The Dead of Portsalon Golf Club

[Photo: Portsalon's 6th hole alongside the beach]

At the end of a hard round, striding over dunes and lapping up exceptional views, you don't really want to be told that there are dead bodies lying underneath your feet on the 18th fairway.

When Donegal's Murvagh course revamped its 1st green a few years back, the skeleton of a woman was discovered in the ground. It was too old to be of interest to the Gardai, and too young to attract the archaeologists, so it was removed and disposed of. A bit of a damp squib really.

What is going on at Portsalon is an entirely different matter. Here we're talking about the remains of 250 sailors, or some of them at least.

[Photo: Portsalon's par four 2nd, over the beach/Ballymastocker Strand]

200 years ago, on December 4th 1811, the HMS Saldanha sank in a violent storm near Ballymastocker Strand in Donegal. More than 250 lives were lost and it was one of the greatest sea tragedies on those shores. It is thought the ship was trying to return to harbour in Lough Swilly, on the Inishowen peninsula, when she struck rocks near Fanad Head.

She finally ran aground but was so battered by the sea that all lives were lost... bar the captain and his parrot who both survived briefly: the captain, William Pakenham, died on the shore after being given a drink of poitin. The parrot died, a few days later in a local garden. The account says that upon finding a strange bird in his garden the farmer shot it. The parrot was reported to be wearing a collar inscribed with the words ‘Captain Pakenham of His Majesty’s Ship Saldanha’. It was the last member of the Saldanha to perish.

The captain received his own burial plot in Rathmullen Priory burial ground, but many of the sailors were placed in a mass grave, thought to be under Portsalon's 18th fairway, with a massive stone used to cover the bodies. Just how many remains to be seen.

There is no record of the parrot's burial - perhaps it was buried with the captain, or perhaps it became an exotic dinner.

[Photo: Views of Portsalon's beach, aka Ballymastocker Strand]

Fanad Head lighthouse was built in response to the disaster and its beacon first lit up Lough Swilly's dark waters on St. Patrick's Day, 1816, five years after the tragedy.

Portsalon Golf Club have been very accommodating: they welcomed a 200th anniversary commemoration ceremony on the 18th fairway and the club has also allowed historians to walk the course, using scanners to locate the bodies.

Over the years bones have been found and, not surprisingly for a county which resorts to poitin in difficult situations, there have been numerous tales of ghostly sailors walking the roads or trying to enjoy a free round on the links.

Donegal County Council plans to erect granite memorials at Portsalon beach and on the golf course... as if a links course didn't have enough hazards already.

One final thought: Captain William Pakenham came from famous Irish stock, but it was his brother-in-law who will be remembered most: he was Sir Arthur Wellesley, who became the Duke of Wellington, victor of one of the greatest battles in history in 1815: Waterloo.

When you play Portsalon Golf Club, you will have your own battles, but spare a thought for all those sailors as you head up the last. And raise a glass of poitin from the warmth of the clubhouse bar.

Other photos of Portsalon Golf Club

€99 for 3 of Kerry's under-appreciated courses

[Photo: Dooks par three 4th. It doesn't get more stunning than this]

If you're after a rather delicious golfing Christmas present, or you're simply planning your golfing adventures for next year, you'll do well to beat the Peninsula Pass, in Co. Kerry.

Let's start with the location... Co. Kerry is magnificent, beautiful, friendly and fun. It also has - by county - the best golf courses in the country.

[Photo: Ring of Kerry's par three 18th]

What about value for money... €99 for three courses which fall neatly into links (Dooks), seaside/parkland (Skellig Bay) and parkland (Ring of Kerry). €33 is a steal when you consider you can play them during peak season.

[Photo: Skellig Bay views, from green to tee on the par three 2nd]

Are the views worthwhile... Dooks has the best views of any golf course on the island (and it's up against stiff competition). Stand on the second green and take a nice and slow 360 degree spin. Mountains, sea, valleys. It's breathtaking. Ring of Kerry is on a hillside and overlooks the Greenane Islands in Kenmare Bay, while Skellig Bay is tucked under mountains and drifts above Skellig Bay itself (with Waterville in the distance)... alongside traditional dry-stone walls.

