May 3, 2021 - Why is this date so important? Many of the top "bucket list" courses in Ireland, including Royal Portrush and Royal County Down, will be opening up their books for 2022 tee time bookings and we fully expect that this year, even more than in the past, the demand will be off the charts and they will book up quickly.
For many of our followers and clients, Ireland is a bucket trip destination and we want to be sure we build your trip to your exact dream. From the time you want to travel, to the courses you play, to the hotels you stay in - it all matter to us because it matters to you. Getting you exactly the vacation you dream of is our goal and if 2022 is when Ireland is on your golf travel list, now is the time to start planning.
For many of our followers and clients, Ireland is a bucket trip destination and we want to be sure we build your trip to your exact dream. From the time you want to travel, to the courses you play, to the hotels you stay in - it all matter to us because it matters to you. Getting you exactly the vacation you dream of is our goal and if 2022 is when Ireland is on your golf travel list, now is the time to start planning.
In March last year we had an article that highlighted some best practices for getting your perfect trip in place for Ireland and then in April we followed up with a more general “how to plan a trip” type article. While the process hasn’t really changed in 2021, the urgency has heightened. With early 2021 trips begin postponed due to the pandemic and moved into 2022 and the ongoing growth in interest in booking trips to Ireland, 2022 is shaping up to be the busiest booking year we have ever seen.
As a result, we want to be that broken record again and remind you of our number 1 tip for a successful trip to Ireland in 2022.
As a result, we want to be that broken record again and remind you of our number 1 tip for a successful trip to Ireland in 2022.
 | Plan and book early – much earlier than you might think necessary! |
We have seen an increase in the number of calls from groups considering Ireland and most want to play the “big hitter / bucket list course”. Some combination of Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, Ballybunion Old, Lahinch and Old Head are on almost everyone’s golfing hit list making them hot tee times.
So how do you ensure you get what you want? PLAN AHEAD!!!
On May 3, 2021 the 2022 tee times for Royal County Down and Royal Portrush (and many other courses) will open for booking and if you are considering Ireland as your golf destination, now is the time to start getting serious about planning your trip!!
We have several clients who have already planned their Ireland trips for 2022 and we have their names in at all the courses they want to get the best possible tee times. This also makes getting the hotels and room types the group wants possible allowing us to build the EXACT custom trip that fits the groups specific needs.
The first key step in successful trip planning becomes getting the group together and settling on a location and a time of year. The key pieces of information you need to decide on:
| Where do we want to go?
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| How many in the group?
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| What time of year / dates?
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What type of accommodation do we want?
Now that you’ve decided on your courses (or the “must have courses” at least), you can start to think accommodations. In this area, options are limitless. Everything from hotels to villas to castles may be available to you depending on where you are going.
The key things we suggest you consider are:
Often time we hear “the hotel isn’t too important because really, all I do is sleep there”. That may be true for some people but keep in mind how much time you will be golfing (or doing other things) and you may be surprised how much time you actually will be spending at the hotel. A perfect hotel, or other accommodations, can really enhance a trip. Accommodations that don’t have all the amenities and / or location you prefer may save a few bucks and seem like a good deal but is it really?
Really spend some time thinking through what you need in your accommodations – it will make a big difference in your overall experience.
Now that you’ve decided on your courses (or the “must have courses” at least), you can start to think accommodations. In this area, options are limitless. Everything from hotels to villas to castles may be available to you depending on where you are going.
The key things we suggest you consider are:
- Location – do you want to be in the middle of all the action, close to the courses, in a quiet out of the way location etc
- Quality of accommodation – basically, are you looking for 4*, maybe 5* deluxe or is simple and clean all you need?
- If you’re in a hotel, do you want to have all regular rooms or maybe upgrade one room to a suite so that everyone can gather for drinks?
- Do you want single or twin / double accommodations and are size of beds important to you (if you need a king bed, we need to know!)
- Amenities – what types of things do you need to make you trip memorable? Rooms with views of RCD, spas, suites or basic rooms, self catering options, on site restaurants etc etc
- How many different places do we want to stay in – depending on the courses selected, you may need to move around to a couple, or a few, different hotels but you may also have the option to stay in 1 place but face some significant commutes.
Often time we hear “the hotel isn’t too important because really, all I do is sleep there”. That may be true for some people but keep in mind how much time you will be golfing (or doing other things) and you may be surprised how much time you actually will be spending at the hotel. A perfect hotel, or other accommodations, can really enhance a trip. Accommodations that don’t have all the amenities and / or location you prefer may save a few bucks and seem like a good deal but is it really?
Really spend some time thinking through what you need in your accommodations – it will make a big difference in your overall experience.
| What courses do we want to play? Depending on where you are planning to go, you may have many options or just a few but no matter what, the decision will be critical in planning the rest of your trip. This is the key element of the planning because golf is why you are going (for the most part….). Making great decisions at this point will make the trip a memorable one that everyone will enjoy. A few key things to consider include:
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A lot of questions to answer but no matter what you are looking for there is a course rotation for you and, with a little research or a quick call to us, you can work out the perfect rotation.
| What type of transportation do we want? Now that you know where you are going and where you are staying, you need to be able to get around. Simplistically, there are 2 main options you can consider when in Ireland:
Both offer pros and cons and here is a general outline of what can expect with each option. |
| Self Drive Rental: We have all done this, so we all know the drill. It is often, although not always, the cheapest option however a couple of things you may want to keep in mind include:
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| Dedicated coach and driver Having a driver at you call seems to many like a luxury, but it actually can be quite economical and practical, especially for groups of 6 or more. Some key considerations include:
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| The last things you will all want to decide, and we can book for you, are things like caddies (many people want them, especially at the big name courses), dinner reservations and any side trips you wan to include (distillery tours, Guinness tour, castles etc). These are the “little things” that add the icing on the cake for a great trip. |
To help you see some of the options, we have also put together 2 sample itineraries for you to take a look at and get your planning kick started.
If you are thinking of getting to Ireland in 2022, get that group together and give us a call. We can help guide you through all the steps above and make sire this is the perfect trip for you and your group.
If you are thinking of getting to Ireland in 2022, get that group together and give us a call. We can help guide you through all the steps above and make sire this is the perfect trip for you and your group.
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