Golf in Wexford, Ireland

I am a very very modest golfer. I love playing but really am not very good at it, indeed if I was just a modest golfer I would be happy. It is of course a game that you love or stay away from totally, I love it.

I spend as much time as I can in Wexford which is the most south easterly county in Ireland. My clubs and those of my son (14) always come with us. In this blog I want to share some of the highlights of five courses within 15 minutes drive of each other.

The real star is that of Rosslare Golf Links. A challenge for the best of golfers as typical with links golf is subject to wind, not unplayable but adds to the challenge and I will say the fun. On my first visit and having lost 6 balls in 8 holes I struggled to see the fun. I got through 18 holes and couldn’t wait for my return. A gentle enough opening two holes are the followed by long par 5 and and up to the turn needing long and straight drives. Even then as with links courses with the run on dry fairways keep watching your ball until it stops if you want to find it. The 11th brings a brilliant 2nd shot, over the mound which leaves your view of the green blind, if you are on the fairway that is.

All in all Rosslare is just brilliant, a test but enough for the high handicapper to come home with a score too. Recommend checking out the local Pro on Instagram (jamie_rosslaregolflinkspro), his quick tip videos really are a lesson.

Rosslare also boasts a 12 hole course (The Burrow). Popular with all ages as 12 holes means not committing a day to the game. No bunkers may also explain some of the attraction. Like the main course it has its challenges but enough for the high handicapper to leave with good shots and scores and still love the game. Highlight is the par 3 9th. Only 142 yards but an elevated tee leaves you exposed to the wind which attracts the ball towards the in danger walkers on the beach. Shout out to the welcome you will always get in The Burrow, visitors greeted warmly with a smile and friendly banter.

Wexford Town itself has a fine parkland course. Sitting overlooking the town it can be hilly and thus the calf muscles know they have had a workout when done. Plenty of opportunities for non members to get a tee time which is always good. Highlights will 5th, 6th & 7th for me. 5th is a short par 4 which from the tee looks an opportunity, generally walking off the green you wonder where the opportunity was lost. 6th is an elevated tee box to a par 3, views of the town and and out into the Irish Sea will leave you standing on the tee box taking it all in. Then the 7th, need a good tee shot over the hill and you are set up into the green and a chance. Final shout out goes to the fox who lives in the woods to the left of the 15th who owes me a golf ball (after my best drive of the day), retrieved by him from middle of the fairway and brought off into the woods as his souvenir.

St Helens Bay is probably not as impressive as the others until you get to 17th & 18th. Parallel to the sea, 17th is a par 3 with green not in sight. Again wind plays a part which can leave the 210 yard par 3 needing anything from a 3 wood to a 7 iron (for me). 18 is equally fun, 266 yards par 4, all beach on the left, no mans land on front and to the right and a fairway not visible from the tee – just hit it and hope.

A final word for Rathaspeck Manor just outside Wexford Town. In the main a par 3 course, though has 3 par 4 holes. A great place particularly for beginners who want to challenge themselves a bit further. Generally no booking required too.

While you can see my favourites, I would not complain if you told me I could only play one of these courses for the rest of my days. More sunshine than anywhere else in the country, coastal winds to add a bit of uncertainty and above all else a warm welcome always. Play and enjoy.

48 hours in Pittsburgh , USA

When you think of places for a city break, Pittsburgh probably doesn’t feature too highly on many peoples list of places to must see, particularly if travelling from Europe. What is Pittsburgh really known for, maybe industry, maybe The Steelers American Football or the Penguins for Ice Hockey, not really for sites to see ?

On a recent holiday in New York, we made our way west to Pittsburgh for a two night stay. Staying at The Marriott at Washington Place we were well located. Nice hotel, pleasant staff and comfortable, we arrived with little real research of what to do for our stay. Nothing we had considered meant anything to the Concierge and regrettably he had nothing to recommend, no leaflets on local attractions bar an out of date hop on hop off bus schedule which “might come every hour”. ” Steelers stadium might be open to do a tour but I’m not sure”

What to do ? The Incline was recommended by a friend who visited before so a short Uber drive was ahead, except to be asked by the driver as to which Incline we wanted to go to, not a question you want to be asked when you thought there was only one. A nice driver though explained both locations and we headed for his recommendation. Again, naively on our part he drove us to the top of the Incline not the bottom where the recommended cable car to the top was where we really wanted to be. Our fault not his though. Viewing from the top gives a great panoramic of the city but that’s it. We should have gone to Station Square Incline and believe at top are many more restaurant options. Lesson learned. A cost for cable car at $2.50 though is very modest.

