THE PINE NEEDLES COUPLES JAMBOREE: Bill and Lisa Team Up!

Pine Needles 10th hole, par 5, dogleg left

 

 I enjoy playing golf with my wife! I particularly enjoy taking golf vacations  with her. Traveling with Lisa affords certain  amenities  that are not available on buddy trips. Better yet is the opportunity to play with Lisa as my partner in mixed tournaments on  golf vacations.  We have competed in several mixed competitions on excursions to the U.K. and Ireland, but few are available in the U.S.

                                                                                                          

One notable exception is the "Pine Needles Couples Jamboree" annually  held in early November  at the adjacent Pine Needles Lodge  and  Mid Pines Inn resorts in Southern Pines, North Carolina- only four   miles  distant  from golf mecca Pinehurst.  The event is played over two of  Donald Ross's many Sandhills masterpieces:  Pine Needles- the site of multiple U.S. Womens' Opens, and Mid Pines- just across the road.

                                 Peggy Kirk Bell and Pat McGowan
                                                                   
The two resorts are owned and operated  by the extended Bell family. 91 year old Peggy Kirk Bell is the matriarch of this remarkable clan, and for that matter, womens' golf!  She is a pioneer  member of the  LPGA, having battled  the likes of Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, and Louis Suggs in that tour's earliest days. She then forged a renowned career as a teaching professional,  and is  still recognized as one of the  top 100 teaching pros. Mrs.  Bell  and her late husband, Warren  "Bullet" Bell, bought the Pine Needles golf course in 1953.  Even before Bullet Bell's death in 1984, Pine Needles was a family enterprise.  Son Kirk and daughters Bonnie and Peggy joined their parents in the business.  Sons-in-law Pat McGowan (Bonnie's husband) and Kelly Miller (Peggy's husband and Pine Needles' COO) also became integral parts of the operation.  Pat, a successful PGA touring pro circa late 70's-mid 80's,  now serves as  Pine Needles "Director of Instruction."  Pine Needles' golf school ( in particular its "Golfari" program  for women) enjoys a national reputation.  You will  encounter all  members of the extended Bell family in the course of a visit,  but  Mrs.  Bell and  McGowan  provide an especially  ubiquitous presence at the array of golfing  events taking place at  Pine Needles and neighboring Mid Pines, (acquired by the  family  in the 90's).

Lisa and I arrived early  Wednesday afternoon at  Pine Needles,  played a practice round, and  checked in.  We  were delighted with our spacious wood-paneled accommodations  on the top floor of  the  lodge overlooking the putting green.  The welcoming cocktail party afforded us a chance to meet the other 13 couples.  The Jamboree generally sports a larger field, but Hurricane  "Sandy"  which had recently smashed  the eastern seaboard,  caused many cancellations. We learned that a majority  of the players  have such a wonderful  time that they count on coming  back every  year. The Moores from Maryland have competed  in the Jamboree for over 30 years, and the Jones's from Sarasota have attended for  almost as long a duration.  As oft happens when you are thrown together with folks  you don't know,  I discovered   connections with them.  Bill Stemple worked in Hudson, Ohio- my hometown- and he was well-acquainted with several members of my family. Maureen Wegenek's deceased husband was the professional at Oak Knolls in Kent, Ohio, where I played golf as  a schoolboy. The Albrechts hailed from Akron, very near where I grew up.  I knew of the Albrecht name as it was the family that owned  the foremost  chain of  supermarkets in the Akron environs.  The cocktail party featured a fascinating assortment of card tricks from master magician Rick Allred.  We did not overindulge in the alcoholic spirits, but it was comforting to know that the price of the entire event (5 rounds of golf apiece , lodging, all meals, lunch on the course, parties etc.) was all-inclusive.  The convivial Pat McGowan welcomed us, introduced the contestants, and explained the tournament format. The first round  was to be played at Mid Pines with a modified "shamble" format.  Both players drive;  the best drive is selected; both players play their own ball from that spot with the best score of the two players counting as the team score for that hole. No handicap strokes were to be allotted.  However, after the first  two rounds, the field would be divided into four divisions based on the teams' 36 hole scores.

