Nestled at the foot of the Mountains of Mourne, the Slieve Donard Resort and Spa stands on six acres of immaculate private grounds. A golden strand of beach borders one side while the mighty Royal County Down Golf Links frames the other. This lovingly maintained Victorian hotel is now home to one of Europe’s finest resort Spas and is equally suited for short breaks to grander events.
2022 Data Center Leadership Summit
Northern Ireland
2022 Data Center Leadership Summit
“My favorite place to play golf is in Ireland. That’s where my ancestors come from, and it’s the most beautiful country to play golf in, and when you come as a guest to play golf you are treated like a king.” – Bill Murray
The Courses
We don't know which will leave you more speechless - the remarkable course line-up or the number of beers consumed on the 19th hole.
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COUNTY LOUTH GOLF CLUB
About
Founded in 1892, County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it is more commonly known, has established itself as one of Ireland’s finest links courses. Winner of the 2017 IGTOA Links course of the year and host to two Irish Opens the course stands as a par 72 and measures 7,031 yards from the Championship tee. Whilst the championship course is one of the purest tests of golf, a variety of teeing options are available to ensure enjoyment for golfers of all levels.Course Description
The course is ideally located just 40 minutes from Dublin airport at the mouth of the River Boyne. With a number of holes running alongside the Irish Sea encompassing the natural links terrain, Baltray is one of the purest tests of golf to be found in Ireland. For men it is a par 72, measuring 7,031 yards from the championship tee. For ladies it is a par 75 and measures 5,873 yards. County Louth is a ‘must play’ venue among golf aficionados testing their skills on the other world renowned links courses in Ireland. The golf course at ‘Baltray’ is consistently ranked among the very best. Venue for the 2004 and 2009 Irish Opens, and host of several major international amateur events.ROYAL COUNTY DOWN GOLF CLUB
About
The finest of all links courses, Royal County Down offers a stern challenge from the championship tees. The record is 66 set by Ireland’s first golfing superstar, Jimmy Bruen, in 1939.Course Description
The Royal County Down Golf Club was founded in 1889 by a group of influential business and professional men from Belfast. There is some evidence to suggest that even before then a rudimentary form of golf was being played by the townsfolk on the rabbit warren at Newcastle. However, it was the development of a railway line from Belfast to Newcastle by the Belfast & County Down Railway and the emergence of Newcastle as a desirable seaside resort in Victorian times which provided the impetus for the first formal golf course.BALLYLIFFIN GOLF CLUB
Glashedy Links – Par 72 – 7486 Yards
About
Ballyliffin Golf Club, consists of two outstanding, contrasting links courses and 36 wonderful holes make up one of the finest golf resorts to be found anywhere in the world.
Course Description
The new Glashedy Links is a Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock masterpiece fashioned around the incredible dunes, and is rated amongst the best links tracks in the world. Ruddy cherishes Glashedy as his own and has returned in recent years to fine tune the stunning bunkering of this magnificient links. Craddock and Ruddy are also credited with much of the improvement carried out to The Old Links in the course of constructing The Glashedy Links.
Pat Ruddy is the owner of The European Club and is regarded as one of the greatest golf architects of modern times.
BALLYLIFFIN GOLF CLUB
The Old Links – Par 71 – 6937 Yards
About
Ballyliffin Golf Club, consists of two outstanding, contrasting links courses and 36 wonderful holes make up one of the finest golf resorts to be found anywhere in the world.
Course Description
The Old Links undulates in the glory of its natural terrain, presenting an immensely enjoyable challenge to every golfer. Work recently undertaken by Nick Faldo has strenghtened The Old Links and brought much acclaim from members and visitors.
ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB
Par 71 – 7344 Yards
About
Unimaginable rough and testing greens, combined with the unpredictable weather of the roaring North Atlantic make this course an admirable test for even the most seasoned golf aficionado.
