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Golfing tips
Ireland
has a temperate climate, which means no extremes of heat or cold.
Temperatures between May and September are usually in the mid teens
to low twenties. The coldest months are December, January and February.
Generally the country receives little snow and is the first European
landfall to receive the warmth of the Gulf Stream and the coastal
areas are rarely if ever affected by frost. Ireland's climate allows
for year round golf, but with the arrival of spring growth and more
heat in the air golfers tend to enjoy their sport more regularly,
April through to October.
The Rain
It
rains in Ireland. Not a lot more than in any other temperate climate
country but enough to give every chance of a "soft" day. It
is not usually a full day affair but there is enough of it around to
suggest you bring rain gear. A visit to our on line shop can offer you
a great selection of rainwear. In the knowledge that golf naturally evolved
in this type of climate we suggest you be prepared and enjoy!
What to Bring
If you are a serious golfer then bring your full selection of clubs. The championship
courses are tough challenges and if you really want to excel you have no choice
but to take all your clubs. It can be awkward though, pulling and pushing the
big bag in and out of compact sized cars up and down the country, For the more
modest golfer, a light bag, 2 woods, your favorite mid irons, a couple of high
irons and your putter will cover the lot. Bring your wet gear and wet shoes,
and the lighter dry ones just in case! Umbrellas can be handy too when it is
raining and not windy. You can have fairly strong gusts on the links and in
this situation an umbrella is useless
Equipment
Anywhere there is a professional shop attached to the course you wish to play,
you will be able to hire playing equipment. You should also make advance arrangement
to hire the clubs as on some occasions demand can outstrip supply. You should
bring your own footwear though, and the normal tee shirts, sweaters, etc. We
hope to open our golf online shop soon offering great value in quality goods.
The Daylight Hours
You can get sufficient daylight to play golf up to 11pm late June to the end
of July. This adds about four hours to the normal golfing day and gives the
golfer the opportunity to get in an extra 18 holes at this time of the year.
Generally you can expect daylight from 7am up to at least 8pm in May, and August
through to mid September.
Caddies
There are caddy services available at all of the high profile clubs, Portmarnock,
Ballybunion, Royal County Down etc. The fee can vary from IR£10 to IR£25
depending on your requirement. Arrangements and fee payments should always
be made direct with caddy master. You would also be expected to "tip" the
caddy directly.
Spiked
Golf Shoes
In more recent years there has been a small but nonetheless, growing number
of clubs, operating a "soft spikes" policy. All clubs accept soft
spikes but if you travel with metal spikes the club professional will change
them "on the spot" at a charge of about IR£6.
Pull
Carts/Motorised Buggies
There are plenty of pull carts available at virtually all clubs. These usually
cost about £2 to hire. Motorised buggies are becoming increasingly available
but the "fleet" rarely exceeds six or eight. Some clubs, particularly
the links, because of the severity of the undulating terrain and a wish to
maintain the old traditions, do not have this service. Cost? About IR£15/IR£20
per round. Arrangements to hire should be made in advance.
Handicap
Certificates
Most clubs reserve the right to see your handicap certificate. In practice,
handicap certificates are seldom if ever requested. However, if you wish to
enter an "open competition" it would be essential to have your handicap
certificate available as evidence of your handicap for scoring purposes. The
advice would be to bring one just in case.
Club
House Dress Code
The informality of Irish golf is well expressed in clubhouse regulations. Generally,
smart casual attire is acceptable in all areas of the clubhouse. In some of
the larger city clubs, men would be expected to wear jacket and tie at dinner
or other evening functions
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