   
                                                Bill :  18th  at Mid Pines                                    

Thursday dawned with brilliant sunshine, but we did encounter a 45 minute frost delay. Once we were  underway, conditions were perfect for golf.  Of course Mid Pines, with its brilliantly bunkered small greens and beautiful pine-bordered fairways was  a treat.  But what made the round really memorable was the buffet featuring delicious fried chicken which awaited us at the 10th tee. Just too good! Lisa and I carded  a decent  77,  five shots  back of the leaders .  Given  Lisa's 24 handicap and my 9, we knew it would be difficult to go toe-to-toe with  teams where both  the man and the woman played off single digits. Our dinner in the Pine Needles dining room featured jokes  by Mrs.  Bell and
knee-slapping  repartee between  her  and  bemused son-in-law Pat. An example:  Peggy remarked that if she ever "lost her marbles," the family should stick her in the cheapest nursing home possible since she "wouldn't know the difference." Pat immediately retorted, "Don't worry Mom, we will!"  While I can't prove it, I suspect that Peggy and Pat may have performed that routine at previous events.

                                                   Lisa enjoys the fried chicken             

                                                  Bill drives at Pine Needles               

The format for Friday's play at Pine Needles was modified alternate shot (i.e. the "divorce maker").  Both players hit from the tee. Each plays their partner's second shot. The team then selects the ball to be played and then the players hit alternately until the ball is holed. Our team struggled. Our poor play featured a four-putt! We returned an ugly 89 and while we did not discuss divorce, we plumetted down to the third of  the four divisions. Several of the teams performed brilliantly;  defending champions Ryal Lancaster and Mary Kozak broke par and  led the championship with the final  round remaining. The bright side of our tough day was getting to know our fellow competitors Ray and Rosemary Parlade from Daytona Beach  and Jay and Judy Davis from Weeki Wachee, Florida. The two couples  took Lisa and me under their wings on Friday, and in short order, we made great  friends.  There is no doubt that a shared passion for the game of  golf  leads to lasting friendships.

Ray Parlade and Jay Davis

Another highlight of Friday's events was the golf clinic featuring Pat, Mrs. Bell, and assistant pro Maggie Simons, a former  Wake Forest golf team member, and two-time  North Carolina amateur champion. Pat expertly worked practical advice into his shotmaking repertoire. He offered  us an  anti-flipping tip urging  us to make sure the "little horse" (the symbol on a golf glove) arrives at the  the ball before  the "big horse" (the symbol on the grip). He demonstrated how differently the ball reacts when it is properly compressed as opposed to the glancing contact that characterizes way too many of our shots. With Pat explaining the process,  Maggie demonstrated how to alter the flight of the ball with swing path  and alignment.

We were curious whether Mrs. Bell would make an appearance on the tee. But Pat helped the great lady from the cart, and while holding her arm, slowly escorted her to the tee. Pat handed her  a 7 iron and teed one up. With a club in her hand, Peggy  seemed to undergo a transformation. She addressed the ball with perfect posture and an immaculate grip. She demonstrated the proper way to make a waggle, and then self-assuredly whacked a couple solid shots. And yes, she did compress the ball! It was a cool moment!

  Mrs. Bell- perfect posture!

 

Day three was a better ball at scratch competition. Lisa and I managed a so-so 81- disappointing since I shot 74 on my own ball in a practice round.  We did not win our division. Jim and Pattie Parsons emerged as the champions of the Jamboree with the  Mooksang and Ewing-Chaney teams in hot pursuit. But that did not end the games. A putting contest with tricky obstacles followed. Flight winners and  friends Jay and Judy Davis  stroked   their way to victory thereby adding  to their booty.

Then the Davis, Parlade, and Case teams headed for the Pine Needles four hole practice course for yet another  game for prizes. The memorable moment was Ray Parlade's incredible escape from the pine straw on the third hole. This was a blind shot   which required filtering a low punch-cut through the pine boughs and bracken. Ray did all that, and saw his ball take a sharp but controlled bounce to the right, ultimately bobbing up four feet from the hole. Ray promptly converted this unlikely bird. I photographed Ray's incredible second shot below.

 I salvaged some respect by contributing to the our table's winning the oldies trivia contest at the awards banquet. (I made a great guess that Brian Hyland sang "Sealed With a Kiss" only because the singer sounded like the same guy who performed "Itsy Bitsy etc.")

We played one final round at Mid Pines on our get-away day furthering international relations with Canadians Garland and Bonnie McLaren. The McLarens were great company and fine players (they were the winners in the four hole contest) . Lisa had a great time too, and insisted we sign up for the 2013 Jamboree.  She is positive we can do better! Hope to see you there!

