Christmas Golf Gift List

 Let's tee things up for the Christmas golf gift you really want in 2023.

Shoes

Winter’s Coming! From personal experience, a pair of good waterproof shoes is a massive comfort on the golf course. But truly waterproof (some brands simply don’t fulfil that brief) is a tough ask. Top of the pile is Ecco. Footjoy is close behind, with Adidas, Nike, and Payntr also all strong considerations. Visit your local Pro shop and see what they have available, or try any of the retail golf outlets. 

The Ecco Biom G5 is a pricey shoe (approx. €199) but what you get is comfort and both long-lasting quality and effectiveness. In other words: they’re certainly worth the investment. 
Available at www.odwyersgolf.com (and at their stores in Tipperary and Kilkenny)

 

Or put the boot in and consider the FootJoy Stormwalker Zipped Winter Golf Boot for guaranteed protection. Boots are growing in popularity and the Stormwalker has styles for men and women. The boot features a soft, full grain leather with thermal linings for a comfortable and dry round of golf. 

€140 at www.halpennygolf.com

The Bogeymen 

The Bogey Men is a popular Irish podcast that delves into the world of Irish golf with insightful, engaging and humorous stories around the sport in this country. Jonny and Michael combine this with a series of YouTube videos where they play with – and against – some of Ireland’s amateur elite, interview stars and assess what is happening on our golf courses. Earlier this year they released their first merchandise, the Bogeymen Bundle: a driver headcover and player’s towel. Priced at €39.99 you can get the pair delivered to your door.

chippigolf.co/en-ie/collections/the-bogey-men-x-chippi-golf-collection

 

Clothing

Always a popular stocking filler, golf clothing is an easy gift to give. There are countless brands on the shelves, in store and online… but giving something with an Irish flavour will add some bells and whistles. 

 

AWGO Golf

The latest Irish clothing brand is AWGO Golf, which launched in September 2023, targeting the younger woman. It is a brand exclusively for women, selling polo shirts (€42), skorts (€60) and – as of December – limited edition beanies (€20). It is the brainchild of two young women, both passionate golfers, who wanted clothing that was comfortable, fashionable and practical. For an exclusive discount of 20% use the code Examiner20 when ordering at www.awgogolf.com

 

Alternatively, consider any of these young Irish clothing brands. 
www.jacktheladgolf.ie
www.strikersgolf.com 
www.rainxclothing.com
www.kwackgolf.com
www.rocksolidgolfapparel.com
www.foreleafgolfclothing.com 
www.gulliongolf.com 
Dunnes Stores continues to expand its range of Padraig Harrington Golf Clothing. Established brands include Green Lamb (www.greenlamb.com) for ladies – check out the Keighley Stretch Body Warmer (€60) – and Dwyers & Co, renowned for their trousers and shorts.

Alpha-U Compression Wear

Launched only a year ago, Alpha-U Golf is an Irish golf clothing brand with a difference. With a focus on compression wear the company has become synonymous with quality and innovation. The objective of compression wear is to optimise blood circulation and muscle support, while offering unparalleled comfort. It is lightweight and fits like a second skin. Its ergonomic design allows for a full range of motion, ensuring an unrestricted swing and maximum performance. Who knows what it could do for your game!
Check out the Alpha-U Golf Players Pack – for both men and women. The pack includes a long-sleeved compression base layer top, compression base layer leggings, a cosy beanie hat and a thermal snood. Cost €115.
www.alphaugolf.com

Ryder Cup Merchandise

In case you hadn’t heard, Europe gave the USA a good thrashing in this year’s Ryder Cup. And there is a bucket-load of merchandise available to celebrate that fact, for men and women. From caps and shirts to jackets and gilets, club and putter covers, towels and mugs, there’s loads available and it’s all heavily discounted. Brands include Chervo, Peter Millar, Footjoy, Glenmuir and Sunderland of Scotland. Getting some of those brands at discounted prices is quite the treat.

www.euroshop.rydercup.com/collections/ryder-cup-sale

 

Adare Manor

And since we are on the subject of the Ryder Cup, the next time it is played in Europe will be in 2027, at Adare Manor. If you want to get in the mood, about four years ahead of schedule, visit their online golf store – there are lots of non-golf items, too – and check out a few of the Ryder Cup-themed products. There’s the Adare Manor Bespoke 1/4 Zip Sweater for €150, or the Team Europe Golf Set for €175, which includes driver headcover, blade putter headcover, mallet putter headcover, tote bag and shoe bag. 

https://shop.adaremanor.com/collections/golf-pro-shop

 

