You are viewing: July 2007

O'Tooles of the Trade - Golf Karma

These last 6 days have brought me to some spectacular settings. My first stop was a little 18 hole track in Donegal called the Northwest Golf Club. It is a spot most folks have not heard of but it has been around for over 100 years and is a founding member of the Golfing Union of Ireland. I arrived at the club in an absolute downpour only to find the door to the pro shop was locked. I noticed a few people out on the course so I ventured out, figuring I would pay upon completion of the round. A soggy 3 hours and 18 holes later, I returned to the pro shop only to find the door was still locked. Believing it was the right thing to do -and to protect my ‘golf karma’- I took out some money and slipped it under the door. Northwest will not be mistaken for Royal County Down or Lahinch but I found it to be a fun little links. What made my round even more interesting was that I did not have a scorecard (locked in the shop)- so I had to make a few educated guesses along the way…..

Rosapenna was my next stop. This facility offers two 18-hole championship links courses; Old Tom Morris and Sandy Hills. What I like most about this facility is the fact that each course presents it own unique test of golf. The Old Tom Morris course, designed by its namesake, is a much more traditional links in the vain of the famed St. Andrews. The fairways are flatter and wider but the greens and bunkers are a true test-- you can make a big number in a hurry. On two holes you actually have to hit across the town’s main road (which was probably a dirt path when this course was designed back in the late 1800’s). I found it to be a wonderful links despite the fact that we were temporarily chased off the course due to the driving rains that came in. The Sandy Hills course, which only opened in 2003, offers a much different experience with links running through a series of massive dunes presenting you with elevation changes, tall rough and uneven lies. Accuracy off the tee here is crucial- my playing partners found this out the hard way on the first 5 or 6 holes. Both courses were in excellent shape and the round was perfectly topped off with a pint and hot bowl of soup in the new golf pavilion. Rosapenna is located in the little town of Downings and if you are ever in the area you need to stop into The Singing Pub. This thatched-roof pub up on the hill guarantees a great night of music and craic, as I can attest. Not to mention a wee little headache the next morning.

For the next leg of the journey, I headed south out of Rosapenna to a wonderful little links course called Narin & Portnoo and for the first time all trip, I got lost trying to find the place—not bad considering all the miles I have logged thus far! I was greeted by one of the members of the club, Tom Plunkett who was a fantastic host. He joined me for the round with the challenge of a match- to which, of course, I accepted. Tom is the principal at the local school and he provided me with some excellent background on the course as well as the surrounding area. Narin & Portnoo have recently finished extensive renovations and this links is definitely worth taking the time (and skill) to get here. The views from the holes are truly amazing, especially the 10th. This breathtaking par 4 runs down the hill and out to a green that is nestled out into the bay. It is as fun a links hole as you will find anywhere in the world. The secret is to NOT hit it into the 11th fairway off the tee- the unfortunate route I chose. The tee for the 11th hole extends right out into the water and in the late summer dolphins can be seen up close frolicking in the bay. In addition to being a wonderful little links, this is one of the better values in Ireland with greens fees averaging 60 Euros.

After a very enjoyable experience at Narin & Portnoo I headed south to Donegal Golf Club. There I joined up with a group of 6 Americans who provided great company for my round. One of the golfers in my foursome turned out to be a 16 year veteran of the LPGA and current member of the Legends Tour. It’s refreshing to watch someone take a swing at a golf ball with sound mechanics. The sun was out for much of the day but the wind kicked up to a steady 30-35 mph. Holes into the wind played so much longer that a bogey on the par 4’s into the wind are great scores. Donegal is a natural links providing a nice variety of holes as well as wonderful views of Donegal Bay. The course has only been in existence since 1959 but it looks as though it has been there forever. After the round, we retired to the pub in the spacious, modern clubhouse and watched a bit of a hurling match on TV. Hurling is a gaelic sport and they say it is the fastest field sport in the world. I just think they are plain crazy. If you don’t know what hurling is, look it up on the internet and you will think the boys in the NFL have it pretty easy.