Bonnie and Garland McLaren

 

Lisa- looking good at Pine Needles!

MATT WENNING- World Ranked Powerlifter and our Trainer!

Some folks  truly enjoy working out.  But most of us eye a training  regimen  with varying degrees of dread. Regretably,  I fall into the latter category. Lisa has a better attitude,  but she certainly falls far short of gung ho!  Nevertheless, both of us have kept  a consistent  twice-a-week schedule of weight training for over four years. The reason:  our remarkable trainer-  33 year old powerlifter Matt Wenning!   He tips the scales   at 300 pounds of massive  muscle with no discernible fat.  Touch his arm, and you  sense that he is composed entirely  of granite.  And Matt  is a major figure in the "under the radar" sport of powerlifting- a most demanding form of weightlifting competition in which the lifter seeks to attain the highest combined squat, bench press, and dead lifts.  Until recently,  Matt  held the American record for the heaviest squat- 1197 pounds! He is still a force to be reckoned with in the 308 pound class. Search his  name on You Tube, and you can watch  several of his milestone lifts. 

                                            Bill tries to outmuscle Matt         

But a trainer's sparkling credentials alone would not have been sufficient to overcome our  hardened resistance  to long-term training.  What is it about Matt and his coaching that has enabled  Lisa and me to stick with it?  First, he knows what he is doing.   Matt has made a lifetime study of how  to make  a body stronger. His masters degree in Biomechanics from Ball State speaks to that. He focuses on a trainee's weak spots. Before  I started my training, I was plagued with back pain, and my balance was poor for someone who  always aspired to be an  athlete.  Matt devised unique lifting and training techniques to attack these deficiencies.  As a result, I have been pain-free for years, and my balance is much improved.

Second,  Matt introduced us  to several eastern European and other novel training methods that made our work outs  anything but routine.  You might see  us pulling weighted sleds on the sidewalk outside Matt's "Ludus Magnus" gym on West Rich Street in Columbus's near west side. Another routine has us  pounding a sledgehammer into an industrial tire. How about bench-pressing with large chains attached  to each end of a barbell instead of weights (helps with balance)?

Third,  Matt is a great communicator, and somehow he  has figured  ways to make  our  hard work fun. While hard-nosed about getting the most out of us,  and generally unsympathetic to whining,  he nevertheless is good-natured and flashes quick-witted , though often politically incorrect, humor when we are flagging.  It is then when   Matt launches  into his Arnold Schwarznegger impression imploring, "Come on, girly-man, do it or I will put you in the hurt locker!" He works us at a brisk pace and  stretches our limits, but not for too long. Our typical workout lasts about 35-40 minutes.

Finally,  there is something about  the  no-frills  Ludus Magnus gym  itself (the name comes from the place  where the gladiators trained before entering the Colosseum to do battle) that we find  appealing. The entire focus of the place is training. No one pays attention to  the peeling paint  in the austere old warehouse or to the lack of amenities.   The ambience calls to mind the starkness of Rocky's Russian  training venue  in "Rocky IV" (although Mr . Wenning has not yet  made us chase chickens as  did  Sly Stallone's movie character).  Ludus Magnus  carries  an authenticity which  luxurious athletic clubs  cannot hope to match.

An interesting mix of people train at Ludus Magnus.  You will encounter  super-strong power lifters, including Matt's fellow trainer Christian Mello.  Most of the serious lifters  sport  facial hair, but precious little on their respective heads.  MMA fighters are on hand as well. Several female fitness competitors hone their bodies under Matt's tutelage. Firefighters,  cops,  housewives,  high school athletes, and retirees sweat  away.   Even NFL players and  old OSU coach Earle Bruce have responded to  Matt's  exhortations.

The only adornments on the walls of  Ludus Magnus are several   military units'  flags  signed by  grateful  soldiers whom Matt  trained pursuant to six figure contracts with the U.S. Army.  How  did this young trainer, relatively unknown outside  the  powerlifting community,  manage to land  these mega-deals?  He did his homework and capitalized on some good fortune. Matt made a study of military methods, and concluded  that there was far too much emphasis on building stamina (forced marches etc,)  rather than strength. Making the most of an unexpected audience in front of an army  general, Matt persuaded the top brass that today's soldier is often engaged  in house-to-house guerrilla warfare  requiring  explosive strength (knocking down doors etc.) which Matt specializes in providing. His ability to communicate his ideas resulted in the general's recommendation to contract with Matt. After Matt's methods were adopted by the units he trained, their levels of injuries and casualties dropped significantly.