A walk back over the bridge brought us to Fort Pitt. Well worth the visit. Understated and only $12.50 for me and my 14 year old son. Spent an hour and a half learning about history of the area, the English, the French, the native Americans and the origins of the city. Better again, the Heinz History Museum (entrance only $14.50 for the two of us) is 7 floors of exhibitions, everything form Vietnam war, to wide range of sport – even Gaelic Games, and to more about Heinz – yes of the food company. We did spend a couple of hours here.

I feel our Concierge needs to get out and about his own city a bit more.

The city centre is relatively small and easily traversed on foot. Market Square is a neat attraction to go to people watch. We went at lunch time both days. Italian at Pizzaiolo Primo or across the square to more of American style menu at Primanti Bros. (chicken burger with trimming includes fries in the middle of the burger, only in America I hear you say. Each day lunch only about $40 for two of us.

Evening dinner at Revel & Roost on Forbes Avenue or Talia Cucina on 6th Avenue were good value and of reasonable standard. Five of us ate together and recommend sharing enough for only three or four is sufficient. American portion sizes are too much. Wine is expensive and hard to get anything less than $50 a bottle. Soft drinks get filled to the top irrespective of ice or not so unless you need it, go ice-less.

We visited in July and was warm & sunny. Getting a roof top bar for early evening drinks was hard. Best we got was at Kimpton Hotel but as surrounded by taller buildings not much sun for the worshippers. Nice spot though with a buzz even at 6 pm on a Thursday.

Pittsburgh airport was a busy spot. Flying back to La Guardia in NY with Delta should really be only about an hour flying time if that. Late boarding, 30 minutes on runway in Pittsburgh followed by 30 minutes waiting to get to gate in La Guardia made the journey a bit more than we needed. La Guardia arrivals was bedlam as road works and maintenance to taxi area meant Uber took 40 minutes to go the 1 mile needed from his standing point to us. Travel delays is just one of those things unfortunately.

Pittsburgh needs to market itself a bit better. Plenty to do but you have to look for it. It’s clean, reasonably priced and nice people. Cannot say we were disappointed really by anything. 48 hours though was probably enough.

Liverpool F.C. – Admiration or Envy

This week has been a remarkable week for English football. Sunday saw the climax of a Premier League season heralded as one of the best but its the week before that saw me as a Man Utd. fan watch the excitement from a distance.

You see, I live in Ireland where your age defines the team you support. 55+ you follow Leeds, a stage younger and you were brought up on the success of Liverpool in the 70’s & 80’s and you chose to never walk alone. Aside from the Arsenal cohort (due to Brady, O’Leary & Stapleton) and the odd Everton or Aston Villa, Manchester United was a chosen following for many. For me it wasn’t due to history of Best or Carey from Ireland, or the Busby Babes, it was a straight choice in 1979 of United or Southampton purely on basis of my brother having a full team set of Panini stickers for them. United had just lost the cup final so that’s how I leaned. The history of United I only came to learn about subsequently and the follower became a fan.

My brothers support Liverpool, (most of) my friends support Liverpool, my neighbours support Liverpool. I don’t, I can’t and I won’t – no matter who they face. A rivalry with Man City only really matters if you are from Manchester, to the rest of us it’s Liverpool that matters.

I get to Old Trafford every two or three months. Watching Liverpools remarkable come back against Barcelona last week made sit back and compare what they have that we don’t. It doesn’t matter that we did or achieved over the last 30 years, it’s the now that we all want.

I get to many sporting occasions and Anfield is one for any neutral to add to their bucket list. I don’t want to admire Anfield, I don’t want to sing along to You’ll Never Walk Alone, I don’t want to wish the Stretford End sounded like the Cop but when I watch a game from Anfield I cannot help admire what I see and hear. Its not on the field I watch with envy (my admiration has changed to envy) but it’s off it. Fans that believe they are the 12th man and that they will make a difference.

While I say well done to Liverpool fans my admiration not only turns to envy but to part bitterness which makes me ask or say

why did Man Utd. not buy Van Dyke,

Suarez was always a so and so,

Jordan Henderson can’t run,

Giggsy 13 Gerard nil

No bitterness at all.