[Photo: Dooks - the 2nd green]

Quality Golf... Dooks, for me, remains one of the under-appreciated links in Ireland (hence the value). It's not big-dune country but it has great links tradition and challenges, a fabulous mix of holes and flora and fauna that makes it almost worthwhile to hit shots into the rough.

Skellig Bay has plenty of glorious holes (designed by Ron Kirby) and while the ones overlooking the ocean may be the most dramatic, the ones up against the mountain and along Fionnglassa River are the most stunning.

[Photo: Ring of Kerry's par three 14th and the views]

Ring of Kerry is a good course, but it wouldn't be up to the thrills of the other two - not in my book anyway. It has great flourishes, several dramatic holes (especially the par threes), good water features and some great challenges - it will certainly keep you entertained... as well as tiring you out that bit more.

Where to stay... if you have the cash, stay at Parknasilla, my favourite hotel on the planet! Otherwise you can choose between various hotels in Kenmare or Killarney... or find something in between. There are also hotels in Skellig Bay (try the Butler Arms), but wherever you stay you need to be aware of two things: you're on the Ring of Kerry, and the roads are not good. Drive too fast and you'll be rattled from your teeth to your testicles; and, if you plan your trip for summer, the traffic will get crazy busy, so remember that coaches travel around the Ring in an anti-clockwise direction.

Anything else to do... this is Co. Kerry - there's tons to do, from walking in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks, strolling around lakes, driving up Moll's Gap, visiting Muckross House, checking out Kenmare (a very pretty town) and Killarney or just driving around to soak up the scenery. If you're into landscape photography, I highly recommend the Skyline Gallery in Kenmare.

[Photo: Skellig Bay's par three 14th]

Other golf courses... perhaps you fancy playing more golf. If so, you are spoiled for choice. Here's a brief list of three of the world's best courses you'll find nearby: Ballybunion, Tralee and Waterville. There are also the three courses at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, where the Irish Open has been held for the last two years. Other courses include Castleisland, Kenmare, Killorglin and Ceann Sibeal out on the Dingle Peninsula.

How to get it... Passes must be purchased in advance and can be prepaid in full by contacting the central reservations office on Tel: 00353 (0)64 6642000 or Email: info@peninsulapass.com. Passes may also be purchased in person at the participating Golf Clubs.

Ryder Cup Weather 2014

They're talking about the weather for the 2014 Ryder Cup already. How utterly daft is that. No sooner were the dates announced yesterday - 26 to 28 September 2014 - than the naysayers started discussing the weather. How very British... and Irish.

It's Scotland, in case people had forgotten. And since when does the month make a blind bit of difference? Our summers hardly stick to the script.

Now, I'm not looking at Scottish stats, but for comparative purposes let's look at Ireland:

• In 2008, Ireland had its wettest August in 170 years... and I should know since I was travelling the countryside in a leaking camper van;
• In 2010, we endured the wettest July in 60 years;
• In 2007, Northern Ireland had its wettest June since 1958...

... so, considering how wet our so called summers have become, when would these naysayers prefer to see the event held?

I don't deny that September is a wet month (the 5th wettest month statistically, after October to January), but it's also a warm month (the 4th warmest month statistically, after June to August), so it's in the lap of the gods.

What will happen if Scotland experiences a September like 1986, when there was no rain at all in several parts of the UK and Ireland? Will these same people complain it's too dry?

How can you possibly predict weather 3 years in the future? That said, there is one person who can predict such things...

Evelyn Cusack is RTE 1's main weather forecaster. She says she is constantly asked by mothers of brides-to-be what the weather is going to be like on such-and-such a date, 18 months in the future. Tongue firmly in cheek, Evelyn replies that she'll need to know whether it's a morning or afternoon wedding before she can make a prediction.

RTE Radio 1 Saturday Sport Interview: 26/11/11

[Photo: Adare's par five 18th. The course is ranked 10th in Ireland]

I was invited onto the Saturday Sport show to discuss the merits & shortcomings of the recent Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 course rankings. Des Cahill, Greg Allen, myself and Linton Walsh, the magazine's editor, were gathered around the desk. It was fascinating to hear, direct from the horse's mouth, how the ranking process worked.