Matt is an interesting character who is full of surprises. Best example: He took his over 70-grandmother on a cross-country motorcycle excursion last summer. Yes, Matt  definitely makes our lives more interesting and fun- not to mention healthier!

WE TEAM UP WITH FRIENDS IN THE DONEGAL LINKS CLASSIC

Our 2012 Irish trip  concluded with a competitive event which I found on the internet. The Donegal Links Classic is played in early June over three classic links in Donegal:  Rosapenna's Sandy Hills links, Portsalon, and Ballyliffin's  Old Links. The event required that we field a team of four players. Scores would be kept by the stableford method for the team and individually. But where to find two other players to comprise our team in this far-away land?  We called upon golfing friends Derek Guthrie and Pauline Mackie. We came to know them in another event, the Carnoustie Country Classic, some years before. And Derek and Pauline subsequently hosted  us at their home club in the Midlands of England, Burton-on-Trent Golf Club. Derek,  a  Ayrshire, Scotland  born and bred former rugby stalwart. is a fellow  of delightful   wit. He  plays off   a very capable 7 handicap. The winsome Pauline plays off a  solid 15 and she more than  matches   Derek's  repartee. We were most pleased when  they agreed to take their caravan (we would call it an  RV) across the Irish Sea and meet us for the competition. It was like old times  reuniting with Derek and Pauline at Ballyliffin's Glashedy links where we played a practice round together, and lifted a couple of pints thereafter. They elected to overnight in their caravan while we stayed at an inn in Letterkenny which was midway between the three golf clubs.  The tournament itself was a bargain!  Our entry fee was 100 euro apiece for three rounds at great courses plus a tournament awards dinner! This is  an  example of how playing in competitions in the U.K. and  the Republic of Ireland can minimize your cost of golf. Our team finished  middle of the pack. Lisa was our star finishing with 36 points at Portsalon and 37 at Ballyliffin. My best effort in the event was   a 78 at Ballyliffin's Old Links. It should have been several shots less.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Derek, Pauline and Bill-Ballyliffin

                Bill eyes his approach at Ballyliffin





















                                                             The Old Links                               















Lisa, Bill, Derek, and Pauline congratulate Rory                                                                                       
                                                                                           
              
























    

BAYSHORE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE- THE PRICE IS RIGHT!

                                 Typical bunker at Bayshore Municipal


Since their marriage in 2001,  my daughter Hadley and son-in-law Yannick have resided  in Miami Beach's  South Beach in the Bayshore area not far from the posh Miami Beach Golf Club and the bustle of 41st Street. When I first visited Hadley at her home, we would  walk  her Doberman "Atlas"  to a nearby parkland area featuring  immense banyan trees where he frolicked with other dogs.  But this was no ordinary park!  It  was the home of the Bayshore Municipal Golf Course- a sporty 9 hole par 3.  It was not well kept in 2001. I would  charitably describe the condition of the greens at that time  as  shaggy,  and weeds prevailed in  the bunkers.  The City of Miami Beach exhibited  little interest in maximizing the revenue from the par 3.  Rarely  would  a city employee man the humble  hut at the Prairie Avenue  entrance  to collect greens fees.   Despite the shortcomings of the layout,  I enjoyed   sneaking in  some quick  practice when walking the dog, and I can recall paying to play only once.  On my periodic visits to Miami Beach ,  I would always look forward to checking out Bayshore Muni.  However, every year the course deteriorated further. The greens became completely unputtable, and I would have to  hole out   using my wedge.  Worse yet,  development nibbled around the edges of the golf course. Expanded facilities of an adjacent  youth center and school  resulted in the loss of two of the holes on the course's periphery around 2005. Collection of greens fees ceased altogether.  My understanding is that the only reason the derelict course still existed  is that  a condition of the  grant of the land to the City is that  it must be used as a golf course. Otherwise, title would  revert to the descendants of the grantor.  When visiting this Christmas season,  Lisa and I grabbed a couple of clubs and took the traditional  dog walk  up Royal Palm Avenue from Hadley's house to the old par 3 muni. This time, however, it was   our corgi pup   "Angus" who accompanied us  (Hadley's wonderful canine Atlas has gone on to doggy heaven).  I was sad to discover  that a third  hole of the original nine (and my favorite on the course) had been lost to the youth center.   Lisa and I  batted a couple  balls  around the remaining 6 holes while Angus cavorted in the bunkers and banyans.  Lisa had some misgivings regarding the value of chipping and pitching  on holes so poorly maintained. But after a round the next day on a full 18 hole course, she acknowledged  that her  short game practice at Bayshore helped.  For me, trying to hole the ball with a wedge on unkempt greens harkens me back to my youth when I wedge-putted to a hole I had planted in our  backyard.  I played to that hole from 9 different tees from various distances from all over the neighborhood. This helped me acquire   versatility  with my wedge  which unfortunately time has taken away.  So Bayshore is still golf, and its still fun. (And for now at least, its free!) When I stood on the 180 yard first hole and eyed  the green, I was still excited about the challenge of trying to hit a green   well guarded by a yawning (though unmaintained) bunker.

