The American Golfer's Guide to Ireland: Nurturing Your Golfing Soul While Enjoying an Incomparable Irish Experience

Maybe the game of golf wasn't invented in Ireland but to most visitors it seems that way. After all, there are more golf courses per square mile in Ireland than in any part of the world. A golfing visit to Ireland will be the trip of a lifetime for many reasons. First, links courses sparkle like an emerald necklace around the coastline of Ireland. It is subjective to pick the best from so many great courses but here are a few: Royal Portrush, Portstewart. Royal County Down, Baltray, Portmarnock, The European Club, Old Head, Waterville, Ballybunion, Tralee, Lahinch, Doonbeg, Connemara, Carne, Enniscrone, Murvagh, Ballyliffin and Rosapenna. Second, the past two decades have brought world class resorts with the finest facilities and championship level courses, including The K Club, Lough Erne, Druids Glen, Mount Wolsely, Killeen Castle, Glasson, Galgorm Castle, Slieve Russell, The Heritage, Powerscourt, Adare, Fota Island, Dromoland Castle and many more. Third, visitors can enjoy over 400 private golf clubs scattered throughout Ireland where greens fees offer excellent value and local members make you feel at home. Not least, the 19th hole is a great opportunity to meet local golfers. An old saying puts it like this: "There are no strangers in Ireland, only friends you haven't met before" The successes of Irish golfers on the international circuit has also put the spotlight on the great golf found throughout the Island. Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Shane Lowrey and others have been not just successful competitors but wonderful ambassadors for Irish fun and hospitality. I hope you and your friends will come to experience golf in Ireland for yourselves. I can assure you a warm welcome and some wonderful memories. Joe Byrne Executive Vice-President Tourism Ireland

Bill Ruskin has traveled to Scotland and Ireland and was a co-founder of Quality Golf International. In addition to being a fitness buff with a keen interest in the golf and the golf business, he has written The American Golfer's Guide to Scotland. Bill pens a column, Golf -A Way of Life. He lives in Colorado Springs with his wife Brigette, and Kepler, a Golden Retriever. They spend as much time as possible outdoors hiking and skiing at Ullr's Rest, their Breckenridge mountain retreat in the Colorado Rockies. Brian Keogh has been a sports writer for more than 25 years and a full time golf correspondent since 2000. He writes mainly for the Irish Sun but is also a regular contributor to golf coverage in The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, RTE Radio, The Irish Examiner, GolfWorld, The Sunday Times and The Irish Daily Star amongst others. He co-authored Padraig Harrington's book Journey to the Open (2007) with several Irish golf writers as well as Out of Bent and Sand, the Centenary History of Laytown and Bettystown Golf Club (2009). Brian was elected Chairman of the Irish Golf Writers' Association (I.G.W.A.) in 2011. He lives in Dublin with his wife and son.