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In light of the wind, rain and general darkness which has haunted Irish golfers of late, the Off The Ball team have elected to play some much-needed, vitamin D-inducing sunshine golf. We’re headed, along with former Irish mid-fielder and keen golfer Jason McAteer, to the PGA Catalunya in Spain for the May Bank Holiday weekend and we want 100 OTB listeners to join us.
The argument over the greatest course in the game will always persist but we at Off The Ball’s Golf Weekly reckon any self-respecting golfer should make it their business to play the following five:
1) Augusta National, Georgia, USA
A no-brainer on any bucket list, Augusta is the most iconic course in the world and home to the US Masters every April. Opened in 1933 and designed by the great Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, its beauty is only surpassed by its exclusivity. Home to just 300 members, including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and more recently Condoleezza Rice, each hole conjures memories of tournaments past. If you get the chance, by god, take it.
Tiger Woods plays out of the bunker on the eighth hole during the final round of the US Masters Tournament from the Augusta National Golf Club, 2002. Photo: ©INPHO/Allsport
2) Pebble Beach, California, USA
Jack Nicklaus says if he only had one more round of golf to play in his life, he’d head for Pebble Beach, which is quite the endorsement. Opened in 1919, Pebble Beach is an annual stop on the PGA Tour and home to some of the most iconic US Opens in history. Tom Watson’s chip-in in 1982, Tiger Wood’s demolition of the field in 2000 and of course Graeme McDowell’s triumph in 2010. Pebble weaves its magic around the Pacific coastline in the most stunning fashion and you should make it your business to get there.
3) The Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland
The home of golf, St. Andrews dates back to 1400 AD and is designed by ‘nature’. Like Pebble Beach, it may not necessarily rank amongst the world’s Top 5 courses, but it more than makes up for any practical deficiencies with an abundance of historical significance and romance. Much like Augusta and Pebble, St Andrews provokes memories of dozens of iconic moments—a must for all self-regarding golfers.
St Andrews Golf Course The 18th hole, 1997. Photo: ©INPHO/Allsport
4) Royal County Down, Northern Ireland
Designed by the golf course architect Old Tom Morris, Royal County Down regularly features in the World’s Top 10 courses. It opened in 1889. The 4th and 9th holes are sublime. It sits beneath the Mountains of Mourne and along the shores of Dundrum Bay. Royal County Down is as good as links courses get. And it’s within a few hours’ drive—get there!
5) Waterville, Co Kerry, Ireland
Waterville is a classic links, which showcases Irish golf at its very best. Stretching across a low peninsula overlooking the Atlantic, this course dates back as far as 1889. The original Eddie Hackett design opened in 1973, with American Tom Fazio leading a redesign in 2002. “Everything about Waterville is truly spectacular,” said Fazio. “The setting is one of the best I have seen for golf.” He’s not wrong; make it your business to book a tee-time.
An aerial view of the 7th hole at Waterville Golf Club, Co Kerry, 2010. Photo: ©INPHO/Getty Images
About Off The Ball Golf Masters:
We’ll depart on Friday 2nd May from Cork and Dublin and do a special show that evening in Girona, Spain. The next two days we’ll be spent in golfing heaven and then we’ll return on the Bank Holiday Monday 5th May. The price for golfers is €695 and €595 for non-golfers. It includes flights, dinners, golf and accommodation. Hope to see you there!
PGA Catalunya golf resort in Girona, Spain
This article originally appeared in Newstalk Magazine for iPad in February, for more details go here.