Custom Club Fitting

Unless the golfer in your life has asked for a specific golf club, it is a foolish enterprise to buy one off the cuff. Far better to give them a voucher or – even more impressive – a fitting session with the local Pro. Alternatively, try Fore Golf, who are arguably the best custom club fitters in the country. They are multi-award winning Master Club Makers and Fitters. The attention to detail is incredible and the fitting can be for any club/s, including a putter. You can even see the work being done in the workshop at their Killeen Castle location. And once someone has their fitted clubs you have reduced their excuses for a bad round by over 50 per cent! Vouchers start at €50 and are valid for five years.

www.foregolf.ie

 

Seed Golf

It’s not all about balls with Seed Golf – although they certainly have a ball for everyone – and the Irish company offers hats, gloves, tees, putting mats/aids and umbrellas. They also sell two golf bags – both currently on sale if you hurry – made from recycled ocean plastic. There’s a classy Stand Bag for €199, and a Carry Bag for €64.50, which is ideal for the winter months or a quick nine holes in the evening.

www.seedgolf.com

Oceantees

There is a push for golf courses, golf and golfers to embrace sustainability. Think Ballyliffin and solar panels, or the rewilding of swathes of rough at Kilkenny. Seed Golf – see above – are already on that road but Oceantee has gone even further. The company started with golf tees made from bamboo and while these are available in different sizes the company is also selling caps, clothing and water bottles. As an example, each cap is made from three recycled plastic bottles taken from the ocean… and there’s even a QR code you can use to track where those bottles came from. That’s what you get when you have a founder who is a golf obsessed marine biologist. 

www.oceanteegolf.com

 

Range Finder 

GolfBuddy Laser Lite 2 

The original Laser Lite was widely regarded as the best of the bunch in the budget golf range finder category. The new Laser Lite 2 claims its industry-leading technology will provide something even better while also being lighter, thinner and more compact. It fits easily in your hand and weighs just 140g. You may know someone who can save a few shots if they had one of these.

€200 at www.halpennygolf.com

GPS Golf Watch
Garmin Approach S70
Continuing the tech jag, the Garmin Approach S70 is already one of the hot products of 2023… and will be for Christmas, no doubt. It is a superb golf watch that comes with a beautiful OLED screen and includes enhanced ‘Plays Like’ and Virtual Caddie features not found on other Garmin watches. To top it off, it also has the fitness and health features which make Garmin the favoured watch brand of sportspeople everywhere. 
With all of its fancy features the price may be out of your budget range - €699 at www.mcguirksgolf.com – so the Approach S42 at €307 may be more to your liking. It doesn’t include the ‘lifestyle’ elements and focuses exclusively on golf.

Body Health

Theragun Mini Massage Gun
It’s safe to say that most golfers get aches and pains in their body. A soak in a hot bath often does the trick but sometimes a little more help is required. This mini massage gun is just the ticket, a ‘pocket-sized partner’ that combines quality muscle treatment with unparalleled portability. Compact and powerful, it can be used anywhere to loosen out the kinks.

Buy at McGuirks: €179

 

 

Books

It has been a good year for golf books.

 

Great Golf Courses of the World

Renowned photographer, Gary Lisbon, has produced a coffee table, glossy book of his spectacular golf photography. It includes over 400 images… from over 100 courses… from 20 countries around the world. The photographic representation is broad – from the Northern Lights and Norway’s Land of the Midnight Sun, to the dry and firm links of the UK and Ireland.

Order direct from Gary’s website. Cost is Aud $135 (approx €80) with €50 delivery. (It is coming from Australia!)

www.greatgolfcoursesoftheworld.com/product-page/great-golf-courses-of-the-world

 

Golf Course Architecture For Normal People

By Geoff Shackleford 

Golf Course Architecture for Normal People is, perhaps, the ideal taster for golfers who are intrigued by golf course design but don’t know that much about it. Alternatively, it’s for those golfers who think they know everything but don’t actually have a clue. Come on, we all know someone. Overall, this is a fine introduction to what design is all about and how good – and bad – design affects your playing experience and enjoyment. Golf is supposed to be fun and this book demystifies golf design in a fun and even irreverent way. 
www.easons.com RRP €39

World’s Greatest Golf Courses From Above

By Alex Narey

Golfers forever dream about playing at the most iconic courses (e.g. Augusta National, Valderrama, St Andrews, Cape Kidnappers) and The World's Greatest Golf Courses From Above provides them with a unique perspective of these great golf challenges. Each of the world's most celebrated courses is illustrated using Google Earth's incredible satellite imagery and then described in expert detail as the author explains course history and design, signature holes and tactics for playing them. Featuring 34 iconic courses and 250 stunning photographs, golfers will get a feel for taking on some of the greatest holes in world golf.

