No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 80: Northern Ireland Golf Trip with Jamie Kennedy

Episode Date: April 26, 2017

After an epic 3 day weekend in Northern Ireland, Jamie Kennedy and I debrief on our rounds at Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, and Portstewart. This was the first time for both of us playing... The post NLU Podcast, Episode 80: Northern Ireland Golf Trip with Jamie Kennedy appeared first on No Laying Up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The weight has ended PGATOR.com now has fantasy one and done. No other fantasy format has gained as much attention as this one. Here's how it works. It's totally free. Select one golf or tournament. Once he's played, he's unavailable for the rest of the year. Sign up now at fantasy golf.pGATOR.com. I did a little tinkering with my Calloway epic driver this weekend in Northern Ireland. I put the sub-zero head in with a lighter shaft. My trash just got dialed in, was hitting these low bullets that were just rolling out on these links fairways. I'm even more in on this thing. I'm here to tell you about

the trip with Jamie Kennedy. Let's do it. That's better than most. Better than most. I'm Chris Solomon and joined today by Mr. Jamie Kennedy from the European Tour of Social Media expert. He runs the show over there. We just got back from an epic trip in Northern Ireland playing Royal County Down, Royal Port Rush and Port Stewart. Jamie, what's going on man? How are you?

I'm good man, how's the farm? How's the form? So we learned we learned this phrase or Tell me the story about this. Yeah, I feel like I have to tell the story because I think it can stick the way that I see it But it's not the way that everyone else sees it. Okay. I was so Kind of the inspiration for this trip happened. I worked the 2015 Irish open back at County down when Rory took it back there with his foundation And I spent like eight days in the Newcastle area and we were going out into the bars and throwing the event and all these Northern Irishmen kept coming up to me and asking how's the farm and I'd I just go along with it

I smile and nod at them and chat to them But and I was sure they were saying, how's the farm? Like, how's your land, how's your area, how's your family? Which makes a lot of sense to me. So I started saying it to everyone. I came back to London, was saying it to people, trying to get it to stick back here. And then we've got a Irish guy in the office.

And he said, what is it you're actually saying? And I was like, how's the farm? How's your farm doing? And he was like, no, that's their accent. They're asking, how's the farm? Like know how's your farm doing? He's like, no, that's their accent. They're asking how's the form like how you doing And so I was like oh god, I've got about 95 northern Irishmen to apologize to But we I think we both agree that it could make sense like how's the farm? How's your area? So we're gonna try and make it stick well doubling down on that

You told the story to me, and I hear forum with your Scottish accent. So you're telling the story of how you got it wrong, you telling it to me, and I still had it wrong. I was about to like, to every Irish person, I knew, say, how's your forum, as if that means something. And I would have made it equally as much as a fool of myself as you did. So thank you for teaching me that. I think it was one day where we were asking, how is it that we look like tourists here? I think we've just figured that out. Everywhere we did walk, we must have stuck out like sore thumbs.

Probably it might have been my bright blueberry pants, but I'm not sure exactly. But so we kind of threw this trip together a bit last minute. It was pretty miraculous that we were able to get two times on all three courses. I think perhaps even more miraculous was the weather that we got. Yeah, I keep hearing that you, everywhere you go, you bring sunshine with you. I'm not afraid of jinks it.

I'm not even afraid of jinks it anymore. Yeah, my golf tip for anyone looking to plan a trip is just to get you along, just to invite you. Even if you don't play, just come and have them as a forecast or something. It seems to bring the sum. I like it, I'm in support. You had been to County Down for the Irish Open

as you mentioned. You was playing it. How different of an experience was that and didn't meet the hype for you? Yeah, I mean, having spent eight days there and with all the infrastructure and seeing the event, it was really tough weather that week, so the players got beat up. I think Roy shot 18 in the first round and so on Kielsen wanted to I think he maybe two under and made it to play off so

I never know it's about it being difficult but it's definitely one of those courses you want to go back and play there's so many the sand dunes and the heather and the the gorsets all around the bunkering it's just one of these courses you just want to go back to your club. So I mean, it's been, I mean, you talk about being the number one course in Europe in some ratings, number four in the world, somewhere around there. And, you know, those are sort of bucket list courses you have to go back to. So I was pumped to get back and glad we could work out last minute to go. And despite you trying to fly in late and miss our tea time, we made it. And it was a

hell of a day. That was not my fault. That was easy Jets fault. First of all, flying easy Jets is hilarious because every time you do it you basically have to wait until the last minute and the plane erupting, the plane from the previous flight arrives and I'm sitting there and like I almost didn't make it before my gate closed and then I got to sit there for like 20 minutes before a plane even arrives I knew we were gonna be late So I land at like to something and I'm just speeding through passport control doing everything I can They're asking me a ton of questions. I've never been asked so many questions The guy that there's like a family of six Australian people in front of me and they are just here in the whole family story

I got selected to have my bag searched the second I got questioned again It's like what are you doing? I'm like I'm here to play golf I'm like where are you going? I'm like county down like what time's your tea time? I was like in like 45 minutes. He's like oh you won't make it I'm like yeah because you won't let me go So I come sprinting out of the airport just throw the bags in the car and we made a dash for it. We were only, we teed off maybe 20 minutes after our tea time and they were really flexible for us. Yeah, they were good. I think the best drive any of us had all week was probably that drive.

We made it in pretty good time and I say we called them and they just said whenever you get here, we'll figure out. And that's not to say they weren't busy. I think they had some people before us, but I mean we pulled off and parked right outside the clubhouse and there was about four couple of suits and a caddy waiting there to shake our hands almost as soon as we opened the door. So we got some good service. Yeah, we got some great treatment. We went with a four cad. So this was the only round we didn't get to play with a member. And so you came up with the bright idea of hiring a four caddy. It turned out to be a great decision. We so you came up with the bright idea of hiring a forecaddy. It turned out to be a great decision. We had Steven. I think he plays off

plus one or plus two. And he had to be frustrated watching us hack it around all afternoon. But it was awesome having him around to show us lines. I think that was a course that definitely you wanted somebody to help point out where to hit it. Do you agree? Definitely, definitely. I think depending on what teams you play off the lines are all different, and even when you can see the fairway, especially the greens knowing which side to miss it on and things like that was crucial.

But I was thinking about it a bit more today, and I don't think Steven was great and give us tons of tips for where to eat that night and all the way around and he was super the whole way. But I don't think he'd make it as a true pro caddy because I keep remembering him. I mean he has quite negative thoughts. I remember obviously there was a seventh hole but I think it's on one of the first holes and it's I think it's actually I think it might be eight and the sort of greens perched up and it runs down on both sides of the of the green and I miss I hit my might be eight. The sort of greens perched up and it runs down on both sides of the green. And I'd miss, I hit my drive miles left.

I was over another green having to apologize to some of the members as I sort of looked for my ball, found it. Then I said to Steven, you know, which side can I miss it on? Obviously I might have positioned. And he just looked me dead face and was like, you can't miss it on either side.

I had like 180 yards over a different fairway into a wind out the rough and he tell me I can't miss it. So anyway, I missed it big and didn't get up and down but he tells it the way it is I guess and I'm sure we'll probably get onto the seventh hole at some point but those first few holes are great. You sort of play out to the far side of the course. Real variety and holes, you know, it's quite odd to start with par five and then a couple of really

good par fours, really good second shots into those ones that you have to try and judge they were into the wind and then we didn't get to play the fourth hole from the very back tee which is a sort of famous view of Royal County down I had a photo of Alex and I wanted to recreate and we didn't get to go back up there we got to take a look at it but that whole played a little bit differently but I think we got a lot of flack in your periscope for not playing all the way back but I'm sure you'll agree that we played it as far back as we could. And we asked if we could go back on the fourth one. We really want to play the fourth hole from further back because it was only like it's about

a seven iron for us but and those guys play it like a hybrid or two iron or whatever they've got from 220. Usually plays into the win if I remember right, but yeah, the T's were rather pretty far up in general and there were no back T's set up. So we played the furthest back T's there were and we did not have permission to go further back. Dangerously close to the red Tes on some of the halls.

