunion course is next with little/no rain in forecast!

Buddy Golf in Eire!

We are four longtime friends returning to our ancestral homeland to test our skills at links golf. On this trip we will be blogging our way around the Southwest, visiting such venerable and storied links as Ballybunion Old, Waterville, Lahinch, and Tralee. On the way we will also visit the Cashen course at Ballybunion, Dooks, and Castlegregory, the latter a highly-regarded nine-hole layout on the Dingle peninsula. We will compete against ourselves and each other on these fabled links, even when buffeted by wind and rain. We will comment on our play and provide our impressions and opinions of these great courses. We also hope to enter any open local tournaments. In our view, Ireland offers the very best in buddy-golf: marvelous links, spectacular scenery, friendly hosts, fine food, and brilliant beer. Here, as every visitor to Eire knows, the Guinness tastes better.