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26 LISA AT ROYAL PORTRUSH... THE ONLY CLUB IN IRELAND TO HOST THE BRITISH OPEN tee shots that make a caddy a good investment. After the round, it was off to Dublin. After some wrong turns, and some spousal disagreements on direction, we found the Hill of Tara, Seat of the High Kings of Ireland dating back to the 7th Century. We also managed to locate Trim Castle, one of Ireland's finest Norman castles and was the site of the movie Braveheart. Finally we arrived in Dublin and it was a bustling downtown core. Attractive waterways run through the city and there is a beautiful compliment of old to new. We stayed at the premier boutique hotel, The Clarence, owned by the rock band U2. It had simple elegance and warm hospitality, located within walking distance to many top attractions and directly on Temple Bar, a hip and active restaurant and cultural area. The next morning it was off to Potmarnock a 27 hole facility. Only 12 miles from city center this truly great links course has been host to many prestigious events. Located on a sandy peninsula the fairways are quite flat and wind is almost always a factor. The natural terrain, sand dunes, elevated tees, elevated greens that are often large in size are fast and putt true and the unique bunkers (98 in total), THE K CLUB WAS HOST TO THE 2006 RYDER CUP WON HANDILY BY EUROPE make for a challenging and enjoyable day of golf. The final 5 holes will require precision shot making to avoid bunkers and rough that take you from going for it to merely advancing the ball. After the round, it was back to Dublin to hit the tourist hot spots. We toured the Old Jameson distillery. Volunteers were requested as testers and I put my hand up much to my husband's shock and was nervously excited when I was selected. We had to do a blind taste test of Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon. I think I grew some chest hair that day. In the boat. Wind is often a factor and the rugged terrain will be a test to your shot making ability. The grasses in the rough were long and stole balls. Members said sacrifice distance for accuracy at this course and, though close in proximity to Dublin, you feel as if you are in a remote setting. After the round it was back to Dublin to hit the tourist hot spots. We toured the Old Jameson distillery. Volunteers were requested as testers and I put my hand up much to my husbands shock and was nervously excited when I was selected. morning it was off to play the Island. It was a wonderful course and the first one we encountered in meters. You add about 10 % to your distance on each yardage. There was a lot of calculating and then club selection going on. The Island has some of the tallest sand dunes in golf and is surrounded by water on 3 sides providing fabulous harbour views. Until 1973 the club was accessed by After the round it was back to Dublin to encounter the highlights we had missed. We hopped on the double Decker bus tour which took us to the fabulous sites of Dublin and has a ticket that is good for 24 hours and hop on and off privileges. Our favourite stop was the Guinness Storehouse. Built in 1904 they offer a fabulous tour including the fermenting process and genius advertising campaign over the decades. The tour culminated with a pint on the top floor Gravity Bar with 360 degrees of windows with panoramic views of the city of Dublin. A must see. After a fabulous stay in Dublin it was off across country to the West TEACH DE BROC BED AND BREAKFAST IN BALLYBUNION THE VIEW OF THE 3RD HOLE AT ROYAL COUNTY DOWN Coast of the Emerald Isle. It was our only scheduled day without golf as we had a 6 hour drive ahead of us. En route we encountered wonderful views of Irish country side with flocks of sheep and rolling green hills. We travelled through picturesque Adare Village, the city of Limerick, King John's Castle, Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and a delightful traditional fishing village on the Dingle Peninsula. We arrived late to Teach de Broc in Ballybunion. It was a wonderfully quaint bed and breakfast. The owners Seamus and Aoife Brock are wonderful hosts and make you feel like you are personal guests staying in their home. We had a fabulous seafood dinner at the restaurant on site, Strollers Bistro, and were off to bed for to prepare for 36 at famed Ballybunion the next day. We teed off on the Cashen Course first and it was a true test of our mettle. We encountered sideways rain which was daunting with the level of difficulty of the course. It was extremely hilly and required a great number of climbs. It was one of the most spectacular courses I have ever played, ranking as one of my favourite of the trip. Every hole is a challenge. The THE TOWN OF LAHINCH BEHIND THE 6TH HOLE AT THE OLD COURSE TRULY EVERY HOLE AT THE K CLUB COULD BE A SIGNATURE HOLE IRELAND PHOTO CREDIT ANTON VLOOSWYK PHOTO CREDIT ANTON VLOOSWYK PHOTO COURTESY K CLUB PHOTO COURTESY K CLUB PHOTO COURTESY ROYAL COUNTY DOWN