Golfers who like to travel ultimately will face this dilemma; should we go to Ireland or Scotland. I was going to write about the differences when I remembered that my friend George wrote, what I think, is the seminal piece in Links Magazine about the differences between the two countries. Keep in mind this is a bit like picking between Kate Beckinsale or Charlize Theron, you really can’t go wrong with either. But you do have to make a choice and hopefully this piece will help.
I’ll give you my two cents worth quickly. Both trips are wonderful but Scotland come out on top for me for a few reasons.
- There is no density of golf in Ireland which means you are constantly traveling.
- Scotland’s infrastructure is better (by miles).
- Scotland has St Andrews full stop.
Here’s a sample of the Links Magazine piece:
Imagine awakening one morning and being told that a Maserati and a Ferrari were parked in your driveway, ready to roll. Or that 10 cases each of Dom Perignon and Roederer Cristal were on ice in your rec room, or that Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox were perched provocatively on the arms of your La-Z Boy. All you had to do was choose one of them. That’s how I felt when the phone rang and an editor instructed me: “Take a good look and tell us which is the better destination for golfers, Scotland or Ireland.”
I was verging on clinical giddiness when the realization hit: This would be an impossible task. After all, on the surface Scotland and Ireland are indistinguishable. Both have gorgeous countryside, charming little towns, craggy castles, quaint pubs, tweed-jacketed men on bicycles and more sheep than people. Both have huge shirt logos and tiny vegetables, long summer days and short soda cans, feeble water pressure and powerful winds, too few ice cubes and too many Indian restaurants, terrific fish and terrible hamburgers.
Hope you enjoy George’s piece that you can find here.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Back from St Andrews But Not Really
- Aye Wonder Pre-Flight
- St Andrews in All Its Glory
- Week 27 – 5 x 5
- Dum Spiro Spero*
Your say