LIFFIN THE LIFE

This morning we are off to Ballyliffin, saying goodbye to Rosapenna once again, and very thankful for another wonderful week here.

The drive to Ballyliffin should be 1.5 hours if all goes well, and looking at the map below it all looks pretty straightforward……….however……..when the maps program is determined to take you on the fastest/shortest route, even if it involves a ferry ride across the bay from Rathmullen to Buncrana, you may run into problems, especially in the first week of May. We were actually quite surprised when we arrived at the ferry terminal, thinking we were the better part of half way to Ballyliffin by now, but said well what the hell, we’ll just catch the ferry and all will be good, so long as the ferry will be arriving soon to pick us up!………no sense driving all that way around the bay! We sent Sibylle out for a recon and to find a schedule……..ended up talking to the gal at the coffee wagon who said “Aye, this is where ye catch the ferry, but it won’t be here for aboot tree weeks.” So let’s call it little 45 minute detour……..good thing we left early and can still make our tee time……..we think.

OK we made it and get loaded up to play Glashedy Links, the newest, and I think the best of the two courses here at Ballyliffin. Sadie, one of our favorite caddies on the island was called away today, but we will meet up with her tomorrow, but her replacement is young Adam who is second year university, footballer, golfer, and a very good caddie…….the ladies love him…….cute kid. No more tournament play, so we have jigged the foursomes a little and we are having a round with Jane Mc and Mark Mc……the Mick’s. This is a great course with beautiful, challenging holes, and distant views to the ocean. Opened in the 90’s, Glashedy has hosted both the Irish Open in years past, and the Amateur Championship just last year.

We are the last group to tee off, so by the time our round is over and we make it to the bar for our celebratory Guinness and fries, the rest of the crew is trading war stories, discussing what to do for dinner, and thinking about getting to the hotel for check-in. There aren’t many choices here in Ballyliffin……really only 2-3 places to stay and just a handful of restaurants, with one of the best being right here at the clubhouse. We opt for getting to the hotel for check-in……….Ballyliffin Townhouse…….. and zip back downstairs to grab a big table for dinner. Everything was pretty tasty, but apparently a few of the group had some adverse reactions overnight and the next day……..no description required.

Round #2 the next day is on the Old Links……..designed by Faldo which is probably why I don’t like it as much as Glashedy, and was the first course opened here in the 70’s. Sadie is back in control and guiding us around the course and through the steady wind. Playing today with Cosgrove’s, and an hour behind us, the gang has divided up into boys/girls/etc…….nice change for all. Sadie establishes a strong pace as we are playing early in between members groups and she doesn’t want us holding them up. She was the one who gave us that classic line last year when MC drifted a drive strongly to the right and asked “Do you think we can find that?”…….Sadie responded by saying “If that ball was wrapped in bacon my dog couldn’t find it.” What a gem she is. We are playing the early time with Cosgrove’s as they have decided to book it back to Dublin tonight for an early flight home tomorrow morning. Better to do the 4hr drive in the daylight today than face it at 4am tomorrow!

Ballyliffin is an interesting club…….member owned, but there is no equity sharing…….if you leave the club, that’s it…..no payout. I am certain they rely heavily on visitor play $ to fund operations and make improvements…….we will meet a couple later tonight at dinner who tell us they have been coming here for the past 29 years from the Carolina’s, USA……..apparently saw an opportunity in a golf magazine way back then that offered lifetime international membership at the club for a lump sum (didn’t tell us how much) which would be used to build the new clubhouse. The club attracted enough new international members to make that happen, and this couple tell us that it was one of the best decisions they ever made. They rent houses in the area and come over for a month at least once a year and play for free…………their guests also benefit from the membership, paying something like Golf Ireland rates……..about 70-80 pounds/round………normal outside play rate is 200.

A group of us decide to eat dinner at Nancy’s Barn back in town…….the home of the World’s Best Chowder…….Jutta and I ate here last year and know it is good, although “World’s Best” is a bit of a stretch, but good marketing nonetheless……..place is packed. Dinner almost came to an abrupt end when Bob H managed to catch the napkin wrapped around the neck of a wine bottle on fire from a table candle…….blew on the flames which only intensified the blaze……quick thinking and action from yours truly and the inferno was smothered using another napkin. We apologized to the couple sitting just behind us (the international members), and they said “No, please continue, this is quite entertaining.” The meal was really good, and the chowder IS some of the best we have tasted on the trip so far. It is a bit of a walk through the village to get back to the hotel, but lucky for us, Cash Cab is parked just outside. Seats for all…….knew I rented this bus for a reason.

So that brings the set portion of our trip to a close. Goodbyes and hugs all round. Our group of twenty will split up and head off on in various directions……..most are playing some more golf, sprinkled in with hiking, sightseeing, and other activities that you can follow on Instagram/Facebook, etc………Stensson/McNaughton heading to Scotland to discover their roots……….Hogg/Davies to Portrush, Bushmills, Giants Causeway, Belfast, Ardglass……Lillico’s all over the damn place…….Meyrick’s and Mick’s fly fishing, spa time, and more golf……..we are golfing our way home……details to follow.