So golf continues  on in a fashion at Bayshore among the dogs and kite-fliers. Golf has been played there since 1940.  Well known player and architect Bruce Devlin has his name on the  redesign of the course which occurred several decades ago.  The city has considered various plans for fixing the place up, but the multi-million dollar price tag has so far discouraged such efforts. I don't know what the future holds for this little course, but I was heartened to see several city workers tidying up a couple of  the bunkers later on in our stay.

                                        Daughter Hadley holds the pin

LISA CARDS AN ACE! BILL TAKES CREDIT!

Lisa and I  did not anticipate playing much golf on our recent winter holiday to Miami and Key West. Our corgi dog Angus traveled with us, and we were visiting family (Hadley and Yannick in Miami) and friends (Tom and Terese Houle in Key West) who were not going to be playing. But we took our clubs along "just in case." Tuesday, December 27th dawned  bright and sunny though a mite cool for south Florida-  in other words perfect golf weather!  I checked out the Key West Golf Club website and was surprised to learn  that the famed  Rees Jones had designed the layout. Also getting my attention was the site's description of its "infamous  'Mangrove Hole'  (143 yards, par 3) that is played completely over a field of thickly intertwined tropical mangroves."  So I convinced Lisa that we should give the course a try. The club paired us with John,  retired Air Force and only an occasional golfer.  We found the course to be an attractive challenge and I mentioned this to John as we were putting out on the sixth hole. He smiled and remarked, "Wait 'till you get to 8- the Mangrove Hole! You won't believe it!" So it was with much trepidation that we approached the 8th tee. John had not exaggerated. The mangrove growth was such that the shot is semi-blind; only the pin was visible. The shot was all carry!  I teed off  first playing slightly downwind from a measured distance of 168 yards and though I could not see the result, I guessed that it might be on the right edge of the green  not far away. So now it was  24 handicapper Lisa's turn  to deal with the  intimidating mangrove. I measured her shot at 131 yards.  Lisa asked, "What about a 5 wood?" I  was concerned that  since the shot was all carry, that might not be enough club, and  told her so. She said, "OK, I'll hit driver."  Her bypassing the 3 wood  was no surprise because it is not her favorite club.  However,   driver was   too much club.  But this shot is so scary that a player should pick  a club in which   he (or in this case she) has confidence. And the bunker behind the green (the likely repository if Lisa hit her driver cleanly) was certainly a preferred outcome to the thicket.  So driver it was. Because the Mangrove Hole presents such an interesting  and beautiful  challenge,  I elected to take a picture of   Lisa's shot as she  was going through the motions of her pre-shot routine. Fumbling with my I-phone (yes I finally got one at Lisa's behest in December)  I managed to click off a shot of Lisa's well- balanced follow-through. I looked up  in time to see her low bullet of a tee shot. Indeed, if you enlarge the picture below, you can actually see the  flight of the ball  just over the tree line. In the brief moment  I observed  the ball airborne, I could tell  that clearing the mangrove  would be a  close call. But Lisa  struck her screaming shot  with authority, and we were relieved  to see the  hard bounce of her Titleist on the far side. Now at that moment, my assumption was that the ball would careen  through the green and settle in the back bunker. Just then, the  resounding but unmistakable sound of a ball crashing into the flagstick reverberated  back to us at the tee.  But  the mangrove growth  hid sight of the ball's ricochet from our view. There seemed little hope that the ball could have settled near the hole, and indeed when we arrived at the green, it was nowhere to be seen. My assumption was that her Titleist  had caromed  into  the back bunker, but an inspection there revealed no ball!  I was disappointed to find my shot had landed  in the right-hand bunker- but still no sign of Lisa's ball!  Of course, when all else fails, CHECK THE HOLE! 

