Gleneagles.....A little sneak peek!

Today was our last day in Scotland and after a longer than expected return trip from Belfast last night, we really didn't have any plans. As we enjoyed another wonderful breakfast at the Dalmahoy, we talked about heading up to St Andrews. I didn't have a tee time anywhere so I really didn't know what we would end up doing. Kristen made her way to the gym at the hotel until I could get things sorted out.  We are coming back in September of 2014 for the Ryder Cup and I really wanted to see Gleneagles to get a feel for things before we were there with 50000 of our closest friends for the Ryder Cup next year. First things first, I called the spa at Gleneagles and was glad to hear that they had a spot for Kristen. Once the spa was secured, I was able to call the pro shop and get a tee time on the PGA Centenary Course. Another audible to the schedule that was working out like a charm. I got back to the room and told Kristen about our change of plans. In a few minutes we were on our way. While I knew how special this place was going to be, Kristen had no idea. This was going to be fun......

When we pulled into Gleneagles, all Kristen could say was "Wow." Such a majestic place set in these beautiful mountains. We walked through the main entrance to this grand hotel and then made our way to the spa. After a few minutes of walking past all the shops etc... it was clear that Gleneagles is in a league all its own. We found the spa and the gym. After getting checked in, Kristen turned, kissed me goodbye and said, "I've got this...I'll be just fine! She was happy as a lark. I'm so thankful this all worked out as it was a great way to spend our last day in country. 

I had some time before my tee time so I grabbed some lunch in the clubhouse. The weather was very cool and sunny for most of the day and I knew I would be lucky to finish my round teeing off at 3:30. While I was eating lunch I got a text from Kristen saying, "We have a new global # 1 spa. I'm never leaving!" On that note, I made my way to the PGA Centenary Course for my afternoon round. I was paired with two lifelong friends, Wolfgang and Dirk who were in Scotland for a week or so of good golf etc. I really enjoyed getting to know them a bit as we made our way 'round the course. As it turned out, Wolfgang and I had both worked for the same company at different times during our career. I love how the game of golf can bring people together from a across the globe. Through the first few holes, I could tell that Wolfgang would definitely be getting the best of Dirk on the course. It didn't faze Dirk though as he kept plugging away. The front nine had several really cool holes on it. Thinking about next year's Ryder Cup as I was playing, I could see where there is the potential for a lot of low scoring and high drama. Below is a picture from the 1st fairway. I loved having the mountains as a backdrop to my approach shot into the green. 

The 2nd hole is a shortish par 5 that will know doubt provide plenty of birdies and maybe even a few eagles. 

Here is one looking back towards the mountains and tee box from the 3rd fairway. 

This next one is of the par 3 4th hole. This hole is brute. Wolfgang's caddy told us that they didn't even use the back tee during the recent European Tour's 2013 Johnnie Walker Classic. Into the wind, it plays well over 240 yards from back there. There isn't much room for error regardless of which tee we played from. I left it in the right front bunker but was able to get it up and down for par. 

The next picture is from the par 3 6th hole. It was much shorter than the 4th hole but the green still offered quite a challenge should you end up on the wrong side relative to the pin. I went long and left here and failed to get up and down. Frustrating but hard to stay mad long in such a beautiful place like this. 

We finished the front nine without rushing at all. The back nine was a different story. With the clouds rolling in and the temps dropping, we had to really get after it to finish all 18 holes. We came to the par 5 18th in the dark. We could hardly see anything but we were determined to play 'em all. I hit a decent drive and 2nd shot. My third was coming in from just inside the right rough. I hit what I thought was a great shot. The caddies were all applauding my efforts. However, when we got to the green, there was no sign of my ball. We looked all over and couldn't find anything. Thankfully one of the caddies thought to look over the back of the hill behind the green. There it was. So, I now had a shot to a pin some twenty feet below me with no green to work with. Did I mention it was now completely dark out? With Wolfgang and Dirk down at the green I played away. I took a sand wedge and hit a bump and run to the crest of the hill. My hope was that I could get it just over the edge and then gravity would do the rest. The ball came off just like I had planned and it slowly made its way down the hill. Wolfgang was cheering as it would seemingly stop then start rolling again. It seemingly took forever for the ball to get to the green. When all was said and done, the ball ended up about three or four feet from the hole. It was a good shot. It would have been a great shot had I made the putt!!! Regardless, we had a great day. To cap off the day, Kristen and I had a wonderful dinner in the clubhouse before heading back to the Dalmahoy in Edinburgh. Our Scottish and Irish getaway has come to an end and we will be heading back home tomorrow. Thanks for the memories. See you next year!!!!!!