Course Description
The Dunluce Links is home to one of the most stunning par fours in golf, the 411 yard 5th hole. A dogleg hole played from an elevated tee towards the ocean, it rewards the daring shot across a wide expanse of rough. Be careful though, as an overly long approach shot will end up on the sand of the White Rocks beach which lies just beyond the rear of the green. Make sure and take a moment to enjoy the stunning views from the green towards the 13th Century Dunluce castle and the surfers braving the swells below.
Calamity Corner, the 210 yard par 3 14th Hole is a must play for any follower of the game. Between the tee and the green is a yawning chasm, which must be cleared to stand any chance of making your three. It is hard to describe the feeling as you stand on this tee, looking out across the Valley links below, knowing it will take a fantastic shot to hit the small target across the void.
THE ISLAND GOLF CLUB
About
The Island Golf Club, founded in 1890, is a traditional private Members’ golf club with a proud history of upholding the best traditions of amateur golf. Overlooked by the North County Dublin village of Malahide, the links is located in some of the most stunning dunes on the east coast of Ireland. It is also one of the oldest golf courses in Ireland and was ranked 13th in Golf Digest Ireland’s Top 100 Courses in 2015. It enjoys a growing international reputation and currently hosts Regional Qualifying for The Open Championship and will co-host strokeplay qualifying for the British Amateur Championship in 2019.Course Description
The Island Golf Club is one of Ireland’s premier links courses. This is a must-play classic links set in rugged terrain and located between the highest sand dunes of any links course in Ireland. This beautiful links course, in splendid isolation, is surrounded by the Irish Sea, Donabate beach and Broadmeadow Estuary. Its rugged beauty cannot fail to impress. For sheer awe-inspiring, 25ft-high dunes, vaguely lunar crevasses running through terrain and challenging greens, the best choice is the The Island Golf Club. It was ranked number 26 in Golf World’s top 100 must-play courses in the world.THE EUROPEAN CLUB
Par 71 – 7355 Yards
About
The European Club is located in tumbling dunes just south of Dublin and it features sweeping sea views from nineteen of the twenty holes.
Course Description
The links of The European Club was designed by Pat Ruddy who continues after thirty years
to calibrate the links to meet the challenges of the modern game allowing the champions of today
to express themselves while demanding a cerebral approach for true success.
Year after year the work goes on with Ruddy directing design improvements. Few golf courses have had such prolonged attention from their designers with Donald Ross at Pinehurst being an obvious equivalent.
The result is probably the best links of them all as it is fitted precisely to the modern game and is never allowed to grow old. It benefits from the constant inputs of one of the most astute designers the game has seen.
Ruddy aspired to having a golf course of his own since learning that Jimmy Demaret and Jack Burke were founding a golf course of their own, The Champions Club, in Texas in 1958…..what a great idea! ……and it came to fruition when he surveyed Ireland’s coastline by helicopter in search for a classic golf location. There it was at lovely Brittas Bay just 30-miles south of the capital city, Dubin.
Golf design has been a part of Pat Ruddy’s life since childhood and he has completed about thirty-six projects since gaining his first professional commission at Castlecomer in the Irish midlands in 1969. Along the way he has come to be regarded as the world’s leading links designer.
CADDIE INFORMATION
Caddies, if required will need to be booked in advance of arriving to each course to ensure availability. The caddy costs vary between courses, but the average seems to be between €45 – €50 per round, plus gratuity. Double bag caddies are not available at any of these courses.
If golfers prefer to carry their own bag, this of course is possible.
Each course offers a limited number of battery operated trollies. These will need to be requested in advance of arriving at each course, to ensure availability. Approximate cost of these is €15 to €25.
The Agenda
Trip rescheduled to June 12th - June 19th 2022. It's remarkable how much work you can accomplish in a week. It's also remarkable how many rounds of golf you can play in just a week as well.
Day 1 -Sunday, June 12th
- Flights to Dublin
Day 2 – Monday, June 13th
- 10am – Arrive to Dublin Airport no later than 10:00am and collect your luggage, clear customs, and then head to the arrivals area.
- Scales driver/guide Joseph Scales will be at the arrivals area to Meet & Greet everyone and transport the group.