www.dubraybooks.ie €37.99

 

Golf Abroad – ClubsToHire
If your special golfer is planning a golf holiday abroad they may well want to bring their own clubs on the plane, paying a hefty fee for the privilege and spending some 30 minutes figuring out how to fit the golf travel bag into the car… before spending the entire flight worrying what condition they’ll be in when the plane regurgitates them. Alternatively, you can buy them a voucher for ClubsToHire, which means they can hire clubs at over 20 locations worldwide. All the golfer has to do is collect their chosen set of high-end, latest model clubs (e.g. Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno) at the airport or nearby location and they’ll be teeing it up in no time. You can purchase vouchers (€50 to €200) through the website. Vouchers are valid for five years.
www.clubstohire.com/voucher-sales

Golf Abroad – Bring Your Own Clubs
But if you do want to bring your own clubs, why not go a bit bananas with this golf travel bag from Ogio. The ‘Alpha’ Travel Cover weighs in at just 6.3 lbs and has enough space for your bag, clothes and shoes, and whatever mementoes you might bring home for the gang. The material is hard wearing, with dense foam sections and compression straps to keep your bag and clubs safe and secure. And you’re unlikely to miss it when it comes off the carousel. 
€229 at McGuirks and Halpenny Golf.

Golf Holiday, Lisbon
Quinta da Marinha
Golf around Lisbon has become increasingly popular and with resorts like Quinta da Marinha offering such interesting and good value packages it is little surprise. The 198-room hotel underwent a €5 million makeover a couple of years ago and its location on the coast, west of Lisbon, makes it highly attractive and easy to get to. Try a package that combines a wine and golf experience for two (or more) people, which includes:
Two nights’ B&B accommodation in a Superior Double Room;
One green fee per person at Onyria Quinta da Marinha Golf;
A guided tour of Quinta Casal Santa Maria vineyard with a tasting of six Casal Santa Maria wines;
Access to the resort’s Health Club with sauna, Turkish bath, gym and indoor and outdoor pools.
Prices from €195 per person. www.quintadamarinha.com/en/menu/packages.aspx

Golf Holiday, Barcelona

Infinitum
Infinitum is a large golf resort, west of Barcelona, boasting 45 holes, all sorts of property opportunities and a dedicated Beach Club. It is also one of Europe’s best golf venues with two world-class championship courses, one of which hosts the annual DP World Tour Championship Qualifying School Final Stage. The 9-hole course plays around ancient Roman ruins. 
Try a 3-night package with accommodation at the 4-star Golden Costa Salou hotel and unlimited golf. It also includes a hotel shuttle to and from the golf courses. Offer valid from 01/04/2024 to 08/05/2024, excluding Spanish bank holidays. Unlimited golf on the same day and course subject to availability. 

Prices from €417 per person. www.infinitumliving.com/en/travel/packages

 

2024 Golf Calendar
2024 is bound to be a great year for golf… so why miss a moment! My 2024 Golf Calendar has photos from across Ireland, including Killarney, Dingle, Carne, Druids Glen, Strandhill and Esker Hills. It is 28 pages and A4 in size, and it includes all of the major golf tournaments and many of the amateur events here at home. 

Designed and Printed in Ireland it costs €20.50 including P&P within Ireland.

www.kevinmarkhamphotography.com/p71449194

Chocolate

I am a fiend when it comes to chocolate so the inclusion of this Skelligs Chocolate Jolly and Joyful Hamper is simply because I’d love one myself... and there’s not a golf ball in sight. It contains nine different items, including a bottle of red wine. Merry Christmas. Price €130.

www.skelligschocolate.com

 

My First Irish Golf Calendar

It all started with a conversation about how useful a printed calendar is these days. The reasoning, from my wife, went something like this: “Who uses a calendar when everything you need is on your phone, tablet, or computer?”

Hares at Arklow Golf Links 

Yep, it was a short discussion. For the most part it’s true because technology has

The Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta

There's no doubt that the Dunas Course at Terras da Comporta, Portugal, has been hugely anticipated in recent years...

... and if you tell me you haven't heard about it then you haven't been paying attention. There has been a long and somewhat complicated gestation period to the project that began well over a decade ago (2010)... well now it has come to fruition or at least it's about it. The course designed by David McLay Kidd will open officially for play on June 1st.

Where is it?  It's south of Lisbon... and just south of Troia. With another course yet to follow (designed by Olazabal and Garcia) at the same location, it will create another delicious destination like the West Cliffs/Praia d'El Rey/Royal Obidos triumvirate.