 Wonder of wonders, there it was- Lisa's first ace- a   truly astounding   shot on the signature hole of the southernmost golf course in the United States!  After hugging  John and me, she did the modern thing and  immediately commenced  texting her friends. Thus, she missed my sweet (though overshadowed)  bunker shot, which fittingly spun  in for a 2!  I couldn't wait to tell everyone that  "Lisa  made a hole-in-one, and  I photographed the actual shot- (certainly a rare occurrence).  I  clubbed her too!  Oh by the way,  I holed my  bunker shot after her ace." After hearing this account a number of times , Lisa , I think kiddingly, suggested  I was making the  hole-in-one  more about my involvement than her actual shot.  Well, I can't take the credit. After all,  it was Lisa who  hit this memorable blow,  and I am very proud of her.  I should add that she kept her composure, and went on to shoot a creditable 96.  Did I forget to tell you that it was my idea to play golf that day?

Lisa's ace; Key West G.C.

8th hole,` 131 yards

driver 

Fun facts about the Case family aces:

(1)  we have made three between us, all with our spouse looking on;

(2) all of our aces have been on public courses (no buying drinks) even though most of our golf is played at private courses;

(3) two were on courses we had never played before, the third was on a course we had played only once;  (4) two of the three aces were holed  in Florida even though 95% of our golf is played in Ohio.

ROYAL COUNTY DOWN- The Beauty and the Beast

   
After four days of most enjoyable  golf around the environs of Portmarnock, the plan was to give Lisa a breather,   take a day off from the links  and motor north  to Newcastle in Northern Ireland for the second stage of our Irish  holiday. But when Tuesday morning dawned  clear, it was rough and ready Lisa who suggested  we find a place to play on our journey north.   We selected Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club  and it proved to be a   challenging venue.  R.J. Browne, the club's long-time professional and a former European tour competitor,  warmly greeted us. R.J. cautioned us that hitting the short grass  off the tee is paramount to success at  L & B.  Following Browne's advice, Lisa found the downwind first nine to her liking  firing  a flawless 43- an all-time best  for her. Turning back into the wind, she foozled a couple, then became irritated with my apparently misguided efforts to cheer her on to a record 18 hole score. Suffice it to say that after the dust cleared, Lisa failed to break  100.  Single malt in the clubhouse lifted her spirits, and we piled into our Volkswagon to complete our journey to Newcastle.

At some point on the drive north, we crossed  into Northern Ireland. But where  is the signage indicating the location of the border?  There is none!  Obviously some political accommodations  are at work here. The coastal road approach to Newcastle took us through  the Mountains of Mourne. Our first glimpse of Newcastle is from high above the city.  The imposing red-brick  tower of the Slieve Donard Hotel-  our home for the next two nights- dominates the vista below. Our room at the  Slieve,  a great  old railroad hotel, had  been extensively renovated in a decidedly modern fashion  that   was very pleasing to two weary travelers. After a brief rest, there was still plenty of sunlight so we explored our environs. We found that the rear of the Slieve had a footpath entrance into Royal County Down.

We trespassed onto the club property and snapped a picture of the clubhouse. RCD has been on my "bucket list" as a must play for many years, so viewing the grounds at twilight only added to my excitement. But golf at RCD would have to wait for awhile  as the following day's loop was slated for the Ardglass Golf Club, a half-hour north of Newcastle.

Ardglass was a late addition to our itinerary.  However, it was an unexpectedly  inspired choice. For starters, the clubhouse is housed in a 14th century castle- undeniably the oldest in golf. Multiple cannons protecting  the castle  aim toward the course.  Many clubs in GB& I brag about the warm welcome provided visitors, but the friendliness  we encountered  at Ardglass was  particularly special. From the club secretary's personal greeting to the round of whisky purchased by an engaging   member post round who regaled us with  club lore, we could not have been treated better.