There are problems implicit in any ranking process: ask one person and it is too subjective; ask 50 people and the result is diluted. As an example, if you asked 20 people to rank Mount Juliet, and ten said it was No. 1, and ten said it was No. 100, what do you do? If you divide the result, and put it at 50 then no one is happy. Rankings are merely a list, not a bible! They are something to be used as a reference point and to spark debate... nothing more.Linton described how the process has evolved over the years: there were only 5 people on the panel in the first year (hence a 20% weighting per person), versus 11 this year (a 9% weighting per person), which includes 'one' vote from a panel of 25 'ordinary' golfers. There have also been changes to how points are awarded.

But the difficulty with changing the process is that the rankings are going to change too. It's a balancing act and the magazine needs to establish a happy medium that delivers a consistent approach, year after year... of course, the danger there is that you end up with exactly the same ranking year after year, and who wants that!

[Photo: Rathcore's par three gem, the 16th]

Greg certainly was taking issue with aspects of the ranking, namely the huge shift in the position of Old Head of Kinsale over the last three years (down 5 to No. 29 in 2009, down another 18 to No. 47 in 2010, yet up 23 to No. 24 in 2011). There are also 20 courses that have moved by 10 places or more, which is a significant shift no matter how you look at it.
When these two had finished, it was my turn. Des asked me about Hooked, which I wasn't really expecting.

It was a great plug - the audience is 100,000 strong - and I ended up reminiscing about freezing nights in a camper van and playing beautiful Portumna surrounded by deer. I got to say a good bit about Scrabo - a course that has never been near the top 100, but is one of my favourite experiences of all time - and also Rathcore - a course that was No. 65 a few years back and is now, oddly, nowhere to be seen.

The truth is, I don't agree with the GDI rankings, but that is MY opinion. Greg and I would argue all day long over Portmarnock's position at No. 2, and I didn't much fancy the way he was reaching for his 7 iron when I suggested it wouldn't even make my top ten... but that's what rankings are about: opinions.

[Photo: Scrabo's brilliant opening par 4 hole]

It was a 20 minute discussion, and if you’re interested in listening to it, get yourself onto http://www.rte.ie/player/# and click on ‘Radio’ in the top menu bar. That should bring up a new page, where you click the RTE Radio 1 circle, and then type in Saturday Sport in the ‘Search’ bar, which brings up all the recent shows. Still with me? Click play for the 26/11/11 entry and then go all the way forward to the 02:55:30 time mark. Hard work, I know, but who said life was easy.

If for nothing else it is interesting to hear Linton describe the process… and you should have seen the size of the folder he had with him, containing all the course assessments. The man came prepared.

Caste Dargan... and a packet of Condoms!

When you get involved in these Mega-deal site offers, like Groupon, I guess you have to take your chances. This morning I received an email from Groupon offering a great deal at the 4 Star Castle Dargan Hotel & Golf Resort.

One (€99) or Two (€159) Night Break For Two With a Round of Golf or Spa Treatment Each at 4* Castle Dargan Hotel - which is up to 67% off.

For more details, click on the link - the offer is available until midnight tonight (Saturday 26th) and the voucher runs until 31 March 2012.

And right under the Castle Dargan offer is another deal - this one for 70% off packets of condoms (50 and 100 'bumper' packs). I'm not linking to that offer - if you're interested, go find it yourself...

In the meantime here's a picture of the 18th at Castle Dargan - designed by Darren Clarke (and no balls in sight):

Tralee - murder of the cliche

[Photo: Tralee's stunning 13th, a par three that perches on a dune]

First things first: congratulations to Tralee Golf Club in its rise from 10th to 7th in the Golf Digest Ireland 2011 Top 100 Courses Rankings. It's a spectacular course with some remarkable views. And with some benign weather around at the moment, the green fee's a snip at €50.