So a lot of pictures, I had to be really careful about any pictures or videos that were shared because it looks like we're basically playing from the red tees a few occasions. Yeah, I think if I share any more of the photos that I've got, I've still got a backlog in them. I'm gonna have to photoshop out some of the tees. I was gonna say, you got Photoshop background.

You can make those like blue or black or something, can't you? Yeah, I can make it work. I can maybe stretch out the fare when I was gonna say you you got Photoshop background you can make those like blue or black or something can't you? Yeah I can make it work I can maybe stretch out the fair where make it look a little further as well. There you go. So I do want to talk about the seventh hole because that was our our most proud moment. We'll always have the seventh. We'll always have the seventh. So we roll up to the seventh tea I don't know much about this hole there's no there's no far back tea this is a short hole for the pros as well, it was only about, what was it about a buck 20 for us or something like that? It's interesting, because that hull, I think it can only, it's quite similar to the length

of the 17th of sawgrass to put it in perspective for people that they can't move it any further back than 145 or else they go back onto the 7th hull, so we played that thing from about 130ish or so. But for the Irish open, I remember it really vividly because it was this tee that sort of, the fans couldn't get very close because it's in amongst holes, but they had a huge stand behind the green. And they had a really tough win that was going strong right to left.

And there was one hole, there was one day, I think it might have been the first day. Rory had tried to hit in this sort of punch, eight iron or something, and double crossed it, hit it last, hit it into a different fairway, and we were working in the media center, so we're seeing this shot, just amazed. So we radioed out to one of the guys walking to ask how far his second shot was,

and he had 58 yards for his second shot. So that's how far left he went, and maybe speaks into what Stephen was about to tell us when we stood up on that tee as the how difficult the hole can be although it's not that long. So this is when we got introduced to Steven's directness and that he was the hearty we walk up to it it looks rather calm the whole and he's like this is the the shortest part for in the world. He says Tiger Woods it Tiger Woods has never parted this whole? Yeah, that was his intro as well. I think one of us was walking off saying, oh, it's 147 from that back tee to which he immediately replied,

it's 147 yards of hell. Maybe it's my hindsight because it just didn't look that difficult to me. It's kind of, but it's like, if you go long on this hole, you're completely done. I mean, I don't know how far it runs off, but that's probably how you end up with 58 yards in. I think there's quite a lot of holes on this trip that you think of, oh, if I could go back there,

I would have played it differently and I'm going to play it better. This is one of the holes that if we'd gone back, we'd definitely win a play to anybody, because as soon as you saw what was beyond the pin, I think we would have all missed a green. We would have been terrified Yeah, if you know what's there. That's one of the the holes we we benefited from not knowing what was out there because you you got up first Yeah, hit one off the bank just right of the flag and it ricochets towards the stick and rolls up to what 12 feet?

How far did you have for birdie? Yeah? About 15 feet sure I debate whether it came off the bank or not, but I'll let you go with it. Got it. Just in my memory here, it's been a few days and there were a lot of Guinness after that round. I got up, hit my, maybe my shot of the trip. I definitely hit it off the bank

and it rolled up to about two feet. You guys made me put it, which, that's fine. I'll let that go. And the Keith, Keith Paterson, the third guy on our trip as well. Sorry Keith, we couldn't freeway you into this call, but he got up there. He knocked it like 15 feet and we just start just letting it rain on Stephen. I mean, good nature, Ben, or obviously, but we were rubbing it all in his face that we had dominated this whole. we managed to play it in one under and that's where we said and then this

is every everywhere i've been with you socially un un scheduled or un un un bonones to me when we start the day you have somewhere in your bag had alcohol handy ready to share at that moment we had a toast uh... to with some whiskey to that playing that whole in one under par. Yeah, it doesn't come out very much. You're making me sound like an alcoholic here, but I had a pack to head of the trip. New this was going to be a bit of a bucket list once in a lifetime trip for us. So I had a little flask that I'd been given and put some Irish whiskey in it and thought,

if we ever have moments we want to remember that we should toast it with an appropriate style. So we all had a wee nip there before we te teed off an eight and as I think I mentioned earlier, I just not put my T-shirt on eight, so it's probably not. Another, that was the best juice for making birdies maybe. Yeah, I think, well, we'll get to Port Rush in a second, but County Down for me was a course that, as soon as I was done playing it, I was like,

all right, if I got another shot at this, I would play it differently and play it so much better I didn't feel the same way necessarily after Port Rush It wasn't like the course trick me or anything I just felt like there is a ton of strategy that goes into county down some of that was taken out for us because of where the Teas were we were hitting a lot of irons off teas, which was really fun But I mean I was playing from the middle of every fairway except one of them and I shot 83. Like I just couldn't dial it in. I was not hitting in the right spots.

Yeah, you drove the ball unbelievably there. I kept finding, I wasn't driving terribly but I definitely wasn't hitting as many fairies as you were and I missed the, I just got into that sort of first cut of rough and it's one thing I'll remember is just how difficult it is to read the rough. I mean, yeah, to Steven was there and he'd tell you that looks like a flyer or this isn't going to come out, but you have to go all or nothing on whether you think it's going to jump or not. I think one of the early holes, he said it's about 200 yards, but I think you can hit six iron there. I hit seven iron and hit it right down the pin, but came out a little low and it chased miles through the green. But then other holes, if you just catch it a little, low on the face and get it spinning,

obviously comes up short. So tough to judge. And like I said, it's definitely a course you'd like to go back on. I think the second shots on the golf course were just great. A lot of different shots you can hit off the tee. I can think of so many holes where we spent time on the tee trying to debate what we're going to hit. It could have been a three iron or four and a three wood and the wind plays havoc with

it. I think one of the things I remember about it is bunkering as well. The bunkers all have thick eyebrows, if that makes sense on top of them. That's a crispy grass. It just looks so nice from the fairway just it sort of blends in with the rough so sort of you can sort of navigate your way down the hole off the tee just looking. I remember that I don't think I went in many of the bunkers not because I was hanging it well but just because I avoided them in the right places I guess but I just remember the

visuals of seeing all the bunkers they just looked amazing. That was a course that I found at the most challenging of the three, and it was the most, it felt like the eat the smallest slip up meant not bogey but double. And maybe that was just my lack of ability to scramble, but the bad shots I felt got punished deservedly so very harshly.

Which is, that's a fun challenge. I don't mind that with a golf course. I don't mind getting punished. But at the same time, like, we didn't spend time looking for balls. Like, the rough was kind of dialed back. The really long stuff was findable. And like, that kind of rough that, if you're in it,

you're not able to just blast a six iron out of. You're probably pitching somewhere, but you can find your ball. And that's a huge difference maker. But the greens were some, probably probably even in late April, probably the best links greens I've ever putted on. Oh, they were great. And I think, again, Stephen probably just being a bit straight.

