Golf Road Trips

dressed to a tee grew out of a small bunch of golfers who met each year to go on trips to the links courses of Ireland. Each Summer we threw our sticks in the back of the car, along with a few tents and provisions and headed west to the emerald isle. There was golf to be played, and a cup to be won, but more than that there were friendships to be forged and experiences to be had.

We played some of the great courses of Ireland - Waterville, Tralee and Connemara and experienced golf as our ancestors had done on the links before us - the sandy dunes, the marram grasses and the sea air. We practiced our punch shots and our bump and runs, sometimes in the sun-shine, sometimes in the wind and the rain.

We haggled for student rates at the courses we played, and provoked a friendly response from most, passionate about the game and eager to see young people embracing the sport. Often we had to take the early bird tee time, waking in darkness, scrambling round our tents for tees, balls and clothes and teeing off at dawn on to dew soaked fairways. Often we would sneak back on in the twilight hours as well.

In the evening we set up camp in a local farmer's field, ate fish and chips on the beach and retired to the pub to discuss the days birdies and bogeys. On a good day we'd carry on the banter into the early hours and one night we even survived the remnants of Hurricane Erica. There were casualties in the camp site, but nothing a good full Irish breakfast and 18 holes at Waterville couldn't sort out.

There were winners and losers, as there are with any sport. But these 'endless summer' trips were about a group of friends just getting out there and playing, it was golf at its most simplest, an uncomplicated connection between great landscapes, great friends and a great sport. We were living the golfing lifestyle we aspired to, traveling, meeting new people and playing the game we loved, in a way we loved.

Our golfing adventures continued as we discovered new places to go. We headed across the channel to France - playing at Biarritz and Le Touquet. We discovered the hidden Welsh gems of Harlech and Nefyn and even took on the Atlas Mountains, mint tea and belly dancers on 'The Road To Marrakech' in Morocco. All these trips mixed our wanderlust with our passion for playing golf and gave us the inspiration to create dressed to a tee.

Read the latest on our golf road trips at the shack.

TOUR ITINERARIES

1995 Ireland - Bandon, Kilarney, Waterville, Tralee

1996 Ireland - Bandon, Kenmare, Waterville, Tralee, Kilarney, Kinsale

1997 Ireland - Fota Island, Cork, Lisselan, Kenmare, Waterville, Tralee, Lahinch, Connemara

1998 Ireland - Faithlegg, Tramore, Cork, Old Head, Waterville, Dooks, Ballybunion 'Old', Adare, Shannon

2002 Ireland - The European, Mount Juliet, Fota Island, Cork, Waterville, Dingle, Tralee

2003 Wales - Nefyn & District, Royal St Davids, Conwy

2004 France - Le Touquet 'Foret', Golf d'Hardelot 'Les Dunes', AA Saint-Omer, Golf de Wimereux, Golf de Nampont-St-Martin, Le Touquet 'La Mer'

2005 France - Golf de belle Dune, Le Touquet 'La Mer', Le Touquet 'Foret', Golf d'Hardelot 'Les Dunes', Golf d'Hardelot 'Les Pins', Golf de Belle Dune

2006 France - Makila GC Bassussary, Golf de Seignosse, Golf du Phare Biaritz, Golf du Moliets, Golf d'Arcangues

2007 Wales - Aberdovy, Conwy, Porthmadog, Royal St Davids, Pwllheli, Nefyn & District

2008 Morocco - Golf Dar Es Salem 'Blue', Golf Dar Es Salem 'Red', Royal Golf Marrakech, Palmeraie Golf, Palmeraie Golf, Amelkis Golf

2009 South West - Saunton West, Saunton East, Trevose, St Enodoc, Burnham & Berrow, Burnham & Berrow