Wow, an early start today……8:30 tee time at The Island…….a twenty minute drive from the hotel, although I can see the course just across the channel from my hotel room. Down for breakfast I decide to opt for the EMFI (Express Modified Full Irish)…….that is when I ditch into the buffet line while the hostess is leading us to our table, load all the components on my plate, rush on outa there and catch up, so when she says “Will this table be fine?” I am standing right behind her with the EMFI in hand……..”Yes, this will be just great, thank you.”
We are dressed for golf, so no reason to go back up to the room, and with my Vodafone SIM GPS now working like a charm, I tell Mike I will meet him at the course………remember the road in he warns………you know what can happen there. The Island GC was in fact established on an island many years ago, and those who wanted to golf would travel by boat from Malahide across the channel and unload at the clubhouse/dock directly across the channel from the hotel, at what is now the 14th tee. There are many stories of golfers who might have had a pint or two too many after golf, and falling off the boat for an unplanned dip in the ocean on their return trip back to the mainland was not an unusual occurrence. Now though there is a land connection which wasn’t established until 1970 I think……….boat service was discontinued in 1973……….the island is no longer, and it takes a good 20-30 minutes to reach the course from Malahide on a circuitous route. The road in, that Mike warned about is pretty skinny and is driveway width at best for quite a distance. Again, many stories of drivers misjudging the corners, going too fast, or swerving to avoid oncoming vehicles, and ending up in the drink. We get lucky and meet nobody along the way.
The head pro Dave Costigan greets us warmly, and gets me set up on a golf cart for the round. Jutta is walking as usual and is quite happy these days with the lightweight three wheelers all courses seem to have for walkers, and not doing the electric trolleys anymore. Mike and Vivian arrive a few minutes later, and we are ready to go in plenty of time. Jutta and I have memories of playing here last year with Sibylle, and our host for the day Jerry……long time friend of Mike’s who was kind enough to come out and play with a bunch of Canadian hackers on their first round in Ireland. Jerry would come and visit with us after the round, and it was great to see him again. So off we go…….many things familiar, but I have to admit quite a few holes were just not in the memory bank……..Jutta always claims I remember every hole and every shot I have ever played in my life, so I don’t let on that the odd hole seems totally new to me. This course is sometimes called the best course in Ireland you have never heard of…….they say “play it and tell no one”…..ranked in various positions by different groups or publications, but always somewhere around 7-10 in Ireland and 75-85 in the World (I think). Today, all is beautiful…….sunny skies……breezy but not windy, and not a raindrop in sight. The course is in wonderful condition……greens still a bit slow, but that is to be expected at this time of year, and thankfully some of the fescue and marram grasses are yet to sprout big, so finding an offline shot was a little easier than it will be in a month or so. The holes are nicely framed with hairy dunes, and most times offer views over the sea, or across the channel to Malahide. We like the course much more on this second play than we did on the first……..I told Jerry it was all his fault! The Island is great…….check it online, and play it any chance you get……you won’t be disappointed!
We stop into the lounge for the traditional/mandatory Guinness, and are served by Nathan, “Nate”, who works the front end and bar, while his dad who has worked here for years is back in the kitchen………obviously french fries are ordered and it is a huge bowl this time, something the Slieve Donard should have a look at for post round french fries eating hungry golfers………….it was last year in Ireland we learned the term “hangry”……that means I’m hungry, and I’ll be real angry if you don’t feed me quick. Nate has the fries to us quickly so no chance of getting hangry. As mentioned, Jerry joins us, and we all have a great chat about the course, it’s changes, what has happened, what is planned, and Jerry is a wealth of knowledge. We all agree he should be president of the club, or chairman, or captain, or director, or whatever you want to call him so he is ithe man n charge of this place. It is time to hit the road and get back to town. I can’t believe I sort of have the better part of an afternoon off…….nothing scheduled…..whaaaaaat. Screw everything, I’m having a nap.
Tonight Jutta and I are on our own as M&V are visiting with Jerry’s son Alex and his fiancé Cierra? (not sure if I got that right), but apparently a lovely lady from Brazil, and a lovely couple. As a youngster, Alex caddied for Mike, and now just enjoys playing with him when time allows. Jutta and I are all set for Old Street Restaurant in Malahide……..again, a place we went last year and loved, so giving it another run. I don’t know…….sometimes you visit a place and there is a vibe……a good feeling you just can’t describe, but it is there, it is in the air, and last year Old Street had it, and great food/service also. This year, perhaps because of our expectations, not so much, but still a very nice meal, and it was half price Wednesday on any bottled wine, so that was a big plus………look honey, we can buy this $800 bottle of wine and we will save $400………correct Hugeone, but you will also be spending $400 on a bottle of wine!!!!……hmmmmmm
We are totally wined and dined out, and ready for jammie time……..back to the hotel we go……tee time tomorrow……our last of this trip…….boo hoo……at 1pm back at Portmarnock which is in line for an arse kicking after the way it treated us yesterday in the wind………not sure that is going tp happen, but talking a little trash never hurt anyone.
HUGEBLOGSITE 
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