I think we asked him before even got into the first house, you know, how is the nick of the course house looking? And he said, oh, the greens are sort of coming into condition, they're not yet there yet. And then we get up on the first hole and it's just like a snooker table you're putting on and it's just they're just they were perfect the whole way around and they're sort of funny to look at. They maybe have the lights on them and don't look as polished as a gust as obviously for one to compare to but their roads just I mean we've had to terribly on them so even if we had no

excuses though, that they were running so good. Yeah, and it was the shadow cut in the fairways, and that's just, that's the most vivid thing that sticks out to me is how, how like the right sides of the fairway were and dark the left sides were, giving you such a good target line.

And some really dramatic holes going back, facing the mountains coming back like the ninth hole and the fourth hole as we mentioned, just had unbelievable sight sight lines when you hit the t-shots on those holes and seeing the ball up against the background of the mountain and the the the trash that goes with those that was that's those are images that really stick with me yeah I think that's the stretch of four to ten so four is the first part three when you turn to come back towards the clubhouse and the mountains, the mountains of Morn is their cold and then 10 is from the clubhouse to it's like a short part three back out, like a 180 yard part three or something. That stretch of holes was just unbelievable.

All the, like you say, seeing the ball fly up against the mountains and the way that all the holes are so different and yeah, that view when you walk over the ninth fairway, I think you're on Periscope, showing to people. But when you walk over and see the two halves of the fairway cut in different shades, you've got the club pies right there, you've got the green and the mountains, that's probably one of the most awe-inspiring views of anywhere ever played and not helped by the fact

you smashed it by 30 yards past me. But glad you remember that part. I was wondering if you were going to get to that part. Well we can get to 12 hole a bit later on. Oh God. What happened with the valve? Is that the one? I'll tell you to 12. I'll tell you to 12. 12 is a part 5. It goes away from the club. It's a little downwind and Steven was, he gave us some good advice here. He said you know you got a good drive away, you guys are probably have a wedging because we're putting a teaser up a little bit downwind, you can kick off the ferroway so keep it a really nice drive, just out the right hand side of the ferroway, then you went up and you've been tuning in your calorie driver all day and finally got one that

absolutely sailed, you know, high trajectory right down the middle you know T was picked up before you'd finish your follow-through and there's twirls and pinsteps all over the place and and then you I could barely tee my bowl up because you and Steven were just raving about this T-shot so I didn't wait for you to pipe down I just went up and sort of back footed this driver a little bit and tried to get one running and hit this great shot and it was, I think I'd said tough crowd or something because I didn't get a whole lot of love for it, but it headed down the middle and then we're walking down the fairway and me and Keith are walking ahead of you and I've mentioned this to Keith, I haven't mentioned this to you but you and Stephen are talking and I think

tour player trajectory was one of the quotes coming from behind us talking about Stephen saying that I mean that must have carried 290 in there that was perfect so we get up and there's a there's a ridge I don't know how far it is off the tee and there's a ball on top of the ridge and then about another 30 yards down below the ridge close to the green there's another ball and me and you we didn't even debate who it was I dropped my bag I find my yardage we're chatting away and then I look down and see it's a calorie ball and I said Chris I should ball and you looked at you didn't even look at the ball you just laughed thinking there's no way and then I was like I'm not joking that's your ball and you got me

like you caught this low but got me by 30 plus yards and I thought you were just trying to get me to look at the ball and that's what you were gonna get me on but I got it this is a little bit of revisionist history of this story mostly accurate But as soon as I hit it I said I mashed it, but I was like that's not the optimal ball flight because it was a little spinny It got a little high up in the air But then that was that was what encouraged me. I made a Illegal adjustment to the driver switched out the driver head actually because I said this is not the optimal ball flight for Yeah, that was it a little damaging to the ego. I'm not gonna lie

I thought I had you in distance We had not played I mean, we only played nine holes and then I don't think I really out drove you the rest of the trip So my ego is heavily damaged after that one but Speaking of Calloway right on cue one of the perks of being a Tor Pro is unlimited access to customized equipment. So starting today, Calloway is expanding the Calloway Customs option to include the new Epic drivers and golf balls in addition to the Mac Daddy Forge wedges. I've seen the pictures of all of the color options you have to customize your Calloway Epic. I have two of these drivers and I'm still somehow jealous. Callaway Customs is the most complete customs program in golf.

You can choose your paint fill, wait port colors and throw in some custom stamping in there for good measure. Head to CallawayGolf.com slash Customs use the intuitive tool to design your driver golf balls and or wedges today. I love this 16th hole. That was a lot of fun. It's drivable for the pros as well, right? Yeah, so they always open there. I think they only played the T back, which back is only 360 or something. You sort of lay up to a sort of knockdown wedge, but I think three of the days they pushed the T up and it was, I think,

it's only about 300 to 320. maybe that tea is and we were down at the front of that one and I mean, trust the two we were playing with, there was no way that we were hanging anything other than drivers so we all teed up there with driver and it's great hole, I mean one of those holes that you can't not go for the green but if you go for, I think we both hit good drives and where I was a little left of the green you hit great shot it looked like it was going to be 10 feet away and rolled through the back and then you're just facing just brutal little chips with roll-offs from bunkers and tight lies

and you know you can easily easily make five or you can hit one good shot or in your three and that's just there's every links course needs holes like that and that one definitely stands out. I can't remember how we did I might I think I'd hit my chip too hard and we're on through the back and then I might have to get up and dying I think you you or you chipped it and then too potted from there. Yeah so my Instagram caption said that I drove the green so thank you for calling me calling me out on that. You got to get my heads up on all this before we start. Well, in fairness, I drove it over the green. So I didn't feel like I needed to clarify that,

but I more just wanted to post that because that was my club tour in my sauce of the week. That was a show. I couldn't figure out what to do with it because I was 3-plutting everything from off the green. So I tried to chip that. And it's one of those links shots. You're not supposed to hit. And I asked

even about it. And he's like, I would chip this quit. He's also a plus one and no side of pinch it off that turf. And I chunked the chip, but I did get it down into for par. But we finished just as about the as the rain was about to start as was the theme for the trip. And headed inside super quiet clubhouse on a Friday night, at least in the visitors room. No other way to finish around in Ireland than a pint again this had a nice view of the course. More to me people out there at that point, but we wrapped it there and then got the recommendation

from Stephen to head to Quinn's bar, was the name of the bar. I don't know how old we are getting, but it was a little loud in there for me. Yeah, I think we were probably double the average age and I probably gave you an idea of what it was like. Steven used to work there, so I don't know if he's still on a commission to get us there, but it is a cool bar and a great pint of Guinness, and actually the food was phenomenal. I remember saying in the back, the food was was great but I think Keith put it right in that the second or last bite

of food went in our mouth, the lights went out, the strobe light came on and the music was doubled. And it was a rather odd saying. It was not our scene. We were not there long after that. We had done the street, had a few more pines, put shots in pool. Shout out to Stephen though, that was a really fun walk. I wish he could have played with us. That would have been really fun. Yeah, it was cool. I think he said he was maybe going to be playing that afternoon if he wasn't walking with us and we wish we'd sort of convinced him to take his club. He'd just been playing some amateur events and I think him and his girlfriend are just opening like a cafe restaurant nearby, kind of dying. So next time time we're back we'll stop in and see him and see if he gives us

an honest appraisal on whoever he's cooking. What was the, was it called railroad cafe or something like that? Railway street. Railway street. Railway street so yeah he's a couple of months from opening it but it was great and yeah I think the second the Donard bar was the second bar we went to and had had a few more Guinness and then a little drama whiskey as well. The perfect setting of playing pool and then seeing the miracle of Medina come on the TV

