PerryGolf -- The Advisor Travel Newsletter


JUNE/JULY 2003		VOLUME 03 NUMBER 02

Northwest Ireland by Helicopter
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After another relaxing night at the comfortable Victorian-inspired Knockranny House Hotel, we were off the next day to one of Ireland's finest layouts, County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point, which also plays host each year to the West of Ireland Championship.

While we were out challenging the course record, our luggage was being transported to our next base, the delightful Sandhouse Hotel, overlooking the spectacular Rossnowlagh Beach, just south of Donegal. We got back in time to have Andy take us to spend some time in the charming village of Donegal. Best known for its tweed, our group all purchased caps, a lá Tom Watson, which improved our looks on the course, but sadly not our games.

After an excellent meal of fresh local produce and seafood in the hotel's Seashell Restaurant and one too many Irish whiskeys in front of the fire, we retired relatively early to get ready for our next 36 hole day which would take us to Northern Ireland.

Scenery en-route Up first the next day was the Dunluce Links course at Royal Portrush, the only course in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championship, and recently rated by Golf World, UK as the 5th Best Course in the British Isles. It will test every shot in your bag. And playing it fresh from a short helicopter ride was a factor in the good scores the group posted on a sunny, but blustery day.

After the round on the way to our next course, the Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin, our pilot gave us a bird's eye view of 'The Giant's Causeway,' a fascinating landmark of 37,000 hexagonal basalt columns, which legend says was once a bridge to a giant's lady love in nearby Scotland.

The northern most course in Ireland, Glashedy Links, which only opened in 1995 is often referred to as 'the Dornoch of the North.' Again, had we tried to attempt these two courses by land, the longest day of the year would have probably been necessary to achieve the driving and the golf in daylight.

We returned to The Sandhouse Hotel in time to enjoy reflecting on the day's golf with a relaxing unique Balneotherapy treatment in The Marine Spa. This high-powered Treatment Bath contains over 200 jets which massage the entire body, and was very welcome after a 36-hole day on the links! Unfortunately, we didn't have time to tour the neighboring Bushmill's distillery after our round at Royal Portrush, but we compensated by debating long into the evening the attributes of Irish versus Scottish whisky.

As our next course was located nearby, Andy brought us to the course in the VIP Coach. Donegal is a wonderful layout, again by Eddie Hackett, that combines inland and links golf in two loops of nine holes. You may also hear it called Murvagh by locals. Beware of the short par 3, 5th, aptly named the 'Valley of Tears,' that has spoiled many a round.

After the round we were whisked by helicopter again to the lovely, intimate, 65-room Woodstock Hotel, which dates to the early 19th Century as the Manor House of the Ballylannidy townsland, and is located on a beautiful 200-acre estate. There is a quite good golf course on site that some of the group played before dinner.

Thanks in large part to our weeks helicopter transport, not to mention Andy's fantastic support throughout, our play for the final round at Ballybunion Old, was as refreshed as our first round, a week ago, at Doonbeg. It was immensely satisfying to post a personal best score around one of the world's most famous and challenging links.

While a weeks worth of helicopter transport is not inexpensive, it is not prohibitive either, especially in providing a trip of a lifetime. This trip, based on eight players, was $7,485.00 per person, for the described itinerary. But you do not have to travel the entire itinerary by helicopter, you can add a memorable roundtrip helicopter ride to a remote destination starting at only $270 per person (based on 6 players, and travel time).

To learn more about adding helicopters to your British Isles golf itineraries click here to view other itineraries and PerryGolf's Special Air Services section.

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