So, some detail.

Ahead of the opening of architect David McLay-Kidd’s first course in mainland Europe (he designed Powerscourt West early in his career) tee times have been made available to play the par-71 links-style layout from June 1st.

A standard green fee to play the 6,555-metres course will cost €175, while discounted rates are available for July, August, December and January 2024 will cost €125 per person.

All prices include a buggy, driving range balls and a selection of gifts, including a refillable water bottle and engraved bag tag. The experience comes with a valet meet-and-greet and club cleaning after your round.

Rodrigo Ulrich, director of golf at Terras da Comporta, said: “What David McLay-Kidd has been able to build here is exceptional and a true example of world-class golf course design.

“We are so excited about the launch and cannot wait for golfers to enjoy the exceptional on and off-course experience on offer at Terras da Comporta from this summer onward.”

Vanguard Properties, the largest real estate developer in Portugal, took ownership of the spectacular Terras da Comporta development in 2019 and the site features two plots: Torre, comprising 365 hectares of land in the Alcácer do Sal municipality, and Dunas, which occupies around 1,011 hectares of land in the Grândola municipality.

Situated in a secluded coastal setting on the edge of the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, The Dunas Course is one of two 18-hole championship layouts that is planned at Terras da Comporta.

Created over 84 hectares of natural, sandy terrain, The Dunas Course has been built using the highest sustainable practices and is predicted to quickly become of Europe’s must-play golfing venues when it opens.

Complementing The Dunas Course will be a new clubhouse and golf academy.

The Next Bucket List... but not the last

They’ve become almost ubiquitous when it comes to golf destinations and yet we still devour every ‘official’ new list that comes out. 

 

And one has. This time it’s by Clarkes Golf, a UK family business started by Director and PGA Professional David Clarke over 40 years ago. 

Views from Carne

The problem with some of these lists – and this is one – is that they include courses that are inaccessible. We can all shoot for the stars but we should really be dreaming with our feet on the ground. Who among us doesn’t aspire to play Augusta? Who among us ever will? And Augusta is the number one course on the Clarkes Golf list. It also includes Muirfield Village and Kiawah Island, which, like Augusta, are private clubs. 

 

Here in Ireland we don’t have private golf clubs but there are so many in America, and a fair few in Great Britain and elsewhere, that it portrays golf as elitist. Perhaps that is why they appear on such lists. Like a child in the sweet store, we want what we can’t have. Personally, I think that does a disservice to the courses we CAN play. 

Carne's 13th green to clubhouse

So, the key question is: how do you define bucket list? Is it the best courses or the best destinations – there’s a distinct difference – or is it the most luxurious and/or unobtainable? 

 

For the Clarkes Golf ranking system the following information was collected on 498 golf courses across the world: Followers data was taken from the Instagram pages of each golf course. Interest data was taken from SEMrush by measuring the keyword volume for the golf course name. Both UK and US markets were used to define interest in playing the course. Popularity data was taken from SEMrush by measuring traffic data for each of the golf course websites. Both UK & US markets were used to determine the popularity of the golf course. All this data was collected on November 1st 2022, and if you can figure out what all of the above means you’re doing better than I am. But it does sound impressive, doesn’t it? 

 

Let’s take a quick look at a handful of other ‘Bucket List’ lists over the years to give you some flavour. I’ve included their top five results and you’ll see distinct patterns within the results. 

 

Bleacher Report (2010) focuses all too much on the USA with Pacific Dunes, Pebble Beach, Spy Glass, Torrey Pines and Kiawah Island as the top five. 

 

Golfpass (2015) had St Andrews at number one, followed by Pebble Beach, Cape Kidnappers, Bandon Dunes, and The Melbourne Sandbelt. 

 

Golf.com (2021) listed Bandon Dunes at number one, then Cabot Links, Destination Kohler (where you’ll find Whistling Straits among the Wisconsin courses), Pinehurst Resort, and Sand Valley… so another very North American vibe! 

 

Shipsticks (2021), a company that ships your golf clubs wherever you want to go, had St Andrews top, followed by Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, Cape Kidnappers and Whistling Straits. In 6th place was Royal County Down. 

Royal County Down 13th 

Golfbreaks (2022) put Pebble Beach at number one, St Andrews at two with Trump Turnberry, Dubai and West Coast of Ireland rounding out the top five. 

