Ireland Recap

And for American people who might go, who might go west from the States to play golf in Hawaii or whatever, we say we have you know se of the links courses of the world, and come here and play golf on the edge of the eternal Atlantic, and you are in for a very special experience. Put another log on the fire nobody, he's get the time. Welcome to the fire pit with Matt Janella. We opened this episode with Enda Kenny, former Prime Minister of Ireland, who we met

and played with at the Father Son in Waterville. The first week of August. We were on an epic adventure to almost all of the greats and several hidden gems on the island of Ireland, and before we get to the details of the trip, I want to thank our friends at link Soul for their support. John Ashworth and Jeff Cunningham have created so much more than apparel you

can wear on and off the course. Links Soul is a lifestyle that permeates out of Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, California, where they're forging the blueprint for the best of a true muni in America, and we thank them for that as well. Use promo code fire Pit off your next purchase at linksoul dot com. I've roamed the dunes of Ireland with John and Jeff in the past, but on this trip we were there as the fire Pit collect working for Golf Digest and in conjunction with Tourism Ireland.

The goal was to come back with two journeys. The first to the Southwest would celebrate the fact that the crack was back. Pubs were open, musicians jamming, singers singing. And then there's the father Son at Waterville, the annual gathering of the best of intentions, kegs of libations, and

countless deep connections. Here's Marty Carr, who leads this fraternity of golf well started just as a as a as a concept thready two years ago and it's grown into something that is just in describing Mo went to be honest witch and was only said m Keith Pelly last night from from a son and and he was he was over can get over the connection and the bond and the and the friendships and how every pairing was a cool pairing and every table was a cool table.

And I think you tend to forget that the people that come here are all kind of like minded and connected, and it's it's just incredible. It's indescribable bombs that that's been created. And then you throw in the village of Water and you throw in you know that the golf course here, which is probably one of the greatest in the world, and it's just it's a melting pot of

good stuff. You know. The second journey we'd come back with was to the North and Northwest, and the story there will be about what's new and what those new courses will mean to the trip takers as they plot their next Irish adventure. Here's Endy Kenny again, golfing attic, who's from County Mayo, where carn Golf is located. Karn isn't new per se, but what is new will be a significant boost to Carn's business model, which depends a

lot on outside play. Karn is a is a very special piece of ground and a great tribute should be paid to those who had the vision to actually believe that a golf course could be put there. This course in Karn was owned by a number of local farmers who were willing to move it on for the good

of the community. The course was designed by the late Eddie Hackett, which I had the privilege to open when it was a Minister for Tourism along with the late Great Christie O'Connor Sr. And I recall Eddie Hackett saying to me, this is the last course that I will design, and it's the one where we've interfered with the nature to the least extent possible, and that means that they took the greens out of the locations where they're where they're located, and the rest of the terrain is as

it was for millennia. So it's it's a It's an extraordinary piece of ground and for those who play Karen and who play golf, they want to be on their game it's it's it's not in a very populated area with the people are most welcoming. So I think for you and your crew, I think you're in for a very special experience, no more than here in Waterville and many of the Lynks courses in Ireland. Khan is truly special and it's a it's a kind of golf course

you will not see every day of the week. Well twelve courses and over two thousand miles later, we lobstered in a one year old wooden skiff. We cease harried in search of a famous dolphin, drove a car ferry, boaded into the cliffs of more Ran, along the Giants Causeway and got in the huddle of a Gaelic football match. Pardon the language, We're still in the game, that's and

it was our own fucking pond. Who are We were like headless, fucking chickens when the high box You mean if he had candor key and got back with a cool couple of challenge but a simple as it. These journeys will start dropping soon, but for now. I was joined by Alex se Peggy, my longtime producer, shooter and partner in the collective Colt Netler was with us who we recently hired as a producer, shooter, editor and storyteller, and as you'll hear in this podcast, he's a hell

of a player. The hosting duties of this round table go to Lads Versias, who's overseeing the culture vertical of the Fire Pit Collective, and Alan Schipnuk, who's also a partner and the editorial director. We start with Alan, So, boys, you're back in California. Welcome. How hung over are you from the Guinness and just emotionally from what looked like an absolutely epic trip. I think I speak for lads and most of the golf world, we say the fomo was real. I mean I was sitting at home going, man,

how did I get eased out of this trip? And I think that was probably universal sentiment. Even though we weren't employed by the Fire Pit Collective, probably felt that a little bit. It's funny it never came up. We lived vicariously through each of you on that trip, so we didn't have any room for any more people in the van. I mean we were pretty reloaded in, so you know that's it. Well, speaking transportation, tell us about kind of your flight over from the States arriving into Ireland.

Kind of the protocols that you went through and maybe you know walk us through that, like what's it like to travel and do that? Right now? I didn't get pass sport until Wednesday before we left. We left on a on a Sunday, I think right or left left Sunday, arrived.