right next to it. That's what I'm using to be there. No, I had to call it there. Absolutely perfect. Also cool. We found about halfway through the round. We started talking about it. Steven was a no-bang up follower already following us, which was that was kind of a cool

moment that during that walk out there on top 10 course in the world so yeah awesome day yeah we had a few pints the next morning the dark period of Chris Almond's trip it did not go well for me it was in proportion to the what the amount we drank the night before my hangover was through the roof roof. And I woke up fine, it wasn't a big deal. I was like, I could use an hour more, see, but I'm not gonna get it. And went down, stuffed my face, but some breakfast didn't think anything of it. And then we got on the road,

and I just stopped talking for a while. Yeah. And we had a, we had a, what, we had the road early. I don't think we did anything. We had a pretty long drive, I mean it's a bit, so just if people don't know, county dimes about, it's in Newcastle, which is by an hour's

side to Belfast and Port-Sure and Port-Russia on the North Coast, which is by an hour north to Belfast. So we had to do that whole drive. So we filled up the car and drove for, probably, the best part of two hours. Chris nominated to send the bag, sort of, man-marking all of our golf clubs that were on the spare seat in the back. You made it through 20 minutes of chat and offered up some Taylor Swift songs and then

you just knotted off for a little bit trying to feel better. Yeah, it was not good. When we stepped foot on the premises though, the dunes of Royal Port Rush brought me back to life. And we hit a few balls on the range, got sorted, met our member who invited us out for the day, David Mulholland, and just began the legend of David. David. Where do we start? We had a wonderful lunch in the scary's room upstairs. I'm hoping I'm saying that right.

Scary's the island's just off of Port Russia. That's right. As David told us later on. Yeah, we learned that. Made our way. So it was funny. We had lunch and then David introduced me to a couple members. He's like, oh, a table of four people.

You've heard of No Leg Up, right? Four of them just look stone-faced. Absolutely not. No one at all. It was payfully awkward, but I was laughing as I get. It's not like that. So that moment was about five minutes before undoubtably my favorite moment of the trip. And the moment I'm going to tell people about for until I pass away. So we, as you said, David sort of is introduced. You need to guys. Me and Keith went ahead, sort of changed our shoes. We walked over here a few pots and then the first tea, sort of between the club highs and the start is hot.

Right out in front, cool little setting for a first tee show. And a few people milling around, they just had a competition go off, a member's competition. And there's a few caddies and starters around the hut and so David's walking up with you and there's a sort of young-ish guy sitting on a bench with his headphones in and David walks over to him and says oh this is Chris Chris Almond from NoLang up you'll know you know NoLang up to this guy with his headphones in and he's said now I don't know is that yeah you know that you podcast you know they, they do cool podcasts, they go

blogging. He's like, oh, sorry, sorry, I don't. And it's at this point that David then decided to introduce this guy to you. In that order, and his name was, do you remember his name? Was it Dunbar? So the Dunbar? Oh, Dunbar. Oh, and Dunbar, I is that? 2012 British amateur champion. Best golfer in Britain for a year of his career. One of the best amateur golfer in recent history, played Walker Cup and is a member of Royal Port Rush.

And in that order was introduced to you. I just couldn't believe it. I absolutely couldn't believe it. I was dumbfounded before we even teed off. But I think it just shows how much David was a fan of no laying out that I felt bad for Alan So I was taking a back to I was not it didn't it didn't you write it didn't like the order of operations did not flow right there And I was I didn't know what to say after oh you the British amateur champion. I had no idea but We thus we began our round of David and David had just had backs. He had had back surgery or just back problems I forget.

Yeah, I don't remember. He said he hadn't played 18 holes of golf since July I think. He played a few holes his son golf. He was playing in front of us but he hadn't played 18 holes and said this back. I think he told us over lunch, you know, I'm not sure how 18 holes are going to go. I might not be able to play them all. And then of course, first tee is sort of a straight par four up the hill. It takes out his driver and just pipes this mid height to your draw right down the middle. I think then we cracked the joke that beware of the injured golfer, that we thought that was going to be like, maybe one or two good drives he's going to have, and little did we know. It was a ball striking extravagance. So to give you an idea of what David's ball striking was like,

at the end of every round, I always do this thing, whatever I play with, everyone goes around and picks their best shot of the day. For David, we went around the table to try to try to pick his best shot of the day. For David, we went around the table to try, to try to pick his worst shot of the day. And his worst shot of the day was on a part of three that was also the best shot of the four of us. Yeah. He plays all plus one. He didn't, he made two bogies, two birdies, I think, if I was keeping the card right. And it was just an exhibition. The guy was down the middle of almost every single fairway. I think he missed one fairway. Yeah, the one fairway you missed, he put it in a bunker. I don't think he thought he could reach.

And it just trickled and he had to chip out. And then of course he hit a pure five iron on some middle green and two-fought to like every other hole. And he even on the 17th hole, he reached for the driver off the deck. Absolutely smoked it. Almost got on the green and like we asked about it He's like oh, yeah, that's always the shot on this hole I don't think Keith could believe what he'd heard he said yeah, that's always a shot on this hole It's it's to explain it's like a straight par five you have to avoid this huge bunker in the right hand side and

David's in the middle and there's two bunkers on the left hand side two bunkers in the right hand side and David's in the middle and there's two bunkers on the left hand side, two bunkers on the right hand side and basically you can't miss left or right but there's nothing short. So I think David's explanation was that you can, you could top it if you wanted to 200 yards in the middle and you'd be fine so long as you hit it straight. But for no one else in the world is driver always the play but that's David for you. So a little about the course, I know a lot of people are asking questions about it. I heard like basically someone tweeted me even like as of last month it basically resembled a building site. They are hosting the 2019 open championship there and as part of the I guess agreement or the you know the RNA bringing this back to Port Rush, a lot of changes have been made to the course that are basically brought in by the RNA.

The RNA came in and said, we're gonna give you these two holes. The valley course basically to sacrifice two holes, I believe, is what David told us. Yeah. The 17th and 18th holes currently on Port Rush will be destroyed, taken away or used for other, I don't know, I sure exactly what they're going to use it for for the other.

I think they're going to put the spectator village for the 18th hole is. Yeah, just next to the road. They are two of the, probably the least scenic holes out there. And they added two holes near the ocean along the coast, right? They're going to be the seventh and eight holes and They look incredible maybe cuz no one's played him yet Maybe somebody has but they're not open for play at least for us. They weren't and the turf looks incredible It's the first the seventh is a spar five kind of a double dog leg right up against a huge like 70 foot dune I couldn't stop looking at this all we went out of the round took drone shots

of it just because of how awesome this whole look and that i i i i shouldn't have jumped to the whole that we didn't play because the ones we did play were pretty awesome to now i know i think you're right though that think that david said that somewhere in the region of like five to eight million pounds has been spent on the course and it's all these tiny little changes they're making for infrastructure think we saw

uh... like a half million pound tunnel they built between a few holes to help with the sort of footfall of traffic and obviously those two new holes that sit out by the coast and like just next to some of the biggest sand dunes you've ever seen in the world. I mean I was I don't know how you felt about it but when we were saying having lunch and they were telling us the story of it I didn't know how members would react to that. You know the open come in they say right We want to play your course, but we want to change it You know, I didn't know if the members would think that no you're coming to our course and it's been our course for You know hundreds of years and you're not you can't change it

But it seemed like all the members were behind it and there's no doubt in my mind that when those two holes get put in Post open so after 2019 the course will be ranked even higher than it is now. I mean those holes look absolutely stunning and I'm sure we're about to talk about some of the other ones, but I'll give a spoiler now. I think if I was going back, Port Rush is probably my favorite. County Down is dramatic and spectacular, but I just absolutely loved all the shots and holes around Port Rush. I can't. I actually would love to go back when they have those new holes in place and go and play them as well. Hmm. I wonder why you liked Port Rush so much. Hmm. Maybe we'll get to the fact that you shot one under from the from the furthest back tease on a pretty windy day at Port Rush, but we'll

get to that. Okay, I'll get to that. The first two holes are weren't a ton to them. I'll just ignore my triple bogey on the second. The third hole gives you your first view of the sea in the distance. It's a kind of acute little par three with with mounds on both sides give you a nice little visual. Then the fourth is a nice par four long par four. The OB framing to the right, and I mean, it's just a real strong two-shotter. I think for, honestly, I don't know how it's viewed over all, but I think it probably gets a bit overlooked, and David gave us a good tip at the start, it said that, and very different to county down your T-off right next to the ocean, you can hear it.