But enough about the clubhouse, let's talk about our tour around this clifftop  links hard by the Irish Sea! We were not prepared for the series of dramatic shots we were required to play over and around the jagged rock formations. The first tee shot was daunting enough with the drive  hugging  the cliff's edge with the foaming sea  hissing  sixty feet below. But the second hole allowed no bale out whatsoever. Fortunately the hole played  downwind because the 200 yard forced carry over the sea would have been a borderline situation had the wind blown in the opposite direction. We dawdled our way around stymied  behind a society of twelve french folks who seemingly  felt  that slow play ought to be  a virtue.

 Ardglasses's most visually intimidating hole is the 11th -"St. John's" - a short dogleg  par 5. The sea gobbles up  any shot that is slightly mishit to the right - especially  when the wind is screaming across the line of flight toward the water as was (unfortunately for me) the case this day. But an overcorrection to the left brings an  unplayably dense thicket into play!  Lisa was once again the story of the day. Despite a  brisk  wind, she parlayed solid  ball-striking with an improved short game and scored 95- her best score ever  on either side of the pond! Playing with some Canadians we joined  on 17, she carefully played the tricky 18th back toward the castle-clubhouse securing her bogey 5 for her PB.  

I have to say that Lisa,  basking in the glow of a wonderful round and   downright giddy,   was in no hurry to leave the friendly confines of the Ardglass Golf Club. So we extended our time there with fish and chips before we took our leave. Some have likened Ardglass to an Irish Pebble Beach. This is a stretch, but I would still say that if you are in the area to play RCD,  definitely  play Ardglass!

 

However, there is no question that the crown jewel links of this sojourn north is the aforementioned Royal County Down, and that was our destination at 12:06 PM on Thursday, May 31st. We were paired with two Americans from Utah who were bent on setting a blistering golf pace through GB & I playing 17 different courses in 10 days. To each his own, but to me that is way  too much to savor the experience let alone get acquainted with the locals. Faced with a plethora of blind shots, we elected to employ a caddy. Ken was an outspoken lad who informed us that we were going to be playing behind three groups of french tourists- yes- the same slowpokes that frustrated us at Ardglass! Ken was free with his opinions noting that he had no use for the french or germans  for that matter. Fortunately,  Americans were deemed  OK by Ken. Despite the fact that he does not  golf, Ken demonstrated skill  at his craft, always providing good guidance on yardages and targets. With clouds wreathing the  Mountains of Mourne, and  a little Irish mist to add some flavor to the proceedings, the golf  took on a rare  mystical quality.  Undeterred by the ever-present gorse and yawning pot bunkers, I striped my shots around this classic links with an air of competence  not previously demonstrated.  Buoyed by a birdie at the 6th, I turned for home in 38. All went well until I was victimized by a bad bounce into a fairway bunker on the par 5 12th. Four poor shots later, I finally emerged from this hated trap that ruined   my hopes  of shooting RCD in the seventies. I managed to rebound  with some pars coming in, and a good scrambling par on the long 18th salvaged a very respectable  83. I am sorry to say that Lisa suffered  a fearfully bad round as  she momentarily forgot how to make contact. And RCD can be  unforgiving! But Lisa  is smiling in the picture below so she was able to  bear  her gruesome play  with  good grace. My verdict: RCD has to be one of my top 5 all-time golf experiences:  breathtakingly beautiful with  trouble lurking everywhere.  Each hole is unique and belongs on a picture postcard.  The iconic view on hole number  9 is where Lisa and I took this year's Christmas card photograph.

SUNNY IRELAND - 2012 (First stop -Greater Dublin)

The title of this blog entry is not meant to be facetious.  In late May-early June, 2012, Lisa and I played golf 13 days straight  in Ireland without ever having to don our rainsuits. Mostly our rounds were played in brilliant sunshine. We had not  visited Ireland since  our first golf trip together in 2003. That previous  holiday encompassed golf in the west of  Ireland
 (Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Donegal, Sligo).  Based on the recommendation of  writer  Alan Ferguson,  we elected this time  to visit three renowned golf links  areas of the Emerald Isle: greater Dublin, Northern Ireland, and Donegal.