I didn't get my passport till the wednesday before because my passport had expired in October and because of COVID like and moving, I moved from Florida to California like a disaster, and and turns out I was able to go five days before and get a passport in San Diego, paid two d dollars to get it rushed, and got my passport days before, which could have really thrown a wrench into what was happening. And then I got I

got my my my vaccination card laminated. Now I've been told since then doctors have DM ME saying getting it laminated is not a good idea because you may have to get booster shots and you should keep them on the same card, and so laminating not a good idea. So I did that. I would tell people not to do that. Can you de laminate. Is that a possibility. I don't know. You might be able to getting really hot. I will say that in California there's a great website

where you can put in all the information. You'll get a digital vaccination passport that has a QV code and that takes the place of a little piece of cardboard, and then it will get updated over time. So I would recommend anyone who has gotten VACT. It takes about thirty seconds to sign up. I'm sure other states have a similar director. That website Alan is referring to is my Vaccine Record dot C, d p H, dot c A,

dot gov, which, as he says, is for California. Now back to more I'm getting there, and Coult chimes in with some of his travel troubles, speaking of foam all, I actually experienced a little bit of that myself. Starting off the first twenty four hours. I was supposed to be over there two hours before you, guys, Land. I didn't end up getting there until another twenty four hours later.

And the seven amount of new work on I think Sunday night, get on the runway, third to take off, you know, hour goes by not in the air and up back at the gate. A couple of more hours go by some tesco by yeah, mechanical, you know, we'll have this up and running shore that we get you over to double no problem, you know, uh, fast forward, you know, every passenger now in the airport, off the plane like asking questions where you're supposed to go. I ran over to the Marriott of New Work, luckily to

get the uh one of the last rooms available. Meanwhile, I pop up Twitter. These boys are having guinness. They're at Valley Bun. Yeah, you know, shot like I'm supposed to be there, come on, give me over there. But luckily enough it uh you know, a day later I was able to join them. Do you like any pig trom? What do you don't understand? There's a fucking Mallard duck

on the irarm shit I was talking to. That's Killy and O'Dowd and Irish legend with the punch line to a seven minute joke that's coming soon on the fire Pit Collective's YouTube channel. But now back to lads, as he gets us into the good stuff. So let's jump to the southwest and kick us off. Tell us about you know, the early stages of the of the trip, first courses people, whether I think we need to talk about our strategy, Matt. You know, we we land. Matt

was expecting we're gonna start to shoot. It's anti my rules of shooting after a red eye. So we get to Turli and it's just kind of beat the clock not to fall asleep. It was nine am when we landed, took that long drive to Turley. It was like by then it was like noon, so it's kind of like hanging out at the hotel and resist the bed or go hang out. So we went straight to golf course at Turley and just had lunch there and walked the course so we wouldn't fall asleep. But what happened to

your night there? Matt? Meet a couple of nice people. We meet up with Cormack, one of our the Irish based shooter that joined the group. Um. So Cormack is like, we in order to shoot drones in Ireland, you've got to have a local, licensed Irish drone shooter. So this Cormack is a guy I've worked with on previous journeys two I think, both Morocco and Ireland, and so we joined up forces with him. So he was part of the crew and yeah that that night, I get a

call in the middle of the night. You know, you're we stay up late, we try to this is key. Now you gotta get a good night's sleep. Now you get over jet lag. And I get a call in the other night at like two in the morning, someone doesn't know him in Ireland, and I never fall back to sleep. I'm wide awake. So I'm on like two hours of sleep right out of the gates, you know, never caught up, never caught up. And now we're going full bore. You know. The next morning we shoot truly

any in first Oh bally Bunyan at sunrise, Yeah, it epic. Yeah, day day shoot day one. We had the most insane sunrise over bally Bunyan when it was this is day one where it was supposed to be raining already off the gates, like a chance of rain. Basically the whole forecast every day we looked said something eighty ninety or a chance of showers and it looked like a washout

and we not trust the trust and night. What advice would you give people traveling that are gonna pack, that are going to face some elements, what what is it that you bring to have on the golf course on the trip, like that great rain here, it's rain gloves, and it's two pair of shoes because if the one gets wet, you need to toggle. You can't go back into the wet shoes the next day. Yeah, that's death. You still aren't dry. By the way, they're outside right now.

There are people who are my umbrella. You know she's got what he asked me. He's like, dude, did these ever recover? I mean, they dry out like he thought he was gonna have to throw him away. Man, I don't know about that. I I don't know about yours, but mine they looking good right now. They're hold on by a thread. As we continue to sprinkle in some voices and sounds of the trip, meet John and Paul Anthony, a father and son from South Bend, Indiana, who were

competing in Waterville. I asked them what they loved about Ireland. The people, The people, the people. I tell every American I meet you go to Ireland first and foremost for the people. Walk into any pub and just start talking to a local. Uh, It's it can be life changing. They all want to meet you. They're all gonna make it. They're gonna have a story about cousin Jimmy who's tending bar in Boston, and and uncle Ray who's in New York. Um,

and you just meet the people. I mean, it's obviously we all know how beautiful it is, you know, topography and everything like that, but it's the people. And if you're a golfer, it's a no brainer. I mean, just

what are you waiting for? Did you see many other golf tourists and can you can you speak to the enthusiasm of of the Irish golf community as you guys showed up because it's been you know, it's a huge part of the economy there and they've they've been on lockdown that's ways stricter than most other places going on

two years now. So what was just the energy like for when when you rolled up to bally Bunning and truly in these places, I've got a I've got a great example that I think was itl Hinch which was a little down the road, which we'll get to, but in the hotel um. You know, I guess domestic tours and for Ireland is doing pretty well at the moment. I mean, people are traveling within the country, but we're

at the Hitch Hotel. We're checking in and I think it was late at night and forgetting and you know, I've got the bags, the backpacks, heavy stuff like clunk clunk, clunk up the stairs, you know, like god like checking into my little card over the door. And there's a guy walk behind me and uh, I think you know, I said high or he said hi, and he goes, oh, American, and I'm like yeah, He's like I've been here before.