Anthony Byrne is the General Manager, and I'm going to have a gentle dig at something he said which appeared in the Irish Times the other day... he knows how much I like the course (a photo of Tralee's 16th was the front cover of Hooked - 1st edition) and he was kind enough to comp me and a friend when I was on my travels, so, if he ever reads this, he knows it's all in good fun:

[Photo: the approach to Tralee's 10th hole, a dogleg left par four]

Tralee's 10th hole is going to be remodelled and the Practice Academy is to be updated. In describing the changes, Anthony decided to take a worn-out golfing cliche, bring it back to life briefly and then murder it again.

“We know that we have a priceless jewel here in Barrow and you must never, ever, allow a priceless jewel to lose any of its lustre,” he said.

I agree with the sentiment wholeheartedly, but sometimes a cliche this bad deserves to stay dead and buried.

I look forward to seeing the new 10th... if I'm ever allowed on the course again!

Glasson - 2011 Irish Golf Resort of the Year

[View down the par five 14th, a downhill, dogleg right]

We're going back a month (Oct 24), but a belated congratulations to Athlone's Glasson Country House & Golf Club, which won the 2011 Irish Golf Resort of the Year, as awarded by the Irish Golf Tour Operator Association (IGTOA).

There was a fancy knees-up in Thomond Park, pitched as the Gala Irish Golf Awards, and it is a great award for one of the midlands' best golf clubs. Golfers are forever talking about the par three 15th, which requires a walk out along a bridge to a tee in Lough Ree... but the closing stretch of holes is an excellent finish.

[Photo: the par three 15th, across the edge of the lake]

The Minister for Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs, Jimmy Deenihan TD, said: "These awards recognise the best in the Irish golf tourism industry, with awards for our national hotels, golf courses, golf resorts and golf secretary managers. Receiving an award from the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association is deserved recognition of the effort put in throughout the year to make the visitor experience as memorable and special as it can be.”

Jimmy nailed it on the head and, from, a personal point of view, I got a very impressive room upgrade when I visited the course. True, a broom cupboard would be an upgrade compared to the camper van, but I was put in an amazingly spacious room, with sofas, armchairs, an enormous bed and views of the surrounding countryside.

I thanked Gareth, the Manager, for such an impressive room, to which he replied that all rooms are identical. I can't think of a hotel that takes better care of golfers - who doesn't want to sprawl out at the end of a long day's golfing!

There are a bunch of offers on at the moment: 1 night's B&B with dinner and a round of golf is €135, or €170 if you stay two nights. You'll find the offers here:

Apologies for the photo quality - it was a dull, dull day.

[Photo: the 18th, back to the hotel]

How much is your eye worth?

It's a question you probably don't ask yourself very often... but for a golfer it is a serious consideration.

The answer to the question, according to Mr Anthony Phee, is £750,000 (Sterling). That's how much he was suing another golfer for (and the golf club where the incident took place), after losing his eye from a bad drive 150 yards away.

He claimed he ducked (James Gordon, the striker of the ball, denied this) but either way his eye 'exploded' (Phee's words) on impact and was later removed. It was his fourth round of golf ever!

The judgement was made in Phee's favour, but for a lesser amount of £400,000. 70% of the blame was apportioned to Gordon, and 30% to Niddry Castle golf club in West Lothian, Scotland.

Losing an eye is a terrible thing - I am blessed with good eyesight, and the thought of damaging an eye fills me with dread - but I have some sympathy for Gordon. Yes, his drive was very poor, but he shouted 'fore' - as did a playing companion - and after that it's in the lap of the gods. Mr. Phee has lost an eye and someone has to take responsibility, but when you step onto a golf course you, as a golfer, have to accept certain risks... and being struck by a ball is one of them. It doesn't happen often but it does happen, and unless you play courses like Killeen Castle, where holes are miles apart, you always have to be prepared.

Which means you should be insured against such things. At my home club there are a couple of dangerous spots - no doubt you have some of your own at your home club - and perhaps a recommendation for clubs, if only to cover themselves, would be to include a warning of dangerous holes on the scorecard, or when accepting green fees from visitors. Or ask if everyone is insured. Most clubs include insurance as part of their annual sub, but if yours doesn't, then I suggest you get some if only for peace of mind.

We can all hit bad shots... let's just hope they don't cost us £400,000.

Check out the GUI website details (Golfsure), or look at Golf Safe, on my links