Subsequent to  some misadventures after  touching down at the Dublin airport, we found our B & B in Portmarnock, just north of Dublin. Our first glance at the  the "South Lodge," (another Alan Ferguson tip)  a former gatehouse to the Jameson estate (the Irish whiskey distiller) reassured us that we had found the perfect cozy place to kick off  our time in Ireland .Innkeepers Colin and Pat Burton were most hospitable in getting us settled in our second-story room with a view of adjoining Portmarnock Links and the the Irish Sea.  We have  had mixed success in the past on playing on our arrival day. The excitement and anticipation  of playing links golf usually collide with jet lag and exhaustion on about the 10th hole. But, after some hearty soup at the Portmarnock Hotel & Resort, a short walk from our B & B,  a short rest and the restorative sea breezes through our window, we could not resist giving the adjoining links a try. 
The Portmarnock Links is a relatively new course designed by Bernhard Langer over the aforementioned  Jameson estate land. 



                                                      South Lodge   


Both Lisa and I played respectably given the approaching
exhaustion and were glad we gave it a shot. This course has
all of the obligatory hummocks, gorse, and yawning bunkers associated with links play, but I would be hard-pressed to describe it as spectacular in any way. Still, it was the right test to get us started.





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                         Portmarnock Golf Links  

                                             
                                                  Lisa - Portmarnock Hotel & Resort



 At times in our many U.K. golf excursions, my long-suffering partner Lisa has complained that  I run her ragged with playing golf too-early in the morning after hard play the previous time. So for our Saturday game, I scheduled a 3:40 tee time at Royal Dublin.  The links, designed in 1891,  can only be reached  by a narrow rickety  bridge over to Bull Island.  Lisa and I were paired with young American from Boston who hit tee shots with the most pronounced hook I've encountered. Even  strong winds blowing from our  left failed to deter  the ducking left trajectory of his tee balls. Royal Dublin presented a varried  array of classic  links holes. Without question, the most memorable is the finishing 18th- a  long sharp dogleg right.   To play it correctly, the player must flirt with the stream and boundary with a drive  hugging the right side of the fairway, followed by a second  (probably a hybrid)  over the boundary area  to the well- protected green. I accomplished the first part of the mission, but  came up a yard short of clearing the boundary with my less than stellar second-  disaster!                                                                          



                                                           Royal Dublin -clubhouse and 18th

 Most of the golf clubs in Scotland and Ireland  welcome us for lunch when we visit and Royal Dublin was no exception. Hearty  soup, toasted cheese sandwiches  and single malt was restorative indeed. Afterwards, Lisa and I perused the many cups and aged photos that graced the trophy cases. Noting our interest, the club's steward gifted us with a DVD commemorating the feats of the club's favorite son, Christy O'Connor, who successfully competed  on numerous Ryder Cup sides for GB&I.  The club respectfully  reserves a prime spot in the parking lot for  the venerable Christy.







Sunday, May 27th was an action-packed day.  Our golf was played  over the Island Golf Club's  vast and towering sand hills. Our innkeepers Colin and Pat,  came with us, and  all of us played for free due to a scheduling snafu to  which the club graciously  confessed error and comped us at an alternative time.


                                                       Bill, Lisa, Pat, Colin

Until recent times, the Island could only be reached by boat from the Village of Malahide across the estuary. While more accessible now, the  Island still conveys a sense  of solitary remoteness.  It was a lovely day, but I was  a little over-matched this day- particularly when hitting upwind. Deep reveted bunkers, nasty rough , and the ever-imposing dunes conspired to make pars extremely elusive.  Still we enjoyed this strict test of links. Pat and Collin had not played the course in many years.

                                                     The Island and Malahide across the estuary

After a quick lunch, we hurried back to the South Lodge to prepare for an afternoon in Dublin. Boarding the train at a nearby suburban station, we found ourselves in the middle of the great city in short order. A whirlwind tour of Irish pubs (music included) and Trinity College followed. This included the "Book of Kells" exhibit of ancient monastic  manuscripts.

                                                                                                                            

                                                                      Trinity College

After dinner, to the theatre! We saw a stand-out production of Malmet's Glengarry Glenross.The  patter-filled dramatic story of conniving real estate salesmen was riveting throughout. Back on the train with one minute to spare, and home to our bed at the South Lodge.

We played our final game in the Dublin area  early in the morning at the incomparable Portmarnock Golf Club. Just  like Royal Dublin and The Island,  Portmarnock could not be reached in its early days except by ferry. The view from the first tee with the estuary hard-by the first fairway is spectacular.  On a perfect Monday morning, , both Lisa and I struck the ball well. I carded  81 with which I was pleased  given this course's outstanding reputation. Another wonderful lunch followed  in the club's red-roofed Tudor clubhouse, and now off to the north!



                                                                                                          Portmarnock beach