I'm like, no, first time. He's like, well, you know, welcome, and it is so nice to hear in American accent again. He's like, welcome, have a great time. Wow. And I was like, I've never gotten that before. Like it was a really really nice moment. And I didn't know that's how they felt, you know, it was it was an honor to be there, you know, Royal County down it's like thirteen to fifteen thousand sort of international visitors, you know, like North American uh, golfers, and I mean, you know

these are places that's a big number. If you take that number of times, you know, two fifty or whatever they charge, that's that's a significant impact. You know, these are all sort of member based clubs where members charged are charged five D seven D you know, either euros or pounds a year to play all their golf. So they really are dependent on outside play big time. That's

their whole model. And so you know, although Irish people are moving around Ireland and Northern Ireland, you know, to too Colt's point like this, it was I mean, Ireland is always a warm reception. This was overly warm. It felt like we kind of had the place to ourselves.

I mean it was crazy. I mean, they had membership play and they had stuff going on, but there was a it was like going to Ireland like probably what it was like twenty five or thirty years ago, where you know, just there wasn't a lot of Americans roaming around, and but the ones who were, I'm gonna tell you, had a very good experience because not only the hospitality, but in terms of COVID that country is vaccinated. Uh, they've they've they had just recently, you know, they had

they had Ireland had lost its music. Think about that Ireland lost music that for that country and that culture matters. You're showing back up. It's like some of the first times that people have been playing music together in almost

two years. So we we had sing song sessions that went to like two thirty three in the morning with Pete who were like eighty years old, because it was like they Ireland was getting their music back as we were, you know, coming back, and masks were basically happening indoors and as soon as you got sit down and it wasn't even that hard and fast. It was pretty like just just be sensible, you know, um, have a mask, you know, and and otherwise otherwise guys, it was awesome.

So there's a few questions that have come in with regard to kind of traveling to Ireland and counter Men and seven asked, do you think that the Irish golfing holiday represents good value for money or have they become overpriced compared to other destinations that you can go to. I mean it just depends, I think in the South. In the South, I mean, you're paying to get over there, um and all that, all that goes with that, and then but in the end of the day, you're you're

still paying. You're paying like two fifty at the best places three to play the best golf courses in Ireland where you're paying, you know, you're paying more than that. You know, this is like that's the best, and it's like, yeah, that's and that's that's the highest you'll pay really like the Twilight nine rate at Pebble Beach, right, and then you find your Criti Islands for whatever thirty or fifty euro that will blow your brains out and that's like

you know, banging for your buff. I mean there it is castle places like that in the North, Southwest and the North. But in the North you're paying more like a hundred and fifty hops two hundred dollars. Wow. So in the North for like narn and Port New and St Patrick's and um, I don't know, Port Rush is is probably the most. You know in Royal County Down are probably on the high high end, and you're still you're still paying two fifty bucks and still it's still

less than like a mediocre course in Scottsdale. Oh I think about that. Wow. No, it's I think generally across the board in the North, your your average price, you're gonna save about a hundred dollars, you know, per round of golf. I ran the numbers in the South. One possible itinerary using peak summer season bally Bunyan, trelle Waterville and La Hinch would cost you two each. At old Head it's four dollars and dukes a hundred and seventy

seven dollars. That's six rounds for one thousand, seven seventy dollars and you'd average two dollars per round. I'd added their manner which is another four hundred and sixty six dollars, which brings a total over two thousand for seven rounds and an average green feet of three d nineteen dollars. As for up in the North and Northwest, we didn't play it on this trip, but Royal County Down is

top price at three hundred and seventy dollars. We did play Port Rush, which is three thirty dollars our glass five St Patrick's at Russa Penna a hundred and sixty five Naarn and Port New a hundred and fifty five carne is a hundred and eighteen dollars and Critch Island is forty one for nine holes. That's seven rounds for one thousand, three hundred and sixty four dollars and an average of over a hundred dollars less per round, and

the savings of eight hundred and seventy two dollars. So yes, across the board, value in Ireland is still there, especially in the north and Northwest. All right, back to the conversation. Here's Alex you Peggy, head of production for the collective and organizer of this trip. Biggest surprise, Um, I mean that definitely goes with Krisch Island. We split the trip

into two sections. You know, when we do the show, we're gonna have two shows around the Southwest, and you know, the theme of that is the crack is back, the party is back, the good tents are back. Um. And then part two is the Northwest and the north with the Northwest is like what's new? And as we went north, everyone kept on telling us you gotta go check out

this Kritch Island. And actually, when I talked to one of the owners of thereon in Port New on the phone, probably six weeks ago, after I told him we're going to go film there, the first thing he told him was like, you guys have to go to Kritch Island if you have time. And when we were with him,

he reminded us again to go to Kridge Island. We had we had an extra four hours the next day on our way up to Rossa Penna, so we made that detour, played as a crew and it was first off, it was blowing probably around forty miles an hour, no exaggeration. Matt's got cell phone video we got. This trip was rare where the crew we actually got to play, got

to play a lot. We'll get into that, but you know, the full the entire crew, you know, Cold Matt, myself, uh, Cormac as we mentioned earlier, and we had Darren driving surround. The five of us played and it was it was special as as people will see, this place was amazing.