I am off to Sligo, Mayo and Galway and will check back in a few days.

- Mike

Shoe Count: 2007 Canadian Open

FootJoy- 74%
Nearest Competitor- 17%

2007 Year to Date Total- 66.9%

****

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O'Tooles of the Trade - Back to the Republic

A cold and wet welcome from County Donegal. The golf has been amazing despite the fact that I haven’t seen a dry day for about 2 weeks. I have made my way out of Northern Ireland back into the Republic of Ireland. My last few days have been spent in the Inishowen Peninsula, where I have come across some of the best links golf that many people have not heard of. This area is a secluded retreat that offers many small beaches with mesmerizing views of the ocean coupled with tall hills that peak into the clouds. This is also an area where gaelic is still spoken and many of the signs are written solely in the Irish language.

The Ballyliffin Golf Club, which has two championship links courses, was first on my list. As you head out of the village towards the course, you look down the hill onto the largest stretch of linksland I have ever seen. As I said they have two courses here and after talking with some folks at the club, there is enough open land to build two more. However, doing any development today on linksland in Ireland is next to impossible due to environmental restrictions. My first round had me on Ballyliffin’s Old Course where Nick Faldo has recently done a lot of work to upgrade this 18. His work has produced a classic links that is not overly long, but demanding of precision as he has placed new bunkers throughout the course. The wind and rain once again are part of my round but as I make the turn, I am lucky enough to join up with 3 members from the club who were heading out to play the back nine. They are good fun, and not afraid to let the other ones know when they have hit a bad shot. I am becoming an expert on finding golf balls in the rough, which is one skill I can say I am not exactly proud of. Once we complete our round, my playing partners are kind enough to invite me up to the clubhouse for a pint and a bowl of soup. I try to pay for their pints but they will have none of it. They tell me the club has approximately 1400 members, which I find amazing considering the location of the club. However, a membership at these Irish golf courses is quite minimal and allows people from all walks of life here to be members, which is something you rarely see back in the States.

The following day I played the Glashedy Links which is the newer of the two courses at Ballyliffin. The course is named after Glashedy Island, which is a small island located just off the coast from the golf course and can be seen from many points on the links. This track is a bit longer and it winds its way through some imposing dunes providing some eye-catching views of the course, the clubhouse and the ocean. I had requested a caddie for the day but when I arrived at the course it was absolutely pouring and I did not see any caddies waiting to go out. On the first hole, I was finishing out my par and noticed a young man running up the fairway towards me. I putt out for par as he reaches the green. “Did you ring for a caddie?” he asks. “I did.” I reply and we make our introductions. The young man’s name is Connor and I thank him for coming out in such ‘lovely’ weather. We head to the second tee to play the next hole which is a par 4 with OB along the right side. I then blow 2 drives directly over the OB fence. I look back at Connor and a look of terror is on his face as he is wondering what he just got himself into. I say to him, “You can go back if you like.” He pauses for a second and says, “No worries, we’ll get you straightened out.” I am happy to say that is just what happens as I make 2 birdies on the front and play a solid round of golf. For a young caddie, he knows the course well and is a more than capable reader of putts. I would say the Glashedy links is a tougher test of golf but both are equally enjoyable and each presents to you a separate challenge.

After the round we head into the clubhouse which is about as nice as I have seen in my travels. The second floor bar and restaurant provide sweeping views of both courses and is a fine place to toast to a round completed. Ballyliffin is an interesting town in that there are 5 small hotels but only about 100 permanent residents in town. In talking with the Pro at Ballyliffin, he says, “It is quite busy in the summer months, but in the winter, it is just me and the sheep.”