Right. If you slice one off the first hole, you could probably be on the beach, but you don't really see the sea a lot after that, you sort of in amongst the dunes and amongst the holes, whereas Port Rush, the first three or four holes, you sort of climb up and every hole you're getting a slightly better view, and then that, I think it's the third tee we sat in twosome photos there, you've got this huge vista of, you know, because it's not just Port Rush, you've got two courses at Port Rush, there's a nine hole, there's a little par three course, and then there's a GMACs home club that's further along.

So just almost everything you can see is these golf holes in amongst students. And when you get to that fourth hole, in terms of course design, I'm not a huge architect nerd, but like you said, it's tight outbound's right and you're pointing towards it. Deep bunkers left and a long par four so it forces drivers your hand if you want to make par birdie that you've got to take on the bunkers and I lost my little right and ended up on the bank

just short of out of bounds and had no shot of going for it but I can't wait that's probably I'm sure we're going to get on to the fifth everyone talks about and holds later on but I can't wait. That's probably, I'm sure we're going to get on to the fifth. Everyone talks about in holes later on, but I can't wait to watch how players approach that in 2019 aggressively, because we all sort of think, well, almost, I can't remember, we all had sort of 100 yard shots into that hole. It really cool, bold green. I think, to be honest, one of the probably top two, three holes we played on the whole trip. Yeah, and it was, it's not, like you said, it kind of made it over shadow because when we get to the fifth, the views come in.

It's not a great, like necessarily a great view hole, but it's just a real strong golf hole. Yeah. I like dog leg left, par fours like that, or kind of, it's not even a dog leg left. It just kind of sets you off to hit a little right to left shot to that green guarded by the dunes.

And I mean, it was, I flushed a drive and still had six iron into it. And then we weren't even playing it from that far back. I mean, it's a golf hole. And, but then yeah, you get to the fifth and it's like the famous port rush hole. It's where all the drone pictures we took are basically from, like a dog leg right downhill, incredible view of the sea. You can see like these giant cliffs up to your right. You can see islands in the distance, the scary,

you can see the scariest from down that hole, couldn't you? Yeah, yeah, from up top there, just sort of beyond the left-hand side of the green from where you're looking. Yeah, and it's maybe drivable in the right wind. We hit good drives and we are a clean 50 yards short of the green. It's about 379, I think the whole place or something like that. I'm so happy we hit good drives and we are a clean fifty yards short of the green is about three seventy nine i think the whole place of something so happy we

hit good t-shirts that's one of the one of the shots of the trip where you can imagine telling people about playing in the same old what did you do in the fifth and i'm glad that i can see or we can both say we've picked it right down the middle i'm sure we'll get on to happen after that as well yeah jamey not on made birdie uh... i i i double i made two triples in the first three holes. So I was a little rattled And I was able to roll in a birdie that I thought was gonna call me down But it most certainly did not and so Jamie and I played off the same handicap for this trip

And you wiped the slate with me by 13 shots at Port Rush So later we determined that we don't we probably are not supposed to be the same handicap, but That hole and then there's so we get up there and there's like a wedding going on on the beach like right to the right There's all kinds of people down on the beach and the sun popped out perfectly for that whole again We got ridiculously good weather and that was that was the most photogenic and like scenic hole We've played the sound of the waves coming up was and like scenic hole we've played. The sound of the waves coming up was deafening and I just wanted to stay out there forever. We went out there and hung out there a little bit

after the round just kind of taking in the sights and that's one of my favorite places I've ever been on a golf course. Oh, no, that was, I think I've read the, the Dream Golf Book about bending tunes and I've read a few other books on course design and they always talk about if you've got a plot of land next to the ocean, how do you build your've got a plot of land next to the ocean

how do you build your holes do you get everyone out to the ocean as quickly as possible and play along it or do you play as many holes that are sort of like pebble beach to go along the water with the cliffs on one side and I remember them saying that Almost every hole and I think bandin did it pretty well that The spectacular hole is having one hole that just goes straight out and then playing away along and having that Almost infinity loop behind the green in the t-shirt and like you said we I mean I think I took a video of standing on the back of the green when you're reputting Turning around and there's like you said there's a wedding going on in the beach There's tons of people out in the beach because it's Saturday

There's surfers in the water and then if you look out over the course you can probably see 50 to 200 people playing golf. I mean, it's like you said, it was one of those spots we could have sat there for an hour, just in awe of everything around us and the whole of the expectations and making birdie doesn't hurt either. I think, and that's what I always say, I don't like to rank courses that we play because your experiences can be totally different with weather, who you play with, how you play. Yeah. And county down, we had to roll who you play with, how you play. Yeah.

And county down, we had to roll out of the car, roll straight to the tee. We didn't get to play with a member. Port Rush, we got to go there early. We got to hit some balls. We got to have lunch in the clubhouse. We got to play with a member as a four ball. The whole thing felt, it was a longer experience. The county down was at, by the end of the round, I was like, wow, it was a longer experience, you know, the county down was at by the end of

the round. I was like, wow, that was, that was it. Like we, that was like less than four hours. And it was over so quickly. Whereas poor rush, we just, that a nice, we weren't, we weren't, we didn't play slow by any means, but it was just an overall experience that kind of, kind of hits your senses in deeper than our experience at county down. That's not an endorsement or a bad thing about County Down at all. It's just kind of the way we experienced it. And that was, and then like you said, so that right there, I know it's probably hard

to picture on a podcast, but so you turn right there and that's where the seventh, so you play a part three, the sixth part three back, which I love that whole too. I love that was a great whole. And then the seventh runs right along, you kind of walk a little distance down and you'll play the new seventh as a par five. You won't quite see the water from that hole. It doesn't look like it's kind of sits low beneath the dunes that protect the land from the ocean. And that whole setting there where you can see the new holes, you're

on the fifth green, you see the sixth tee just kind of rolls into the sixth tee. That was probably one of my favorite moments of the trip. The views from that spot, I mean that new 7th tall, I'm sure it wasn't designed with Pro Tracer in mind, but if they open, don't put Pro Tracer on that hole. They're either minding. The massive June on the right hand side uphill to the left is to the 8th tall, so show this valley that you said meanders back and forth had a huge new bunker that looked like it had been there for hundreds of years sort of uphill. I mean if it I think we said if it's playing into the wind it's like a four or five shot per five it looks like I'm sure they'll they'll handle it pretty well but just one of the cool spots on

the course there which is there's quite a few and that's one thing if you're looking at all these courses and I think we spoke about it, you know, we debated over a pint at one point, so our best views on golf courses and things. And just a little spots where you can, if you're away and you didn't mind and you could take your time and the one thing that I felt we got with playing with David and having the day, we got to feel like what it was like to be a member there. Some of the other courses you feel like you're visiting and you don't want to sort of overstep the mark in certain ways, but David made his feel at home

with the lunch before and getting see inside the club house. We rolled into the members locker room without knowing if there was anywhere else. Luckily, we were. We were meant to be there, but just a really cool experience to see what it's like to be a member there and get the feel and take our time and go round and let you Said the weather was like ridiculously perfect. I think at one point and could have had shorts on it. It was just amazing