I mean, that's the dirty little secret of golf travel is that sometimes the itinerary is so full you only have time to go and played five holes just so you can get some You play the most beautiful holes, you get some great scenic because on the next one we gotta go and to actually play you know, a full eight deen or whatever. As as a crew, that that's a luxury and a delight. That was a luxury

and uh and incredible. I mean as far as people booking their travel, I would say, I mean for us, you know, which is work and I mean the tinerary is is chock full of things from sunrise to sunset. But even we still have hours here and there to do things like Chrisch Island. But if you're going over there and planning a trip, I mean building at least half a day here and there, because you will drive by places like Spanish Point look cool? Right We didn't

you know, we didn't go there. We didn't have time. We drove by, I'm like, wow, that place looks bad. Or the little pitch and put outside of the hinge on the other side that unfortunately was closed. I believed to COVID. Hopefully it's going to come back. Um, but just I mean that would have been a blast, right again, like just what the boys jump out their pitch and put supposedly hardest Uh did you say that hardist hardest

links in Ireland? It's like a thousand yards Um. But yeah, just to build in, you know, opportunities to to do just that, to explore You're you're going to drive by a place, We're like, wow, that looks interesting. We were lucky being there for two weeks. I mean the hundred and fifty plus trips Matt and I have done and shows we've done. I've never built a schedule so late.

I mean we had long drive times. I mean there were times we had four hours to drive, but there was a lot of time to go adventure and you know that was that was just through all the trips that we've taken to Ireland and Scotland and England, like it was necessary to do that in Ireland to to

pull this off. That reminds me of some of the trips that Matt and I have taken with various friends and and wingmen, and that they're the itineraries are so ambitious, thirty six day plus drives and we were like, pull over, take a picture of like a sign that would point to a castle, Like all right, there's a sight seet for the trip. Like all we did was eat, sleep, play golf and drive. It was we didn't do anything else. And it's fun. I mean that's kind of the point.

But you do feel like, man, I haven't quite seen as much of this country as I should, and so it's there's that tension. I mean, if everyone everyone has a well not everyone, but most people have a finite amount of time between family and work and everything else, and so you're you're trying to cram as much as you can, but I agree like it. You do want a sense of place and you do want to put your feet up and have some fun when when you can.

So that's awesome that you guys made space for that, because it's not it's not easy to do it that that schedule and get so full so fast, especially when you're especially when you're also filming a TV content. Oh yeah, exactly.

So when Alex when you said the crack is back, like just for those who don't know the words, the Irish word, a's c R A I C and it's it's kind of like the trash talking, the fun, the nightlife, the the in spanciality, the dwet and day like like, how how would you guys, how would you define crack for for those listening, Um, it's it's it's all that, it's it's the it's everything that's sort of Ireland is very prideful about, which is music and uh, you know, um,

it's all around you know, singing together. There are songs they all you know, there are traditional Irish songs there they cover you know, traditional American piano sort of pub songs and uh, it's a big part of all of it. It's it's um, it's the Guinness, it's the pubs, it's the music. It's the local musicians, you know, sort of forming a spontaneous band, people chiming in like it's a it's the party, that's what you know, it's it's a good crack. If the next day that was a good crack, Yeah,

well what was that? That was a good party. That was good. That was good, good energy, good good vibe. That's more from a group of locals, jamming and doulon. We pick it back up with Colt Nedler to go back to surprises real quick, Matt, what was something that you know, I forgot what the question was, but like something that you know surprised you on that trip, on or off the golf course. Oh man, well, you know,

just going back to the whole schedule thing. I think too, it's funny that Alex said, you know, like, oh, this is the lightest itinerary I've ever booked, because it definitely didn't feel that like, I don't know what you're talking about. Where are we on the same trip. Well, the granted the first five days when we were in Waterville, you're on your own schedule, Waterville was chilling, but you were.

You were in the shedine till two am every day, so that was that was by your own doing that you were busy and right down you go, you go, you go to Ireland to go to bed at ten o'clock, like, oh, I gotta go to bed. You know, you don't go to bed, you go to Like I did say after the third night, I go, I have to not be on the last bus home like I was on the last bus for the first three nights. I was like, this is not a good you know. But that's why

you keep You get invited back every year, Matt. That's why you're just punching your ticket for the next trip. You know, you're putting in the work for all of us. We appreciate it. And again, so those who don't know all the vernaculars, the shebne is kind of like I mean, it used to be like a secret bar, like sort of like speak easy, yeah, yeah, and now it's kind of just a more general term, right for a place to go and have some fun. But back in the day, yeah, yeah, yeah.