 

I included the mention of Royal County Down (RCD) because it is important to highlight that two of the world’s greatest courses – RCD and Royal Portrush – don’t make the top five in any of these six lists and yet the reputation, location and setting for both courses is sensational. Surely they are the perfect bucket list destination! The Golfbreaks list at least mentions the West Coast of Ireland, but when you consider that we have a third of the world’s links it is mind-numbingly absurd that Irish (and Scottish) courses aren’t included on every list. Perhaps they’re just not expensive enough… and no, I’m not joking: the American and Asian travelling golfer often equates cost and exclusivity with quality and desirability. 

 

For clarification, the Clarkes Golf top five are Augusta, Sandals Emerald Bay (Bahamas), Pebble Beach, Kiawah Island Resort, and Whistling Straits. Other countries include Mauritius, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Barbados. Closer to home, Gleneagles, in 6th spot, is the only Scottish venue of the 20 listed. Meanwhile, Ireland can boast two: Adare Manor at 9th and Old Head at 20th. This strongly suggests that ‘plush’ and ‘luxury’ were highly regarded criteria because both Irish courses, as well as Gleneagles, certainly tick those boxes. 

To be honest, lists like this are just good fodder for conversation. And, a little like the Top 100 lists that appear frequently, they should be taken with a pinch of salt and used as a guide for future adventures… assuming of course that you are allowed in to play. 

 

The 1st at St Patrick's

If you’re wondering, my five-strong bucket list would be Cabot Links (Canada), Morfontaine (France), Utrecht de Pan (Netherlands), Lofoten Links (Norway), Askernish (Scotland). They combine varying degrees of quality, beauty, history and mystery. In Ireland, where I have played so much and so many, I can recommend nothing higher than Carne, Enniscrone, Royal County Down, Ballybunion and St Patrick’s Links. 

 

If you don’t have a bucket list ticking away in the back of your mind start one today. Pick five courses, near or far, and make it your mission to play them in the coming years.

Ombria Resort appoints Salvador Costa Macedo as Director of Golf

Consider this: in the last 15 years there has been only one new course designed and opened in Ireland. That’s St Patrick’s, in Donegal. In Portugal, meanwhile, three new courses will be opened in 2023 alone. One is south of Lisbon (Comporta Dunes) while the other two are in the Algarve. Portugal remains one of the most popular golf destinations in the world and these new courses will only bolster that reputation.

One of these is Ombria.

The Ombria Resort course was designed by Jorge Santana da Silva and there has been much hype about it. It will be a par 71, measuring 5,802 metres, and it has been built to the highest standards of environmental sustainability. This has allowed the course to be officially certified by the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf. It is an essential recognition of environmental and social excellence. The images of the landscape – and the course – show how glorious the terrain is and what a perfect home it will be for these 18 holes.  Jorge Santana da Silva is well known for his designs at Montado and Amarante, and, most famously of all, Laranjal and Pinheiros Altos. Little doubt that Ombria will shortly be joining those ranks.

This luxury sustainable golf development has just announced that it will welcome Salvador Costa Macedo as its new Director of Golf. With the highly anticipated opening scheduled for April, one of Salvador’s key priorities will be to ensure that the course is in top condition… a task that should be no problem for a man whose résumé boasts 20 years’ experience in the field of golf in Portugal. 

Salvador holds a degree in Business Management from the Universidade Lusiada with postgraduate degrees in Golf Course Management (University of Algarve), Golf (Faculty of Human Motricity) and a specialisation in Hospitality Management from the Association of Directors of Hospitality in Portugal (ADHP). His knowledge has given him the opportunity to work for high-profile companies such as the Portuguese Federation of Golf (FPG), the National Training Center of Jamor, Quinta do Peru Golf & Country Club, and Penina Hotel & Golf Resort. Most recently, Salvador was Sales Golf Manager at Palmares Ocean Living & Golf and Amendoeira Golf Resort in the Algarve.

“My career has allowed me to work on some of the Algarve’s most prestigious golf courses,” said Salvador, “but Ombria Resort, with its panoramic nature views, will take golfing in the Algarve to a new and exciting level. I am delighted to join the team and contribute to making this golf course a new regional highlight for golfers of all handicaps.”

The resort will include a 5-star hotel – the Viceroy at Ombria Resort – which is under construction. It will include 71 apartments, 70 rooms, 5 restaurants, swimming pools, conference centre, Spa and kids' club. There will also be a residential development 

 

One thing’s for sure, Ombria will add hugely to the already impressive arsenal of courses in the Algarve and anyone who has a passion for golf in the Algarve will now have an even harder choice to make… or just another opportunity to visit again.

 

Location:

The resort is located inland, 7km north of Loulé and 25 minutes from Faro airport.