Emerald enhancements
SLIGO, IRELAND | It was 25 years ago that I first visited Eire, and I have been amazed at the changes during that time in this country, which boasts some 55 links courses and some of the best seaside golf in the world.
Start with the food. It was all boiled meat and potatoes when I made my maiden trip here. And the fare was so lacking in terms of taste and presentation that a person was actually apt to lose weight on an Irish golf expedition. But today, the cuisine is Michelin-star good, with chefs all over the land using local ingredients to prepare flavor-filled dishes that highlight its grass-fed beef and lamb as well as its seafood, whether lobster or salmon, oysters or mussels. Then, there is the freshly baked bread and luscious butter as golden as the sun that goes so well with it.
Another advance has been the modernization of the road network, and it is now possible to get through entire golf expeditions without once getting stuck behind a farmer shepherding his flock of sheep down a country lane in the most unhurried way.
... Ireland is looking out for its visiting golfers, this time in the form of Guinness Zero, a non-alcoholic version of that famous brew that is now served in most of its pubs and golf clubs.
To be sure, there was a quaintness to such situations, and they were the sort of thing that made this isle an endearing destination. But let’s be fair, missing a tee time at, say, Royal Portrush was too great a price to pay for such old-fashionedness.
The better roads also made it easier – and faster – to get around the country for those of us who liked driving ourselves over here. And decidedly less stressful.
Then, there is the Guinness. That ebon elixir is the national drink of Ireland and as much a part of a visit to this country as the golf, especially when post-round pints are drawn from properly chilled kegs. Problem is, it is wholly unwise – and undeniably illegal – to get behind the wheel of one’s car after a couple of rounds, especially when you consider your unfamiliarity with the routes from course to course and the challenges of driving on the left side of the road.
Another factor is how nightly pub crawls can wear down a player during a tour, sapping strength and stamina that is generally much-needed on the golf course.
And who among us has not been rattled by the recent rash of medical reports warning about the neurological and physiological toll of regular alcohol consumption?
But once again, Ireland is looking out for its visiting golfers, this time in the form of Guinness Zero, a non-alcoholic version of that famous brew that is now served in most of its pubs and golf clubs. You would hardly know the difference from the real thing as far as taste is concerned, especially when it is available on tap. And Guinness Zero makes it possible to share in the après-golf craic that makes Ireland such a wonderful place to tee it up without trashing yourself – or anything else – for your round the next day.
What a country!
John Steinbreder
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PHOTOS: JOHN STEINBREDER, GGP