May the force be with us
Translated by AI
It’s day two of our links golf expedition, and we’re heading even further north and changing countries as well. Perhaps galaxies too?
After a hearty Irish breakfast it’s time to head north. True, we played along Ireland’s north coast yesterday, but you can actually get even further north on the Inishowen peninsula. First, though, we have to cross the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
It’s hard to imagine a less dramatic border crossing. There’s actually no visible border at all. The only thing you notice is that the speed signs are now in km/h and the gas prices in euros. We can only hope it stays this way after Brexit, but that’s another (sad) story.
The road we’re on now is the start of the Wild Atlantic Way, a route with very dramatic views that runs along the whole west coast of Ireland. It isn’t really a single road, more a route you can follow to see the most beautiful things the west of Ireland has to offer. Many people come to Ireland just for the views along the coast road. For us golfers it’s a fantastic bonus on top of the links golf we’re here for. And we’ll probably have time for a few of the sights.
After just under an hour we’ve come as far north as you can get on the Wild Atlantic Way. Right in the bend where the road turns south is the entrance to Ireland’s northernmost golf club, Ballyliffin Golf Club.
Ballyliffin is one of the absolute highlights of a trip full of highlights. There are two fantastic golf courses here, Glashedy Links and the Old Course.
It’s actually rather unlikely to find two such fine courses up here in the far northwest corner of Ireland. County Donegal is one of the poorest areas in all of Ireland. And sure enough, for a long time there was no proper golf course in this area. But there was plenty of land suited to golf, and golf was played, albeit in simpler circumstances with a tin shed for a clubhouse.
But in the early 1970s they scraped together some money, bought 400 acres (160 hectares) of land and planned a golf course, and in 1973 Ballyliffin Golf Club opened with its 18-hole course in traditional links style.
But the story doesn’t end there. In the 1990s the government decided to invest in golf tourism, and suddenly money was available. At first the plan was to modernize the existing course, but when course designer Pat Ruddy (who also designed his very own course, the European Club) saw the perfect surroundings, he persuaded the members to let him design a second 18-hole course. The result exceeded all expectations: one of Ireland’s best courses, Glashedy Links.
This is what Pat Ruddy himself says about the course and “the golden triangle”: “It is my thinking that anyone can detect a buried elephant but that it is so easy to miss a buried insect. The golfer with bad nerves and poor eyes, certainly with a strong cross-wind added, is fodder to the course designer.” And he continues: “Add in a few other elements such as deep bunkers, steep slopes for the wayward golfer, uphill and downhill stances on the fairways and life is never dull in this place.” Now you understand how he thinks, but does it help? No, you have to play many rounds here before you can count on playing to your handicap.
So why is this post called “May the force be with us”? Because scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi were filmed at Malin Head, Ireland’s northernmost point, just up the road here on Inishowen. But of course also because you really need the force on this tough course.
Alla inlägg i serien från Irland
This article by Bo Sjosten was originally published in Swedish on our sister site Golfjournalen.se. It has been translated by AI.