Royal County Down Golf Club........

I could hardly contain my excitement about what today would bring with my early morning round here at Royal County Down. When Kristen and I went to sleep last night the weather was perfect. It was cool and the skies were clear. I was hoping for much of the same for my round today. No such luck as I made my way across the parking lot to get checked in at the clubhouse. It was cold, rainy and windy. I refused to let it bother me though. I was about to play the iconic Royal County Down Golf Club. I wondered whether it would merit the top 10 world ranking it held.  Only time and 18 holes would tell. 

I was paired with three gentlemen from Canada. They were an enjoyable lot and we had a good time getting acquainted and making our way through the dunes of the front nine. Here are a few of my favorites from the front nine. First up is the par 5 1st hole. It was back into the wind, coming in from the right. As you can see, the clouds were starting to clear a bit. It was a sign of good things to come with the weather. My caddy assured me the forecast was to improve. This 1st green was huge from front to back. I had a birdie putt of at least 50 to 60 feet. Two putts later I had a par to begin my round here at RCD. 

This next shot is of the par 3 4th hole. I loved the backdrop with the mountains in the distance. This hole reminded me a lot of the par 3 12th hole at the Waterville Golf Links down south along the Ring of Kerry. It played close to 200 yards today. I hit a nice hybrid to the front left of the green. Two putts later, another par.

The next two are of the par 3 7th hole and the #1 handicap par 4 8th hole. The 7th was a devilish little green with nothing but bad news to the left of the green. I hit the green but went through and down to said trouble. I faired much better on the 8th with a nice drive and 2nd shot that came up just short of the green. I hit a bump and run to a couple of feet and made par. This green was very exposed to the wind and the ball was oscillating on the green. I was thinking to walk away with 4 there.

The next shots are of the oft photographed par 4 9th hole. As you can see, the weather has cleared and the sun is out. Such a beautiful view of the course and the town off in the distance to the left. The latter photo shows the view from the 9th tee. The caddy said it was a 225 carry at a minimum to cover the rough and get to the fairway below. I piped a 3 wood over the hole and ended up in good position in the left side of the fairway.

Here is what I was trying to carry from the 9th tee. Pretty cool view as well in looking back towards the tee from the fairway. Such a cool hole. 

After a quick snack from the clubhouse we made our way to the back nine. I had been looking forward to playing the par 3 10th hole for several days. When we first got here the other day, I sat in the clubhouse, gazing out the windows watching the players come through. I had hoped I'd be able to play and today I was doing just that. Time to hit a good one. After a Snickers Bar (Breakfast of Champions), I hit a great 6 iron to inside 6 feet. Sadly, I let my nerves get the best of me and I missed it. Pars don't hurt but they sure do frustrate when you are looking at a 6 footer for birdie. 

The next is of the par 5 12th hole. Fun hole, again meandering through the dunes with a strong wind coming in off the right. 

This is the view from the par 4 13th tee box. It was a really cool hole with a blind 2nd shot if you didn't get it far enough left off of the tee. I was in the fairway off the tee, but too far right to be able to see the green. I hit a solid 6 iron on the perfect line and came up a yard short. Another great hole....

The last shot of the day is of the shortish par 4 16th. As with several holes today, I loved hitting into the hole with the back drop of those mountains. Such a beautiful place this is.....

