Our penultimate day in Ireland meant M&M went off to play one final round of golf while P&G extended their Pit Day in Kilkenny. We planned to reunite in Dublin at days end for dinner.
The European Club is the brainchild of Pat Ruddy, one of Ireland’s most prolific course designers. He began as a golf writer then morphed to publishing a golf magazine before taking on golf architecture. His dream was to build his own links course which he finally achieved in 1992 having discovered the perfect landscape in Brittas Bay south of Dublin in the early 80’s.
We had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ruddy on the first tee and enjoyed ten minutes of his story telling and humorous antidotes. His pride in what he created and spent the past 30 years tweaking to improve was very evident. Then it was into the teeth of what transpired to be the most challenging and strategic course I’ve faced, maybe ever.
The club does not have nor permit caddies so if you wish to walk, versus take a cart, it’s carry or pull. We chose the latter given it was not just sunny but hot (22C/72F). Our fabulous weather record continues.
Ruddy’s design philosophy is to make you think on the tee because the view presents a dilemma of what shot length, direction and shape to play. In his words, “much is calculated deception inducing white knuckles on the club.” Objective achieved!
A unique feature are the incredible bunkers. Extra deep to stop the sand blowing away, faced with vertical wooden bulkheads, topped by 2 – 3 foot eyebrows where you could lose a ball.
The course runs along the Irish Sea and up and down a series of dunes.
The flowering season of the gorse is coming to an end but one bush in particular was incredible. A beautiful but viciously thorny plant that attracts golf balls.
Because there’s enough land and, in Ruddy’s words, you can’t have too much golf, the course is actually 20 holes. There is a 7a and a 12a. Both are testing par 3’s that flow into the routing. Unfortunately we couldn’t pick our best 18 hole score at the end. Also, the 15th hole has the world’s longest green at 127 yards. Can you imagine the 3 putts?
And so ends our adventure. Fifteen links courses played in 20 days. Add in the Pit days and our extra long weekend in Dublin at the start and it’s been nearly a month of unique sights and experiences. Thanks to P&G for helping make this a wonderful trip.
And we’re already planning the next one. Australia sand belt courses here we come. Stay tuned – spring 2025.
The Bennetts On Tour 