One thing that I would like to mention before I head off is some charity work that I have been lucky enough to start in conjunction with my trip. In November of last fall, my mother passed away after a 30 year battle with Multiple Sclerosis. I spent much of those final months in her hospital room planning this trip and telling her about my progress. Much of the time she was unconscious but I know she was listening. After she lost her battle with MS, I decided to try and raise some money to help fight this terrible disease. I am happy to say that I have partnered with the National MS Society and created a fundraising campaign around my trip. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of my trip that will go directly to the National MS Society. Just being able to raise awareness of the disease to readers like you is valuable in itself. If you would like to learn more about the fundraising campaign and how to make a donation please click on the link below.

Well, I am off to western Donegal County for my next few rounds. Keep your fingers crossed that summer will make an appearance and I will check back shortly.

- Mike

Shoe Count: 2007 U.S. Bank Championship

FootJoy- 76%
Nearest Competitor- 12%

2007 Year to Date Total- 66.7%

****

Shoe Count: U.S. Open Championship

FootJoy- 57%
Nearest Competitor- 19%

2007 Year to Date Total- 65.5%

****

O'Tooles of the Trade - Northern Swing

Cead Mil Failte from a cold and wet Causeway Coast in County Antrim Northern Ireland. (“Cead Mil Failte” is an Irish Greeting meaning “a hundred thousand welcomes.”)

My swing through the north coast began in Ballycastle and then brought me to two of the world’s premier links courses, Royal Portrush and Portstewart. These two courses are only 3 km apart and are a “can’t miss” on any trip to the area. My round at Royal Portrush actually provided a peak at some sunshine but fierce winds made this course a test of patience and accuracy. The sun only enhanced the wonderful ocean views provided on most holes as well as the views of Dunluce Castle that can be seen from the east side of the course. Royal Portrush was the first course to hold an Open Championship (1951) in Ireland and it truly lived up to its lofty reputation. Low and straight was the order of the day but these orders were not always followed. My caddie for the round was a wonderful gentleman by the name of Johnnie Martin. Johnnie stood about 5’3” tall and had to be about 70 years old. He had been a milkman for 35 years but now caddied 4 or 5 days a week for the exercise. He did his best to keep me out of trouble but I did not cooperate. The 14th hole at Portrush is their signature hole fittingly named, “Calamity Corner”. Measuring 210yards from the back tee this is one hole that is all carry over a deep ravine that covers the whole right side of the approach. Johnnie says to me, “It is playing all of 220 and make sure you don’t go right.” Naturally I hit the ball about 175 yards and to the right down the ravine. Johnnie mentioned on a number of occasions that he played in a lawn bowling league and it was great fun. I think he was trying to drop me a hint that maybe I should consider the same after my display of golf that day. All kidding aside, Johnnie was good company for the 18 holes and he even offered a place to stay at his house for the night. I thought to myself, “Only in Ireland!”

My day at Portstewart provided no look at the sun, but rather heavy wind and rain. My new DryJoys have been an absolute necessity so far in this trip and have passed this test with flying colors. The front nine at Portstewart are as fine a nine holes of links golf as I have ever seen. Sadly, I witnessed a young man’s introduction into links golf at the second hole. It is a short par 4 to an elevated green surrounded by dunes. Any ball short of the green will roll back about 20 yards to the bottom of the hill. The young lad’s approach shot to this green had landed just in front and rolled down the hill. He chipped his next shot just short and it rolled back to the same spot. He repeated that shot and once again it ended up back at his feet. He made sure he got the next one up on the green as it stopped about 30 feet past the pin in the front of the green. As if three shots from the bottom of the hill weren’t bad enough, his putt went right by the hole, down the hill, and into the same position he had started from. He then chipped back on and 3 putted. Give the boy credit, he continued on with his round although he did end up playing with one less club than he started with after a brief battle between his club and his bag. You guessed it, the club lost. After drying out from my round, I spent a great night at the Anchor Bar in town watching a fantastic set of traditional Irish music. This type of music is a personal favorite and I was not disappointed. The music was first rate and I met people from France, Spain, England and of course, Ireland. It is this type of evening that makes the golf experience in Ireland so unique and one not to be missed.