Kristen was waiting for me to finish the round. We had a quick turnaround to grab something to eat in the clubhouse before heading to Belfast to catch the ferry back to Scotland. I wasn't sure whether she was watching from the clubhouse or not, but regardless, I wanted to finish strong. I went a little left off the tee and was fortunate not to find a bunker along the left side. The par 5 18th was playing back into the wind so it was playing long. I laid up and left myself a shot of about 140 yards or so. With the wind it played a little longer. I punched a 6 iron up there with a little draw. It came off perfectly and finished about 10 feet for birdie to end the day. One final par to end the day! I LOVED this place and couldn't wait to tell Kristen all about it as we drove up to Belfast. We made it in plenty of time and had a smooth  crossing with the Stena Cruise Line. Since Kristen got a little sick last time, I surprised her with a private cabin so she could lay down and rest. Money well spent as she made it across without a hitch. It took us a couple of hours to get back to the Dalmahoy Hotel back in Edinburgh. No plans for tomorrow as it is our last day before heading back Saturday. Who knows what we'll get into?? As for this past week or so in Northern Ireland, it was a pleasure meeting you and we will see you again soon.......

Ardglass Golf Club.....

We got off to an early start this morning. I had an early tee time and Kristen was set to venture up to Belfast on her own to locate the gym and some exercise classes she found online. Thank GOD for GPS! It took us about 45 minutes or so to get from the Slieve Donard Hotel to the Ardglass Golf Club. I had heard a lot about how cool the club house was. As you can see from above, it is quite unique. It has reportedly been deemed as the oldest clubhouse in existence. As a matter of fact, I would soon be teeing off from inside the walls of these centuries old castle ruins. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful this morning. My caddy, Ryan, was born and raised here in Ardglass and was a delight to spend the day with. We were the 1st one's out so I felt like I had the course all to myself. Kristen made it safely to Belfast and was good to go for the morning. Time to hit it. Below are several of my favorite shots of the Par 4 1st hole. From the medal tee where I was playing, the carry to the fairway was every bit of 225 into the wind and uphill. Not the shot you want to have right out of the car and without hitting any shots to warm up. Nonetheless, I hit a solid three wood to the left side of the fairway and we were off.

The one immediately above here is the angle I had for my 3rd shot from just off the green to the right. Ryan said to be careful as it was really quick and running away from me. No worries as I chipped it in for birdie 3. Nice start to a beautiful day!!! The next shot is of the Par 3 2nd hole. This has to be one of my favorite Par 3's that I have ever played. As you can see, short was not an option. With the wind off the right, I played a hybrid to inside ten feet for a chance to go 2 under through 2. It wasn't meant to be as the putt just slid by on the high side. Pars don't hurt!

Another of my favorites was the Par 4 4th hole below. Another stunning view of the rocky coastline with the Irish Sea hard to the left. This course was fast becoming one of my favorites for sure.

The next hole was the beautiful downhill Par 3 12th hole. The tee sits high on the cliff and the shot was playing about 190 yards or more according to Ryan. The winds were hard into us so I took another hybrid and gave it all I had. I hit one of my best shots of the day and proved the theory that "the wind doesn't touch a perfectly struck shot." 

This shot below is of the short Par 3 17th. As you can see, the Irish Sea provided another wonderful backdrop. There is a major ridge running through the middle of this one. I was able to fly a wedge into it and pull the ball back to the pin. Cool shot that resulted in another par. 

Lastly, here is the view from high above the clubhouse. A cool way to end the round, teeing back down the hill towards the castle / clubhouse and the village of Ardglass. A nice par to close out the round and I couldn't have been more pleased with my day. After a nice chat with Ardglass's PGA Professional, Paul Vaughan about all things Ardglass as well as a little Ryder Cup, I headed upstairs for some good food, warm whiskey and some delightful conversation with some of the members. Kristen made it back safely from Belfast and we were soon on our way back to the Slieve Donard. Kristen was on a mission as she had her spa appointment this afternoon. Happy Wife, Happy Life!!!! Ardglass Golf Club was a special place that I look forward to seeing again! When we got back to the hotel, Kristen made a beeline for the spa and I headed over to the Royal County Down clubhouse to talk to the guys in the pro shop. Based on their recommendations, we ended up eating dinner at the Mourne Seafood Bar in Dundrum. WOW! Perfect way to end the day in having a wonderful meal with my beautiful wife. Today was a good day! Tomorrow, Royal County Down and I have a date with destiny. 