If someone has a like a basement barn that here in the States that would be there should be yeah, it's like a man. Well that's a good that's a really good segue to be Kaplaner's question a favorite town to sleep in combo of hotel, restaurant and of course the pubs. Colt, what did you like the most? Can I? Can I bring it back for one second? Um? I felt this was this was very impactful. To be honest, the whole Father's Son I did not. I did not realize what we were kind of getting into. I mean,

this was like, you know, maybe date. This was day two, day like one and a half for me, and we're like, okay, we're going down to Waterville for the father's Son. I'm like, I'm not sure what that is. Let's roll, you know, like, okay, we land, you know, I slowly kind of I'm like, oh, Matt playing a tournament rad okay, cool? Uh. You know there's like fifty teams, you know, two man teams, a

hundred people. Marty Carr. I'm sorry, I'm hearing about Marty Carr, this character who you haven't met yet and we're talked about and um, you know, the mettal I'll leave kind of describing that whole experience to you, but just to just to see. You know, the relationships that that in friendships that Matt had has over there and sort of has cultivated over years of travel, was incredible. It's like, you have this Irish family over there that you see

every single year. Friends. I mean, whether it's their kids and you've see him grow up, or you know, you're some of your best friends over there, or you know people that you've known and gotten to play with over the years. Um, I was like, wow, I did not know this existed over here. You know, it was it was really cool experience, not only to just be around and then to be able to play in it was you know, that was wild. Um, to be able to play in it. So it's cold is cult shows up

he does to the father's son. I'm not playing a practice round with Steve John, who is tournament director of A T and T and the pure first team and sort of you know beach. Yeah, the mayor of Pebble Beach, I mean Monterey Peninsula runs the Monterey Peninsula Foundation essentially, so well, you're forgetting the most important part of his resume.

Steve John is my partner every year abandoned for for the Uncle Tony Invitational, which is the tournament that the Matt hosts in honor of the his colorful old Italian uncle got him into golf, and it's one of the highlights of the golf calendar for all of us and s J. As he's widely known in the golf world. We've had like three chances to win, like we were always right there and he's he's a great stick. He's probably a legit one or two and one of the

all time characters. Let spectacular head of hair. It's not just that Colt got to play with some rando. I mean, this is one of the all time characters. So so so I'm playing a practice film with Steve John and he gets a phone call his son Kyle was coming in. Who by the way, Kyle and s J have won the Father's Son twice. They're contended. Kyle's a stick is

a stick and uh, Kyle. He puts Kyle on like speaker phone on the sixteenth T. We're playing the back nine only and we're on the sixteenth T and Kyle basically says, Dad, I'm sorry. You know his fight had also got canceled day before. Father He's out. Matt then hits the Ireland journey text thread Colt, you're playing with Steve John tomorrow one fifteen working on clubs game on let's go. Gets clubs from the caddy that I use from a Dare Manner who's like one of the greatest

people roaming the planets, Mark serteen. He's a great guy us him, used him as a dair, brought him over with the father son in the last few years. He has a set of clubs. He goes, culte, you can use my clubs. Coult uses Mark Startini's clubs. Shows up the first tea with s J and and the first hole of Waterville and they both proceed to pump it into the hazard like both go right out out ball. I mean they're there and it's taking best ball of

the twosome from day one three day tournaments. Second day is alternate shot, third days back to best ball the twosome. These guys are out. I mean, I didn't I think it was maybe at the turn on the first day, asked Matt. I'm like, he said something like what I'm playing the next two days as well. Bear in mind I on before this trip, I was like, hey, if we can all play nine holes together at some point that would be sick. I love to play nine in Ireland,

that would be awesome. You know, right off the bat they jump in play three days in Waterville for the father's son. I'm like, sir, yes, sir at further a couple of two of them over there in the fairway, like I'm passing them and they're like thickest thieves they're over there. I'm hearing, hey cold great, yeah yeah right, you know, yeah, yeah, you know, this is like when your girl cheats on you with like you know, through universe.

Like I don't really need to hear all this matter, Like it's a sensitive subject, like is my partner Coult swoops in, steals them, carries him the victory. Like it puts me in an awkward position here, like you can lay off a little bit. Nobody nobody's thinking about anything. You know, they're having fun, they're playing good. You know.

You know, it's all Stableford scoring over there. So it's always like it's pars two points, Bogey's one point and anything double zero and birdies are three eagles or four, etcetera, and so it's all you know, you gotta get to thirty six. That's par Basically, that's two points a whole and if you can get like anywhere, you know, thirty eight denying all good scores. Well. Fin day three we finished third. My partner and I finished fourth actually in

the adopted category. A couple of our other friends. One. There were some beautiful speeches going on, and Cold is shooting the awards ceremony. Oh. Yeah, by the way, he's playing, and I'm also telling you about like, hey, when you're done or out there, got some shots. So whenever he's got playing and Ley and he's shooting, he's shooting like the whole time everything. So and he's shooting the trophy ceremony and they go, oh first play, Oh well, you know,

unfortunately Kyle John couldn't make it. Steve John had and and Colt looks over me. He's like, did we just win? Low Gross? And like and I was, and they go and Steve John and Cold Neeler Low Gross, are you kidding me? Oh my god? That was so much fun. That was enjoys funny gross. Oh my god. With Barow clubs clubs the three days, okay, they it's best ball to twosome and then Colt, you've got zero shots? Yeah,

And and Steve got three shots, you got two. He's a three handicapped him to get into three days total best ballot twosome, alternate shot and best ball of twosome. And they both are in the hazard off the first tea on the first hole and they finished seven over. Doesn't put everybody off. The set is all the strategy. So Colt and s J are defending gross champions. Kyle John might be my partner next year and Alan is need of a new partner. At the Uncle Tony invitation.

As for Colton, Alan asked him for a wrap up before we headed north. We're talking favorites in Southwest sure, I mean, and we're talking just golf or experience, because the La Hinch experience where the whole crew plays its sunset. La Hinch is the town. You know, we're coming up eighteen as a seven ball, you know, trying to get in at last light. I mean, it's just you know, it's old Tom, old Tom mackenzie, right, It's just I mean, how can you beat that? I don't think you can.