Castlerock is a charming links that is situated right across the River Bann from Portstewart. While it may not get the publicity of Royal Portrush and Portstewart, it is a superb links course and a delight to play. As we stood on the tee, the starter gave us one bit of advice. “If you hit a ball into the rough and you see it bounce, you don’t need to hit a provisional. If you don’t see it bounce, hit a provisional because you will never find it.” With that little bit of advise given, we followed it to a T more often than we would of liked but the weather turned brighter as the day wore on. I had good company for the day, being paired up with 3 lads on a short golf holiday from England. They had played the day prior in the same pouring rain and the brightening skies made this round even more enjoyable. After our round, we shared a pint and said our goodbyes as they were off to the airport and me back to the B&B.

My next leg of my journey has me heading back to the Republic of Ireland for a week worth of golf in County Donegal. I have not played here before but have heard fantastic things about the area. Keep your fingers crossed that summer makes an appearance and I will check back in a few days.

- Mike

Shoe Count: 2007 John Deere Classic

FootJoy- 71%
Nearest Competitor- 17%

2007 Year to Date Total- 66.4%

****

O'Tooles of the Trade - Heading North

Hello from Northern Ireland! My travels in the last few days have brought me north through county Meath and Louth and into the UK. That weather has been wet and cold so I definitely hooked up with the right company on this one. I am going to put this DryJoys gear to the ultimate test it would seem.

Okay, a few things that you need to know before you come to golf in Ireland. First and foremost, bring lots of golf balls. You are bound to lose at least a couple of balls a round in the immense rough. Secondly, get used to walking if you are playing the links courses. There are very few carts (or buggies as they are called here) available, if at all. Pull carts are always available but if you want to ride you need to call ahead and reserve one of their precious carts as there may not be one for you if you do not. Lastly, bring waterproof shoes and outerwear!! This is probably not news but it rains quite a bit here. But that is no reason not to golf. Links golf courses can hold a ton of water and it is extremely rare that a course is closed due to rain.

The weather has been tough, but the golf a treat. I had a day (& night) to remember at Laytown & Bettystown Golf Club. Aside from shooting a career best 75 on this sparkling little links, I was made to feel like one of their own by the members here. After completing my round, I spoke with the Honorary Secretary who gave me some great background on the club including the fact that L&B has produced 2 Ryder Cup players, Des Smyth and Philip Walton. After our conversation, he invited me back later to meet some of the member up in the pub. He recommended leaving the car at the B&B and walking here. I should have known that was a sign of things to come. I arrived back at 930PM to find the boys in the pub and was immediately handed a pint and interrogated about my project. It was a fine night with tall tales spoke, lies being told, and a good natured argument here and there. As they say in Ireland, it was good “craic”. We closed the pub and a taxi proceeded to drop us all about town. After watching a tournament with the boys at the club the next morning, I was presented with a jumper (sweater) from the club upon my departure. I was truly honored. Cheers to Jim, Frank, Dave, Pat, and Michael -- I look forward to a return visit.

I tried for 2 days to play Ardglass Golf Club but the rain was torrential and 12 holes were all I was able to muster. The members were probably happy to see me go as it rained so hard they were about to take up a fund to get me out of town. All kidding aside, the members were great and we enjoyed a pint or 2 in the clubhouse when were chased from the course. This is a special place and one not to be missed when in the area.

Royal County Down was next on my list and being rated the #1 course in the world outside the US by Golf Digest, I knew this was something special. Special is not the word I would use for the golf played by my foursome that day. We brought new meaning to the word “amateur”. The course had its way with us but I did have one shining moment. I managed to drain a putt from 30 yards off the green on the 12th hole. Walking to the next tee box, the caddies turned to me and said,

“I have only seen one putt made longer than that here. It was by Michael Campbell.”

“US Open winner Michael Campbell?” I asked.

“That’s right.” He replied.

I can be sure this is the first and last time I will be mentioned in the same breath as any US Open champion.

Well, my next port of call has me along the north coast of Northern Ireland and I will check in from there.

