Golf can bring couples together in Ireland

THE LINKS MAKE FOR A PERFECT EXCUSE TO TRAVEL

Couples might disagree on how golf fits into their lives while their free time is at a premium during a normal, busy week. But that perspective can change drastically when the travel destination is Ireland.
Imagine taking in breathtaking views of Ireland that happen to be in the same location of a unique golf course. Two people might be smiling for different reasons at the sight, but they’ll both be smiling. Any guide will tell you that kind of satisfaction is the ultimate goal when you travel abroad.

Couples, male or female, can make this work to their advantage if they take the advice of the right guide. Wives longing for travel to Ireland can mesmerize their husbands with tales of golf courses such as the Ardglass Golf Club in Northern Ireland. Husbands can show their wives pictures of the location and she might not even realize that it’s a golf course. And when she gets there, she’ll be glad she saw it, even if she isn’t there to whack and chase a little white ball.

A guide familiar with travel in Northern Ireland can tell you about the more famous golf courses, Royal County Down or the site of the 1951 British Open, Royal Portrush. But a more remote treasure located a short distance from the more renowned clubs is Ardglass, which overlooks the Irish Sea, providing a panoramic setting at almost every turn.

The appeal begins on the very first hole with the waves cascading the coast below the rocky cliffs on your left, a picturesque scene that will surely be marked as one of the highlights of your travel on the isle. The first eight holes of the course, at least partially, touch up against the rocky cliffs on the shoreline. At the second hole, the tee is closer to the edge of the black cliffs, a perfect spot to stop and take some pictures before pulling out your driver.

If your swing often directs your ball toward water during a normal day on the golf course, you might want to include extra golf balls as part of your travel preparation, keeping Ardglass and its cliffs in mind. Chances are, you’ll be enjoying the view so much that you won’t mind watching balls disappear into the waves.
The course might classify as a historic site on its own. It opened as a nine-hole layout in 1901 and was expanded to 18 holes some 60 years later.

The clubhouse is built into the ruins of a 13th-century castle. One good way to plan such a vacation is to check out cietours.com, where a travel guide can direct you to numerous offers, including leisure tours that can accommodate flexible schedules that mix in shopping, sightseeing and even golf.