I mean, Lynch m my favorite golf course in all while Ireland, the whole island. But what about you, Matt. You you've you've seen him done them. If you had to pick one favorite in the Southwest, what's it going to be? Well, you know, the story we do on truly is they've they've they've really made a lot of changes and improvements to the front nine, which was always said to be the weaker nine and sort of you know, maybe have pulled Trulli down in the in the rankings

so speak. But I think so it's gotten better. And then Bally Bunny. In the first time I played Bally Bunny and it was raining, you know, sideways blowing forty always has could have clouded my you know, sort of impression of the golf because that's all I It's all I really. I mean I played it again raining also, like I just I finally thought in this perfect in a situation, it was an epic day and uh, it

was pristine, it was an immaculate condition. And um and they've they've actually improved their eighteen told which is one that I never liked. It was kind of this raw, odd, blind approach shot and uh, and and all that being said, I I just for me, you know, Waterville and La Hinch just it's really impossible to pick between them. I love them both. I I for different reasons. I love both the towns, I love both the golf courses, I love both of vibe, I love all the experience. I've

got great memories and moments of both. It's just I can't do it. It's like pebble and cypress for me. All Right, that's well said from the from the visitor standpoint, I think you know the Hinch. You're like right down the street from the Cliffs of More, not too far from this cool little music artist town duel In. Like that area has a lot happening if you're traveling with family or you know, you just want to get in a lot in an area. Yeah, that's a great point.

I mean, well, and it's it's so close to Shannon, Like that's the hinches big problem. That's been a big thing for like the Hinch especially, Like everybody who flies in out of Shannon goes right to Hinch. It so you could be on the tea in like forty five minutes from the time you land. That's a problem. Well it's Shannon Airport still closed, so there's no flights. Yeah. Um, but they take great care of us. And then we know a local there, Antoino Looney I've you know, through

John Ashworth. I've got to know this guy who's just a you know, it's in a country full of characters. This is in the top ten Antoino Looney who offered to take us out in his boat to be at the base of the Cliffs of More. You know, on the morning we're supposed to get away, and we got sunset and again whether we're supposed to be horrible, it wasn't.

We got to go right and we we we actually he drove the boat into the cliffs more so over over over our shoulder and and and there you know, we got you're in student and over this time year. Then you're over can Island. Where are the people? Where do the people come to see the cliffs? Wre right? See where the castle is there O'Brien's cast. Yeah, it's just like get in the tower, you know. Yeah. How long does that go? Back? Back back? Joe Joe, Brian Stronghold,

who are going way back? I think give your own in creation. Yeah you know, yeah, but the way back yeah wait wait, wait, wait, way back way a couple of ways. The Cliffs of More are less than an hour from Shannon Airport, maybe ten minutes from the Hinge. Tickets range in price from free for kids twelve and under, twelve dollars for adults, and up to twenty two dollars for an entire family. O'Brien's tower goes way way back to and sits set above sea level. I mean, mind boy,

if you want to talk about surprise experiences. For me, obviously chritsch Island is is something that we can do a whole podcast on and probably will at some point. But um, for me that the boat ride with ANTOINEO Looney at sunrise at La Hinch into the cliffs some more is something. You know, I've done the boat right along the north of Kauai on the Nepolyi coastline, which is spectacular and breathtaking. This is times ten of that,

all right. So so now you make the hard choice to skip Role County down and you go to the northwest, which is really the least explored part of of Ireland from a golf standpoint. That was the point. That was the point. That's what I was gonna say, What, why

why do that? And what what was the vision there? Well, it's got two new it's got you know basically there and I portnew Gil Hans just you know, basically did a did a total redo and Tom Doke built a course at rossa Penna called St Patrick's on what originally Jack Nicholas had started as to eighteens and the project sort of ran a foul. The Casey family was able to buy the land. Uh, they reached out to Doke who came over and routed eighteen holes on what would

have been you know, thirty six. So um, the kind of the pull to that north and the Northwest was what's new there and what's going to be the impact of these two new you know, I'm sort of a modern minimalist American, you know, you know, architectural you know, rock stars rolling into Ireland and doing what they do on this land. And what's that going to do is sort of as seismic shift, as as tea times get booked out in the Southwest and prices are where they are and value is what it is in the north

and here comes Gilhanson, Tom Doak. What is what's going to kind of be this impact of the poll of interest plus value to the north and the Northwest. And that was part of what we were out to discover. We heard from end to Kenny on corn earlier. Now meet Jerry McGuire of County Mayo, my playing partner and guide around Carnes. Wild Atlantic Dunes. Don't cut dunes like this anywhere, not so many of them. You've got them here and there in the odd place. But here it's

just Saltimore incredible. When you drive from Ballina or anywhere within the Na Bell Mullet, the ground of the flat land, it's bog and then you come out here and you just think you hit the moon. You stand open the first tee box and you come out here in the middle of what you'd call really craters, and they're cold, built in crackers, And until you do it, you just you have to do it. It's destination golf. When you

get here, you'll just be blown away by it. Just to clarify, carn added some holes by Jim a Eddie Hackett to the original eighteen. Now you have the most dramatic nine by Hackett, plus the new nine, which is what's called the Wild Atlantic Dunes. The remaining nine holes are the Hackett nine, which are flat and more playable for the locals. Now back to the conversation for more

on the trip and planning out this trip. It's places like Carn and Sligo and bally liff In that are going to benefit from all of this this poll and the interest here. And we stumbled into Carn, which I mean, you want to talk about raw it's it's it would be like Shaquille O'Neil when he was at l s U, like just big Gangley and and like you know, has a lot of talent, but you know, like just it's just it's like it's just you know, just not ready yet.