- Mike

O'Tooles of the Trade - The Arrival

Well, I made it. I arrived on time into Dublin at 545AM and was on the course at 8AM. Why waste any time I figure. The weather upon arrival was cool and wet which is something I suppose I better get used to. I was a bit tired from the overnight flight but once I got into the car and heading to the golf course, my body and mind came to life.

My first few days have been a wonderful reintroduction to links golf. Portmarnock was my starting point and it was a wonderful choice to get the trip going. My caddie Sean was invaluable and guided me around the course in fine fashion. After getting used to the bump and run, the punch shot, and putting from 20 yards off the green, he joined me for lunch and a pint. Sean has been caddying for quite some time and has been on the bags for PGA Tour players and celebrities .

Royal Dublin was an absolute treasure. The course and clubhouse just completed a multi-million dollar renovation and the results are outstanding. Cavernous bunkers litter the course and swallow all balls that come near. 12 greens have been lifted and redesigned to produce multi tiered and contoured putting surfaces. It is a true test of golf and my host for the day, Denis Murphy, only enhanced the experience. As we played the course he pointed out to me all the changes that had been made and provided me with some great background on the club. Aftewards, we dined in one of the clubhouse bars that provides a stunning view of the 18th hole as well as 3 or 4 others. Cheers to Denis and the staff at Royal Dublin, I look forward to a return visit.

County Louth provided the next test of golf and what a test it was. The sun appeared for a good part of the round, but in place of rain, strong winds took its place. I was joined by 3 lads from London on vacation and it was good fun. On the first hole, it took one of the boys 4 shots to get out of the fairway bunker. I eyed his caddie who had a look of despair on his face, worried about what he had gotten himself into. The wind was fierce and made the course play extra long. On a 141 yard par 3, I was short right by 15 yards with my 3 wood. It was all about keeping it low and out of the wind if you wanted any chance at par. At round’s end, the course had taken it’s toll but we had a sense of accomplishment once done and we toasted our round with a pint in the clubhouse bar.

The game of golf on a links course is one of patience, creativity and accuracy. The weather can make a course play any of a hundred ways and you have put your ego in the bag and hit clubs from distances you never would back home. It is an enjoyable way to golf and combine that with the Irish people and culture and you have an unforgettable golf experience.

I am starting to make my way north and will check back in a few days. Check out this Custom Google Map to track my progress around the Emerald Isle.

- Mike

Shoe Count: 2007 AT&T National

FootJoy- 71%
Nearest Competitor- 13%

2007 Year to Date Total- 66.2%

****

O'Toole's of the Trade - The Flight

As I sit here over the Atlantic Ocean on my way to Ireland I have butterflies in my stomach. I'm nervous, but at the same time excited for what lies ahead. I have played golf in Ireland 6 times over the past 7 years so I am familiar with what I will see. Yet, those trips were for a week’s time and I was always in the company of friends. This time, 10 weeks of golf lie ahead of me and I am riding solo on this one.

When I told people what I had planned for the summer, the first question was always, “Has your wife signed off on this?” When I tell them yes, the next question comes, “How did you get her to agree to that?” To be honest, I didn't have to do any convincing. That's not to say that I thought she would be all for this before I brought it up to her. The fact is, I was leaving my job for good and her for 10 weeks. Yet my passion for Irish golf was clear to her and she said she would support me in this project any way she could. I could not have done this without her.

Now, a once in a lifetime golfing adventure is before me. 56 rounds of golf in 70 days on some of the best links the world has to offer. It is an aggressive agenda no doubt, but there is much golf to be played here and courses not to be missed. There are 155 true links golf courses in the world and close to 40% of them are in Ireland. I want to make sure I see as many of them as possible.

Golf in Ireland is a treasure not to be missed and it is something that all golfers should experience at least once in their lifetime. The Scottish may have invented golf, but the Irish perfected it. So follow along with me here over the next 10 weeks as it is sure to be a trip filled with great golf, comical stories, and remarkable people from all over the world. I am proud to have partnered with FootJoy on this project and it should be a summer never to forget.

- Mike