But yeah, those views on on that little stretch of holes was something I'll never remember never forget Yeah, and that's I feel like you know We spend a lot of time talking about those but it didn't it didn't stop there I mean, I think the front nine is maybe a bit more dramatic, but there was also some great holes on the back. I'm sure I'm going to remember specifically the whole numbers, but what about the par three calamity? Yeah, so calamity is 14. I was talking to my dad, he was asking all about the trip, I think just after I go back last night. The holes 13 through 16, which as you explained earlier 1718

are getting scrapped for the open course. So they'll actually finish on 16 as it is now. So this will be the sort of final stretch of holes and 13 if you remember is that almost semi blind nothing much t-shirt you sort of hit over the top of a hill. David said just keep it to the left side. We all hit good t-shirts. Then we've got this really cool into the wind and finity green shot. I think they remove gorse behind the green so it's a really cool visual into this kind of small sloping back to front green. That was a great hole. Again, I won't probably want my favorites on the course. And then you go on to calamity, which is this really famous, probably most famous hole at Port Rush, it's got a huge ditch, grassy ditch before it. I don't know about you but I

remember when it's a little like playing 16 at Soulgrass and when you're playing the whole before you sort of take a peek over it, the par three, because you know it's coming, you've heard about it and I think I dropped my bag near the tea and looked at it and then we're walking onto the tea, I was expecting to reach for like a wedge or a nine hour and I thought it was most of these holds, I think I dropped my bag near the tea and looked at it and then we're walking on to tea I was expecting to reach for like a wedge or a nine iron. I thought it was most of these holds I think me and you said that there's a hole really like it a tray leaf or the the sort of big huge ditch And you got to carry it all to get to this green But we got up there and it was I mean what was it like 205 yards? Maybe into slight breeze from the white tees and the other tees behind us. I mean those guys, if they get a breeze into them from 220 to 30, it is all carry. Like if you're short

or if you're even right a little bit, like you are in and you're in hell, like you can't get out of that or you're I'm sorry, you're not there's no bouncing out of that. Like you are up on it and that it could bound down 40 yards if it if you're not careful. Yeah, I think I think Keith hit a shot there. There's It was a good shot. It got caught by the wind a little bit. Just probably was two yards from being on the green pitched and went short-right. To give everyone an idea, David wouldn't even come down. He's the nicest man in the world. He wouldn't even come down and help Luke because he was worried about his back going down that hill.

Your ball can chase, I think it was from the tee looking down over the right hand side, it was probably like 60-70 feet down to the valley course from there, so you felt really high up and it was a really cool old school, links, par three. I hit it just left of the green and I think David said that was like, it's called Bobby Locke's Hollow or something, when the open was there I think back in the 50s, he, I mean he was one of the best golfers in the world at that point. He just aimed to miss the green left. He just took the right side out of play and just hit into that little hollow every day

and tried to make par from there. Yeah. So yeah, like you said, the 16th is going to play. 15th is a really cool drivable par 4. It's 360, but the last half is just straight down the hill. Keith and I pounded it on the green. I kind of, I was pretty, pretty wimpy on my, my Eagle attempt, but then the 16th, I think it was really fun hole. It's going to be the 18th hole. Dog leg right, part four. The guys are going to probably have

around, around 190, probably about what we had into it because we couldn't take driver on it. And so the guys are going to be able to take driver, because we couldn't take driver on it. And so the guys are gonna be able to take driver from the back tees on it. But you gotta hit it like a round, you're gonna have an almost blind shot if you're too far right. And then there's these big mounds around the green that frame the green really well.

You got you three, Keith, you, they've all hit these ridiculous long irons that all hit the slope to the right and bound them down towards the whole You and Keith were in their real tight and you you want to tell what happened? No, no, I'm going to concentrate on the design I mean this is gonna be the last hole of the open championship We need to we need to discuss what it's gonna play like for the pros and I'm sure they could have made that three-foot pup But I certainly didn't but yeah, like you said I think it'll be so much fun watching that. You've got that part three, the drive will part four that you guys showed what you can do there.

I mean, I hit a decent drive, it went a little left of where David told us to aim it, and I had a horrible like 70 yard shot over a pop bunker that I hit to like 20 feet, and I was fist bumping because there's nothing else to do. You guys both, So anyone could probably see eagles there, you'll see doubles there. And then 18 light you say, you have to hit to the corner. I don't know that there's even going to be an option to go round the corner a little bit. So it's just going to be a ball striking test with that second shot. They're going to have to hit probably.

I think it's into the prevailing win. So like 190 yards into a win to sort of semi-bind. You can't maybe see the bottom of the pin, but they've got plenty of room there to put this sort of huge stand. It's not quite a right-angled 90-degree dog leg, but it's a pretty sharp dog leg and it would just be such a cool hole to finish on.

And we got to play two holes after that, but that's obviously where the open hole finish and I'm pumped to watch it. Yeah, so you's obviously where the open of finishing come to watch it. Yeah, so you played, you were coming up the 18th, Dave and I ran into the Rathmore Club you'll fix. I wanted to see pictures of GMax trophy and whatnot, and you were nursing that one under par round and we came back, first of all Keith had ejected and hit one under the stream, and we came back, you were in the middle of the fairway, and then you hit just short of the green, and you left yourself about an eight footer,

and you say on 18. I knew what it was for. I was nervous for you. I was one under on 16, good tee shot. Her luckiest approach there, went to three feet, got nervous, pushed it. 17's a par five, I just didn't play well, dine it, but managed to make par

18 is a tough t-shirt. There's gore's left bunkers right and win going left to right and I just crossed the drive I mean I was I don't I don't have a club twirl game as such but I think I ultimately club twirled that one I mean those just came right out the middle one done the middle of fairway and I was eyeing this nine iron down the pin But came up short the green and I hit a pot, yeah, I hit a pot to about seven or eight feet and you guys all potted out and I think you were walking behind me to go get the pin and you just said roll it in, Jamie. I knew exactly that you knew what it was for.

I knew what, I mean, I now know what the pressure was like to make the cut, I felt like I had this to, to earn my paycheck from my family and I was going back and forth over it and whatever I did with the pot of my to sneak in the left edge and there was a little sort by my pocket fist pump going on there and you gave me a big high five and you knew what it was for. So yeah, I mean I think you're right in that course is going to be skewed depending on how you played but it's just so rewarding to play well and run to course and it's a data. I won't forget and nice to make that

pop. Just be honest, you were happy to beat David, which is miraculous after what I did. I had no idea. I mean, I think I said to you, David said his lowest round was four under, and I think I said to you, after the grind, what did he shoot like three, four under and you said he was one over even par. I think he said five. after the Ryan Pond did he shoot like 3-4 under and you said he was one over even par I think he said he did, yeah If I had known that there's no way that part in the last one All those in the hole I mean I would pure

Carstice safer his generosity I would have probably tried to miss that on purpose but I couldn't believe it I mean I've been saying Dave was one of the most impressive golfers I've ever seen and that includes the fact that I've spent three or four years working on tour. He's just such control over his ball and just generally nice guy. And I think he feeds into a little bit of what you can expect from a trip to Ireland when you go inside some of these club houses and pro shops and bars and people are just are happy to, you know, be friendly, give you tips, you know, go out of their way to show you.