You know, like it's just not ready yet. It's it's it's it's it's close, and you know, it's got the bones and the character. And then now they've got twenty seven holes and the locals and the people who run it are basically doing it for free, and they've had some real financial struggles that they've you know, they've kind of gotten through. I got to play with Enda Kenny, the former Prime Minister of Ireland at the Father's son.

He's a local, he's a Mayo guy, the County Mayo which is where KRN is, and he was basically all in on you gotta go see it. Anyway we went. It was amazing. You know, it's amazing, but it's it needs the help of the Narro and important new and and Rossa Pennant. It needs this pull, it needs more outside play, it needs finances and then it has a chance of being something really special. But right now it's very very tough, long rough, very narrow fairways. It's massive dunes.

It's it's extreme. It's very biggest dunes in the area. You're addressed in full cameo headed tone. Go dune hunting, they say, they say that people tea off from Carn and sometimes may never be seen again. The wild Atlantic Dunes. That that's what it is. These dunes are seriously what fifty feet tall period. It's not a no I know, that's that's part of it. It's always had this mystique because it is so raw. And John Getty, my former psycholague, you know, he wrote a book Ancestral Links in the

Car and plays a big role in that. And it's one of the great regrets of my life is if after every year after the Open, John will go to Carn and host people and like, I was so close to going a few times, I've never made it. And now he's not going over there as much. And Nelly's retired and um, but it's it's always been fixed in my brain. I mean, there's any place in all of golf I want to get too car and is like right at the top of the list. So I love

your impressions of it. It It kind of confirms everything I've always believed. And yeah, I mean the best pint of Guinness as well. Yes, so let's talk about that sidebar in the Guinness like best yea, why is that? Like is the Guinness different from place to place? Oh yeah, apparently and and Guinness so if you serve Guinness in your pub, Guinness sends people out there to clean your

lines and in quality control. Our driver, Darren shout out there and it was a former Guinness tap linesman, not sure if that was his actual title, but he would clean the you know the lines, Yeah, the lines. Yeah. So yeah, so Guinness does quality control at every pub, said Darren. Said. Carnes got a great or rather a grand pint of Guinness. Well that's interesting. We we had

this conversation. He was cold, it was it was And by the way, I think it's also because after you're done hiking, carn like, it just tastes true now come. My favorite part of the whole trip about my road I have for your mother's milk. M I'm saying, for some reason, they taste so much better. Never once I've gone to a bar Americans to not give me a guinness, But in Ireland give me a guinness. Can't You can't get the words out fast enough getting in the car

pub Guinness and father's son I was doing. I was drinking a lot of guinness. But once we got once we got going and playing, you know, it's kind of slowed down because it's not like they're serving you guinness out on the golf course. You kind of gotta go earn it and you gotta stick around afterwards. And you know, Jerry McGuire is the is the you know, you'd call him the director of golf there. He does the job for free. He was one of my favorite. I mean,

we we ran in so many amazing people. But is it Fiona. It's Jerry and Fiona run carn and I mean not only the best guinness, but like we had, we had a really great meal there. The hospitality I mean brings a tear to my eye. Honestly, these people are as as down home quality people you'll ever come across and uh, they were really they they you couldn't

leave Carn without I mean they touch you. They're like that that you know you can't, like I said in a tweet, you can't help but root for Carna, Like this place is going to benefit from Marion in Port New and and St Patrick's at Rossa Panna because of kind of this this northern shift. And no one's happier than me for for Fiona and jere McGuire and all

the people car because I love that. I love that, all right, So now let's get to St Patrick's and uh and the other and the hands course, like come on, let's hear it. So after Karn was Narni Port New Yeah. Yeah. If you like Pebble Beach and you would rather have two Carmel base there, you go to get someone like kil Hans and Jim Widner to take their time to

come here. I mean those their schedules are ridiculous. And to get them to come here and take us on board, it was like buying a lot of ticket and winning a lotta that's Liam McDivitt who helped rescue the course in He and his partner Larry fully bought the debt of one point seven million euros and had to put several million back into the place. To play there for a hundred fifty five dollars isn't exactly like winning the Lotto, but it's close. Even closer. Locals pay roughly six d

dollars to play for a year. What Gil and Jim did you know? They basically had an impact on you know, every hole, whether it was teas greens, location of greens, you know, uh, slight sort of routing tweaks, condensing holes into threes or making them fours, and and and what what they've done. And it's a beautif talking about a beautiful little beach town there. Um and and cool little vibe and aesthetic. When we rock up, there's a food truck in the in the parking, in the in the parking,

we're a lot. There's kids everywhere, people are playing in T shirts and short and and uh, it's just this beautiful, non pretentious but also pristine looking experience. And um and we had played with Liam, one of the owners. He's a local. He's he's living and has lived in America. Kind of this is coming back. He and Larry Foley, whose son I played with the father's son. You know, he's a Irish American who you know, loves Ireland as

