Are You Addicted to Golf?

The green, green grass of home. Window seat (F) offered
the best views of one of my favourite Irish courses.

Someone once asked me the simplest of questions:

How do you know when you're addicted to golf?

Let me count the ways...

There are two obvious answers:

Charlesland Golf Club... And The Winner Is...

A bit late in the day... I just wanted to include a pic of the fourball voucher in the blog.

The winner of the Charlesland GC fourball is Geoff Fernihough.

And here are three more pics of what Geoff can expect at this seaside Co. Wicklow course.

15 Things You Didn’t Know About The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

The 3rd hole from the back tees. This is what the
Pros will see.

Only one week to go, people... then it's full steam ahead for this year’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, hosted by the Rory Foundation at Royal County Down, from May 28-31.

To mark the occasion, The European Tour has put together 15 interesting facts about the Irish Open… some you may know... some you probably won't.

Open Weeks Ireland: Batch 1

Malone's par three 15th

We’re back to that time of year… Open Weeks… your opportunity to play a new or a favourite or a different course, for a great value entrance fee and the chance to win… well… often ‘interesting’ prizes. Maybe you’ll win wine or crystal, maybe you can upgrade your golf gear, maybe you’ll leave with a lamp.

Here is the first batch of seven courses, fees, formats and dates. Dig out your diary and get planning. [Listed in Date Order. Click on blue link to go to course website.]

Coming to Ireland for The Irish Open?

The 13th hole at Royal County Down

If you're travelling from overseas to watch one of the most impressive Irish Open line-ups in years (maybe ever), at the magnificent Royal County Down, then chances are you'll be thinking about playing a little golf.

After all, as the Northern Irish Tourist Board has been bragging for a number of years, this is the 'Home of Champions'... you'd expect plenty of exceptional courses. And Northern Ireland doesn't disappoint.

Here are some options to consider:

Macreddin Scratch Cups

Approach to the Index 1, par four 12th

Macreddin Golf Club is hosting a Junior and Intermediate Scratch Cup on Sunday May 24th. Not only do you get to play an incredible course, designed by Paul McGinley, you also get to enjoy the course's beautiful setting in a picturesque valley, with mountains surrounding you.

Macreddin also sits alongside the very smart Brooklodge Hotel, in case you:

Royal Portrush - 2 new holes

View over the 13th green to where the new holes will be
laid, with Dunluce Castle in the distance.

Here's a map showing where the two new holes at Royal Portrush will be constructed in the coming months. With planning permission granted, it's all systems go for the Dunluce links... which is still anticipating the formal announcement that it will host the Open Championship in 2019, later this summer.

June Bank Holiday Golf - The Heritage Pro-Am

The impressive clubhouse behind the 18th green

We're about to enjoy one Bank Holiday Weekend, but it's never too early to plan golf for the next one.

And here's a way to enjoy it that you might not have experienced before: play in a Pro-Am. The Ballesteros course at The Heritage is running its annual Pro-Am on Sunday May 31 and Monday 2nd June. It’s something to think about as you’ll play  Seve’s only course design in Ireland, and experience golf with a PGA professional… so you’ll get to experience the difference between ‘us’ and ‘them’

For €600 for a team of three golfers, you will get:

Guess The Irish Golf Course - Win a Fourball

The par three 2nd

It's time for another blog that gives YOU the CHANCE to WIN big on Irish golf. Yes, don't capital letters make all the difference!

So 'win a fourball' by figuring out which Irish golf course is described and portrayed below. You know what to do - simply leave your answer in the 'Comments' section below and the winner will be drawn on Friday 8th May.