And I think we got that the next day with Chris as well. And just showed you a little bit before you get beyond golf and you go to these places. And we know why they're happy, because we found out in general what their general rates are that they pay to be members of this place. And if you're listening to this from the states, it'll make you nauseous.

You might want to skip the next couple of minutes because sometimes yeah it's estimates but it's not more than like an annual fee i don't want to say not more i know that like for port steward i think it's less than a thousand pounds annually uh... he said he pays nine hundred pounds to remember there and he also said that when he was a student nearby his his annual membership for Royal Port Rush, which is open course, one of the best courses in the world, his annual fees as a student were 70 pounds for the year.

I'm legitimately thinking of becoming an overseas member somewhere just because it's so affordable. And just so I could say that I'm a member of some of these places. I got legitimately thinking about it. Yeah, and that was a cool like it say that i'm a member of some of these places i got legitimately thinking about it so yeah and that was a good i think i think i think i was a cool thing about port russia we got on a saturday and they had a competition going on but it was a bustling members club there was the bar the scurries room that were in before there was

lots of people in there there's kids on the driving range there was you know plenty of people practicing shipping there's a players playing the competition they had their a gm going on their, the locker room was busy, it's just really cool to see a top course in good condition, but yet, all their members are playing, everyone smiling, friendly, waving, everyone just kind of knows how lucky they are, it was really cool. Yeah, that was a blast. And like I said, the the course I think it looks they for all the work They've done to it redoing some greens. He's telling stories of yeah, they completely operated this green and yeah

Just redid it. I thought it was in fantastic shape the the peripheries of it like aren't perfect They're doing so don't work with gore's planning some stuff here and moving some stuff around and kind of there Was a little bit of a mess, but they flop the seventh and ninth holes for us, but I think that's gonna be fine Yeah And kind of there was a little bit of a mess, but they flop the seventh and ninth holes for us, but I think that's going to be fine. Yeah. And I was really impressed by it. I'm excited to see what they have. I think the one thing to tell people is they're ever going to play, and we didn't really notice it until, you know, you asked if you could take your drone out afterwards, and we went down to that spot by five, and you got some shots from there, but I'd heard it before but I didn't realize that when we're going, but if you come to the course from I guess it's the east side, there's a sort of coastal road that you drive in, and you can turn a corner and you just see these golf courses down below you in front of the dunes. We didn't get

to do that drive, but I've heard about it before, and so if anyone's ever coming, try and come in from that east road because we saw that, probably the best light, you could see it, the sort of sun was going down as we were going and parking by the beach there. And it's just that view of Port Rush and Fenty U, the Valley course, the Parthrae course. I mean, huge big sand dunes, beaches. I mean, it's just spectacular. I mean, I think our Instagram feeds are full of it now, but really cool just to drive in that way if you're ever doing it. Awesome. And then, so we learned Port Rush is big fans of arcades. It is basically a town a town full of arcades. Yeah every second place it was has like the arcade games and machines

and toys and yeah they must have got captured market if everyone wanted to play them. So we went out down at the recommendation of several people. We went to Harbor Bar. And as a three, rolling up on a Saturday night, three of us, ask for a table, yeah, be about an hour, 45 minutes, which didn't surprise me based on how much it was bustling there.

It was, I mean, so we put our name in and went upstairs to the bar, ordered some appetizers, had some beers, and that was the most lively scene I saw in Northern Ireland for sure. Went down there, had dinner there, it was great dinner, rolled up to the downstairs bar, and was it you knew where Darren Clark's spot was in the bar, his seat? Yeah, David had actually said when we were playing so Darren's got a house just on the far side of Port Russian. I think it's remorse the complex isn't it? It's got three or four different bars and restaurants down at the harbor and he'd said

oh yeah, harbor bar if Darren's ever in Tyneville or C. I mean he's got a spot in this tiny little room only fits 10 people or so there's only about 10 seats and we've just got lucky that we could roll in there but yeah that was his spot and so we went in there and had a few Guinness and talked about our shops and David most of the time. Yep, Willie hooked us up there, I'll be definitely getting back, I'm going back for the Irish open and I'm definitely going to be heading back to Harbor Bar, we've got a business card, Willie you got to save a spot for me. But you fell in, because we were staying in Ty staying behind in ordering and I got up to give an order and it was

packed. It was like three deep in the bar and I sort of thought to myself, we're at local bar, I don't want to order something. And even Guinness, we didn't see that many other people drinking Guinness. We were in the minority. Most people drinking cider or having something else. And so I thought bush mills distilleries quite nearby and I'm not gonna lie. I'm gonna tell you the honest truth now The only reason I ordered the 12 was because 10 was the youngest one they had they had ones all of it up to 25 I think and I'm being Scottish. I just don't always order the second cheapest thing on the menu So when I went up to order I said can I just get three bush mills 12 and he was like

So when I went up to order, I said, can I just get three bush mills, 12, and he was like, he stopped everything. He was like, no, that's an order. That is an order, and he poured it for me. He came through and introduced himself. He gave us, took selfies with us, gave us hugs, poured us another one, gave us a free Guinness sat down with us. I think, remember, he bought a round, put it down, he was running around the bar. I mean, this bar was packed on a Saturday night.

There's only two people working. And we couldn't get him sit down. We just kept coming over and say hi. Then he came over and just dunged, dunged whiskey, dunged a Guinness, and then like shook our hands and went back to work. He was, that was planned. I almost felt like it was a legendary move though.

That must be his trick, right? Yeah, exactly. He had like 30 seconds to talk to us and then went back to work. But yeah, we had a blast there. That was a really fun vibe. So thanks to everyone that sent those recommendations. But made sure I wasn't horribly hung over for our 910 Tea

Time at Port Stewart. Met up with my good friend. Not my good friend. I barely know him, but he's a great guy. Chris McCourt, who's a member of their port Stewart, he and I played some golf together last summer in Dublin. And we met up for 18 more holes. This is port Stewart's where they're hosting

the Dubai Duty free Irish Open this year. Everyone had hyped up the opening t-shot, saying it's the most dramatic opening t-shot in golf. Hands down, the best opening t-shot I've ever seen. I was amazing. I mean we must have spent 10-50 minutes taking photos and selfies there but just outside the clubhouse like you don't really get. I think we were talking about it and I we'd both heard it was this dramatic opening T-Shot and you don't get any sense of it driving in. You park on the other side of the clubhouse, you park on this tiny little park

green then you walk across and then you just see this huge drop in front of you down to a dog leg park, sorry, dog leg right around the goers and then the goers meets the beach which meets the water. I mean it's just unbelievable. There was some cars down there, people hitting and yeah, just the ocean to the right, the whole golf course to the left, and this huge drop elevated to you is spectacular. The dunes there are second to car, and I think the biggest that I've seen on a golf course, they're massive, and they're also in the background framing that hole. Those first couple holes at Port Stewart were phenomenal.

That open shot is great. The second hole is kind of a quirky little hole, but you're hitting a t-shirt around this massive dune to this tiny little postage stamp green. The Sunday, so I said something about the pins, and I think a member of responded to me saying, yep, those are the Sunday pins. They were barely on the greens.

It looked like green skippers revenge. I don't think we're gonna see a lot of those for the Irish Open. Maybe we will, I don't know we're going to see a lot of those for the Irish Open. Maybe we will. I don't know. It depends. We're in some crazy locations. But I thought Port Stewart was really fun.