Royal County Down and the Slieve Donard Hotel.....

With the change in plans this week and the weather that came through Northern Ireland, I was thrilled at how everything turned out and was anxiously awaiting what was on the other side of this gate. I didn't have a tee time secured for Royal County Down but was hopeful that things would work out while we were here at the beautiful, Slieve Donard Hotel. This place was incredible, not only in scale but also in service. After getting checked into our room, Kristen and I walked around the hotel and checked everything out. She quickly gravitated to the spa and was quite pleased with what she found. We got her all set for an afternoon of pampering upstairs in the spa tomorrow afternoon after I teed it up at the seaside Ardglass Golf Club.  After some lunch over at the clubhouse, I was able to secure a tee time for Thursday morning at Royal County Down. This meant a slight change of plans with the ferry, however, it all worked out. Funny how all of our audibles have worked out so well for us this trip.

It was a dreary and cool afternoon but the rain was holding off so I went out for a quick 18 holes on the Annesley Links at Royal County Down. This was the shorter sister course to the championship links I would be playing on Thursday morning. Kristen was due for some gym time so she was content to chill out back at the hotel. Off I went to the Annesley. Take a look at these pictures of old friends, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell walking down the fairway from days gone by. Love the history in these old clubs. 

As I mentioned before the Annesley Links sits alongside the championship links and offers quite a challenge in its own right. There were countless blind tee shots where you had better pay close attention  to the aiming stones or trouble was inevitable. 

This afternoon was a bonus for me in getting to play golf here at the Annesley Links. I was so glad I did as it really gave me a lot to look forward to on Thursday morning. We had a low key dinner at The Percy French, the Slieve Donard's more casual restaurant. The food was excellent. If only we had enough energy to hang out long enough to listen to the live music. Not tonight! The weather looks to be good so I'm excited about tomorrow and Ardglass Golf Club. Stay tuned. 

Royal Portrush Golf Club.....The Valley Course

After the wind and rain from yesterday and my time at Portstewart Golf Club, it was nice to get a break today here at The Valley Course of Royal Portrush Golf Club from the latter. While the rain stayed away for the most part, the winds were just as strong as yesterday. After a little lunch with Kristen at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, we made our way over to the Valley Course and I was on my way. I was literally the only person on the course and what a treat it was. As I walked along 2nd fairway seen above, I couldn't help but think about how many times Graeme McDowell had the course all to himself as he was growing up here, learning the game. I was also reminded of how I often did the same when I was growing up playing golf on the fairways of the Fernandina Beach Golf Club on Amelia Island Florida. The game was simple then.....find it and hit it again! With the winds up again today, find it and hit it was rather fitting.

The two pics above are of the Par 3 3rd hole. This was a short, downhill hole that borders the driving range at Royal Portrush. Not a long hole but with the cross winds, a challenge to find the green nonetheless.

The three pics above are from the short Par 4 5th hole. This was an absolute risk / reward opportunity, especially downwind as it was today. I chose to go with a 3 wood and was able to keep it just short of the bunker on the right. Fun hole! The following two pics are from the lengthy Par 3 6th hole. She played every bit of the 237 yards back uphill into the wind. I gave it all I had with my 3 wood and still came up short left.

 Below is the view from the tee of the Par 5 10th hole. The one was downwind and I was able to get home in two. Two putts and a tap in birdie later, I was off to a fast start for the back nine. I had a wonderful afternoon here at this Harry Colt gem. I ended up hanging out in the Rathmore Golf Club bar with Jinx (bar man and caddy) while I waited for Kristen to come get me. My cell phone died while out on the course so I had no way to reach her. I finally got the ladies at the Bushmills Inn to track her down by one of their roaring fire places. We got back in time for one more delicious dinner at the Bushmills Inn. We head south tomorrow to the Slieve Donard Hotel and Royal County Down.