- 11am – Prompt departure for 50 minute drive to Co. Louth Golf Club to freshen up and enjoy refreshments before tee time.
- 2:10pm tee time – Golf 18 @ Co. Louth Golf Links, Baltray Co Louth
- After golf, drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to accommodations @ Slieve Donard Resort, Newcastle Co Down
- Group will have been checked in prior to arrival at the hotel. Keys will be handed out at reception. Beverages, dinner, take a walk to see Royal County Down, bed.
Day 3 – Tuesday, June 14th
- Morning – At your leisure, enjoy breakfast included with accommodations.
- Luggage will be loaded onto coach for post golf departure to next hotel.
- 12pm – Walk (3 min) or take shuttle to Royal County Down Golf Club, NI.
- 12:05pm – First golf tee time to play 18 @ Royal County Down Golf Club, Co Down
- 19th Hole
- Depart for Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Co Antrim for dinner on site at Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
Day 4 – Wednesday, June 15th
- 5:30am – Departure from Galgorm Resort for 1 hour and 30 minute drive to Ballyliffin Golf Club.
- Coffee will be provided at the hotel prior to leaving.
- Breakfast will be served upon arrival to golf club.
- 8am – First golf tee time to play 18 on the Glashedy Course.
- Light lunch and cocktails available at clubhouse after the first round of golf.
- 1:30pm – Second golf tee time to play 18 on the Old Links Course.
- Board the bus, which will be stocked with beverages, for the return trip to Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
- Dinner options will be provided for onsite dining at Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
Day 5 – Thursday, June 16th
- Morning – At your leisure, enjoy breakfast included with accommodations.
- There is an onsite, award-winning spa if anyone is in need of a massage.
- 12pm – depart the resort and drive 50 minutes to Royal Portrush Golf Club.
- 2pm – First golf tee time to play 18 @ Royal Portrush Golf Club.
- 19th Hole
- Return transportation to accommodations @ Galgorm Resort, Ballymena, Co Antrim
- Beverages and dinner in Downtown Ballymena – TBD
Day 6 – Friday, June 17th
- Morning – At your leisure, enjoy breakfast included with accommodations.
- Pack up and travel 2 hours and 30 minutes to The Grand Hotel Malahide Co Dublin.
- Lunch options will be provided for the group to choose from.
- Upon arrival, the group will already be checked-in, so keys will be handed out.
- 4pm – Golf tee time to play 18 @ The Island Golf Club
- 19th Hole
- Transportation to accommodations @ The Grand Hotel Malahide Co Dublin
- Dinner options will be provided for the group to select from.
Day 7 – Saturday, June 18th
- 6am – Depart for 1 hour and 15 minute drive to The European Club.
- Coffee will be provided in the lobby before departure.
- Breakfast will be provided at The European Club.
- 8:16am – First golf tee time to play 18 @ The European Club.
- Lunch – TBD
- Return transport to accommodations @ The Grand Hotel Malahide Co Dublin
7:30pm Dinner @ Bon Appetit, https://www.bonappetit.ie/ a 5 minute walk from The Grand Malahide Hotel
Last Night = Make Memories
Day 8 – Sunday, June 19th
- Breakfast inclusive with accommodations.
- Pack your belongings.
- TBD – Transportation to Dublin Airport.
- Advil
- Flights Hom
The Accommodations
Single Guest Rooms have been booked for each attendee. We will be spending two nights at every property.
Newcastle Co Down
Northern Ireland’s Premier luxury Hotel and Spa situated only 30 minutes from Belfast is the perfect location to relax and get away from it all. Set within 163 acres of lush parkland with the spectacular River Maine flowing through the estate, Galgorm Resort has a truly unique setting.
Malahide Co Dublin
The iconic four-star Grand Hotel Dublin in the heart of Malahide, is a unique seaside retreat while also being convenient to the attractions of Dublin City Centre, just 15 minutes from Dublin International Airport and 5 minutes from the M50/M1 motorways.
The Transportation
We have two transport buses reserved for the week. They will be larger versions of the buses pictured below.