The Greens had not quite taken full form yet. Then I imagine they're probably pacing themselves a bit with the Irish Open coming up. But there's some areas marked off where they think players are going to be hitting wedges from that you had to hit off plastic mats. But otherwise, a lot of the courses in great shape. I mean, that was a tougher walk.

It was a little bit more hilly and the dunes there are especially dramatic, but I mean, a great wrap up to the course. I think we kind of all agree. We probably wish we played them in reverse order just because we literally played 10% of the top 20 courses in the world before we got on a port stew or any. Of course, it was fantastic. I really did enjoy it. I had a lot of fun. And we had a great four ball. And I don't know, that like I said, it's just impossible to compare those other two, but

so they have a lot of new T-boxes for the Irish Open as well. Those have taken great shape and they look super green and very aesthetically pleasing. Again, the teas are up for where the guys the guys are gonna be playing it from we played as far back as we could No, actually we played a one up there. I got a I got a correct myself. Yeah, we played fights. Yeah, but What anything else what what's look out to you about ports to it? Just the first eight holes. I think we we were all sending pictures of the first hole and I one of the guys at Food Joy takes me and said, oh, the best opening nine in golf or something. I didn't know what we're in for. The second hole, you say, is just this amazing shot between the dunes, but every hole goes out between the dunes, really cool par threes. But those first eight holes,

generally, probably some of the most fun golf I've ever played. Yeah. Whether you're playing good or bad, just the challenge of the different shots. You didn't hit two shots, they were nearly the same over the first eight holes. And then you sort of come back to the clubhouse and go off into a different part of the golf course. And back nine is a little weaker.

The last three holes just sort of go up and down, come back to the clubhouse. But some nice features in there as well. But those first eight holes are just unbelievable. Some of the views, some of the dunes, some of the greens, I remember the par threes always being like that. Yeah, a really fun walk. We'll be interesting to see how they stage it for the Irish open. There'll be some really cool views like you said, some new teas and the greens will be in good condition when they get there. But I mean on TV it could look absolutely spectacular but some of the angles that they can have.

Oh, it's definitely going to look good on TV. I think we had talked a bit about on the strip, but I know I just cited the top 100 list a couple times on this podcast, but how we kind of don't like course rankings because they kind of mess with your expectations a little bit. And going into it, we both kind of wonder, we were kind of surprised that this wasn't ranked as a top 100 course in the world. I've definitely not played all of them, but it would not surprise me to see it on a top 100 list. I think you found one where it was ranked there in the 90s or something like that, but

I was surprised it wasn't ranked higher amongst Ireland golf courses. I've only played maybe 10 golf courses in Ireland. And I mean, it ranks, again, I'm not like ranking them, but right there in the middle towards the top of the pack of some of the best courses I've played there. I think that probably just talks into a little bit of how good all the courses are in that area. Everyone we've played with said all you, and I think you find out everywhere you go, you play the sort of headline ones that people have heard about, but there's little courses

in between and everyone, you've got to go play Castle Rock while you're here in Bali, Lutton and all these other courses. So, you know, they're like, let you say, the rankings are so just personal. I mean, what you like might all be what I like and you just got to play as many as you can together, a real understanding of it. And what, you know, I really like, I'm, I'm now falling in love with Link's Golf after this trip again. It's just really cool, but it's really subjective and up to each person. And there's just so much to choose from. And these areas of why you find in England, Scotland, and Ireland,

it's just so lucky and all the courses you've got here. Yeah, go out and enjoy the walk and don't don't think about where you rank the course Don't worry. I don't know. I just don't and everyone always wants to know my favorites and rank my favorites And I've said as many times like it's just about going out there and enjoying it It's not about it meeting expectations or Or you know, it doesn't have to live up to a certain height just go out do you enjoy playing this golf course? What kind of experience is it and man? I mean the three that we played here were all unique experiences.

There's not a links course I've played in Ireland that I said this on the trip. If you plot me down in the middle of one of the fairways and had gave me two seconds to name where I was, I could tell you where it was. They all have their own distinct characteristics and quirks and gimmicks and parts that just make them unique and so much fun. I mean, we, I don't know, I've gotten to be, I've gotten so lucky with the golf I've played just in the last two months that I feel like I'm feeling like I'm getting spoiled playing all these golf courses, but I'm dedicating myself to not losing perspective on how

special these places are and just true bucket list places to play. I mean, it's, I'm still on a high. We're recording this on Monday, right after the trip. I was on a high all day. And I can't wait to go back. I definitely want to go back to the area and play more. Yeah. We've got to talk about the back nine as well. You almost had the ultimate bounce back on the back nine there.

I did. It got a little ugly. That's what I, my game started to come together at the end of the trip. And on 12, was it the par three? Yeah. I was posing on a on a nine iron that landed 10 feet from the cup, but landed on the wrong side of the hole and fell back into a bunker that was really sandy. I took a six. It did not go well.

I made two, I birded the next two holes or par five is quite reachable. I birdied both of those and then stuck one in there on a par-3 to about five feet and gagged the putt. But yeah, the game was starting to come together. I think I had 76, you had 74. And I played off five that round, you played off three. So that was well handicapped. But you guys took me and me, you and Chris McCourt

took me and Keith down and we had to buy lunch, which we would gladly do because that was a, I don't know, that was a great way to wrap up the trip to, sharing again, a fight against great clubhouse view. You could see the golf course and the ocean from, from that clubhouse, a great locker room as well. Just the overall, just the presence and the feeling at all these places is just, man, it's just kind of just, I don't know how to say without sounding cheesy, but just like, it just tickles your, the golfers soul. Like it really but just like, it just tickles the golfers soul.

Like, it really is just a, it's an experience. It really is. Yeah. And so you get so much from, I think, you almost have to plan to have a bit more time when you go to these places. I mean, how long did it take us to walk down the stairs or Royal County's Dio, or how long did it take us to walk

around the locker room in Port Rush? There's just, these courses have so much history, such cool photos of, I don't think you were talking to the guys in the scariest room, but when we walked out of the scariest room, they had these amazing pictures of when the Port Rush held the open and sort of Bobby Locke and people like that were playing and the crowds, just these black and white photos, just spectacular lookbacks at the history of the courses and they all have, you know, young pictures of Darren and Rory and G-Mac and trophies, and it's just really cool to the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of the top of It's all in one and it's it's it was cool to do it all that way and get recommendations and play with locals And you know you get a lot tips and from the followers and stuff like that

It just all came together and we're sort of pinching ourselves in the way home because we had like you say playing 20% of the top 20 golf courses in the world in 24 hours and then having an amazing day at Port Stewart as well. It's Pretty lucky. Yeah. Yeah, it's Man, it's pretty awesome. So special thanks again to Steven at County Down, David as well for having us out at Port Rush and for Chris as well playing with us at Port Stewart. And for anyone else that's sending tips or anything like that, and we're definitely be back in the area, so looking to play some other courses up there as well, but drop off at Belfast International, and then it was all over, but we'll always have the seventh, my friend.

We'll always have the seventh, and just as we were leaving, it starts to rain, so. Perfect. Your good riders, good weather continue to do. It was a blast to be there, and good fun playing with you and Keith, and we'll have to do it again sometime. Cool. Jamie, thanks for helping organize the trip. Thanks for giving me the call to come along and thanks for coming on the podcast and we'll talk to you soon, buddy.

It's a good man's nickname. Cheers. Give it a big round of applause. Be the right club today. Yes. Yeah. That's better than most. How about him?

That is better than most. Better than most! Expect anything different? Anything different?