Monday, December 31, 2018

Top 10 Golf Photos of 2018


This is my favourite pic of the year. Taken in freezing
conditions in January. The 17th hole at Carne.
Another year passes and many more photographs have been taken of courses in Ireland, Scotland, France, Iceland and Portugal. Here are my top 10 golf photos for the year.


1. Carton House O'Meara
The 16th is one of our most picturesque par threes and the late evening light shows off the tree trunks and canopies that frame the green so enchantingly.

Carton House O'Meara. Hole 16
2. Carton House Montgomerie
On the same visit, the 18th green on the Montgomerie course looked rather spectacular from the other side of the River Rye.
Carton House Montgomerie. Hole 18
3. Druids Heath
The par five 2nd has always proved deceptive with water hidden on the approach to

Monday, December 24, 2018

The Golf Course at Adare Manor Review - Part 2

The Pro Shop
For Part 1, click here

Adare's Extras

There are plenty of them. Here are just a few: 
  • All range balls are Titleist Pro V1s. (No slipping a few into your bag… you hear!)
  • Wiring has been laid around the course for tournament power, media and telecommunications. I can’t think why!
  • Elsewhere, upgrades to the resort include an expansive ballroom with capacity for 350 guests, a spa, pool and relaxation area, a cinema and a boardroom. A new wing with 42

Saturday, December 22, 2018

The Golf Course at Adare Manor Review - Part 1

There's so much to say about this 'new' course in Co. Limerick, that I've divided the review into two parts. Here's Part 1.
Your first glimpse of the course will be the back of the
9th green as you walk to the Starter's Hut.
Adare Manor re-opened its course with a grand launch earlier this year. Four of Ireland’s golfing superstars (McIlroy, Harrington, McGinley, Lowry) turned it into a perfect media circus on what was the most glorious of Irish summer days. Millions upon millions of euro have been pumped into the hotel, the grounds and the golf course. Watching on the TV, it wasn’t difficult to see how it had been spent.

To say the golf course looked amazing is an understatement. Every blade of grass was perfectly

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Praia D'El Rey - on the Portuguese Silver Coast

I played this beauty today, at the start of a 10 day dash around the region. The weather this morning was overcast... but things brightened up a lot this evening so I headed out to the most spectacular string of holes right above the beach. The entire course is superb... but few would argue that this is where Praia D'El Rey bursts into the ranks of great European golf courses.

Some photos

View back up the 12th with the five star Marriott on the right.

The short par four 13th

The 13th again

The par three 14th green from the right hand side

The 16th green and 14th green beyond

Friday, December 7, 2018

Brand Value in Golf: A Doonbeg Case Study

You might wonder if you’ve accidentally hit the wrong key and been transported into a marketing magazine. You haven’t. Brand values may most commonly be discussed in terms of the global giants (Coke, McDonalds, Facebook, British Airways) but they are an essential component of every company, big and small, local or multinational. Protecting and projecting those values is paramount to how a company positions itself against its competitors, and how it is regarded in the eyes of its customers, suppliers and stakeholders. 
A golf club is no different. Ireland has small country parklands that few golfers outside the

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Catalogue 18 - The Perfect Golf Gift This Christmas

The front cover of Issue 1
Catalogue 18 is a new endeavour which brings together many of the world’s best golf course photographers and illustrators.
If you get enjoyment out of looking at beautiful course imagery then you probably know the names of Evan Schiller, Channing Benjamin, Aidan Bradley and Kevin Murray. This new catalogue includes all of these photographers as well as many more - including myself.
Thanks to the hard work of Canadian Guy Nicholson - a former newspaper editor, writer and golf fanatic - Catalogue 18 is developing fast. Now is your chance to get in on the ground floor, so to speak. 
Half way between a magazine and a catalogue, this is going to be bold, professional and striking… and it will come in a 300-page large format (32cm x 23cm) publication. It