as you know, as much as anybody does. And they bought this, you know, Larry Foley bought its sight unseen on his partner Liam's suggestion, Jill Hanson Jim Wagner went over there and just I mean I did never played it before, but what I played was an absolute gas just so much fun, absolutely beautiful, great, uh little you know, combination of holes. We had a rainbow over the gulf. You know, you're playing down to little greens like you do on the seventh and Pebble Beach, like there's a

couple versions of that. Not to mention, Liam mc adivot, the owner who is out there with us, caddied there for a euro around as a kid as a kid. Yeah, that's gotta be a stage name. Yeah, I'm changing. I'm changing my last see to make dvot and so now what, by the way, one of about twenty seven that we've met, Yeah, that was the was the same as the Guinness count. Afterwards, we go to the food truck and Liam goes, all right, we'll take this food truck is insane it's the best

pizza and tacos you'll ever have. And Liam Rock said, he goes, all right, We'll take eight taco short ripped tacos, will have eight pizzas, will have to lamb you know, we'll have a calamari. We we feasted. We feasted that night in out of a food truck at Aaron and Port New NonStop all year long to play Pebble Beach. Once we won't be going to Pebble Beach. I just wanted to give you a little perspective of where I come from. That was the group of guys we walked

up the eighteenth with sun setting behind us. I had pointed out to them that they pay the same, if not less, to play narn and Port New all year long versus what anyone pays to play Pebble Beach once. They weren't interested in that deal. And if you're playing near and in Port New, you can't blame him. So Narni Port New is going to UH. I was thinking, Wow, this is amazing what this is going to do for the North, like unbelievable. And then we went to Rossa

Penna and St. Patrick. But between that is where we went to Christ Island. So this is what the amazing thing is is is between naron Port New and Sapenna. This is why Critch Island, which is a nine hole you know, made out of the farm, made from the shovels of the farmers who lived around in the area where you can't even get a big bus over this little bridge in order to get to Chritch Island where they don't even have any merchandise in the pro shop.

And we played guy who for twenty years was not only the supertendent, he was the GM he was the head pro, he was the and Brian and he and he hosted this. We rocked up there like on two wheels. Uh nar an important who gave us three sets of clubs so all five of us could play. Wind is blowing the only rain. We pretty much got the whole trip for the first hole and then it cleared up and then it was like the greatest nine hole, the best value and greatest nine hole golf course maybe in

the world. Is it just a coincidence that like the most fun golf holes were made by old Tom Morris who as like the first guy ever had no idea what he was doing. And then the farmers that just like make up holes these the farmers and like basically the something about the local priests you said, you know, yeah, go ahead, you can't get the land from the church. Yeah, they Landford Church. They made the golf course. Took him

four years to build these nine holes with shovels. And sixth hole, well you'll see the six holes of part three is like a mini version of sixteen at Cyprus Point. This is the most metal golf course I've ever heard of. You pay like thirty or thirty bucks to play nine holes,

or fifty bucks to play a team. We had, um, it was we we had the bet with the like pound for pound, like the best time of anything and everything we did was the nine holes we played at Christi Island because low expectations, it was like we all got to play. We had such a time. It was amazing. It was like we were five kids that like got led into Disneyland by ourselves with no one else there, and we just ran around like crazy. They don't have

but they do have Guinness. Yeah for um. For the listeners at home whose interest has been majorly picked, we should just point out it's spelled c r U I T it's like Crewett Island if that's not how they say it over there, and then it took a while for us to figure out how to say it. Yeah, yeah, No,

it's definitely a cult classic. Um. Laurence Donnegan, the long time golf read or he's he tweeted about it maybe a year ago, a year and a half ago that is like his favorite course in the world or something equally hyperbolic. And that was the first time I've ever heard about it, and I immediately googled it and I've seen the photos. It does look just absolutely spectacular and

clearly it's got a special ambiance. So that's awesome. So now Matt, who has a long history of jousting with Tom Doak, both as a human and as a designer, and um, I've heard him swear various oaths involving Tom Doak's name. Um, from tar Eady to Cape Kidnappers to uh stream songs. You go down the list, but you get to St. Patrick's and your belief is what Matt finish that sentence, Well, I mean I should probably address some of the Tom dot that you just laid out.

I mean, you know, I I have a lot of respect for Tom Doke the designer, I don't I don't think his greens are a great match for modern day green speeds. It's not there. They're too much undulation to handle green speeds of eleven and twelve, which is generally what high end resorts do two to golf versus in America in an effort to sort of justify large green fees or to sort of pump the chest on like we've got fast greens. And and Doke doesn't relent on,

you know, and less strongly encouraged by Mike Kaiser. Basically, his his greens are not only too undulating for modern day greens fees, but with with good shots on approach shots, they just send balls in a lot of various directions, unnecessarily and unfairly in most cases. And you know, and and I'm an amateur, and so you know, I I have poked at Tom doke Um for that because I think it's I think that he costs himself in what I think is is Um being revered is one of

the greatest of of of his generation. There are some people who say he is the greatest. I would say that because of because of three to four or five and sometimes screens per course, it's not. It's not it gets in the way of the good time and the good is done and the good routings and the other

genius stuff he's done. That being said, when we rocked up to Rossa Penna and St Patrick's and that golf course and what he's done is um it's the in my opinion, you know, having just walked it and you know, I saw the scale, like this has to be his best. To me, he got he would. It's like he had the land of both Bandon and Pacific to build the

ultimate band and Dunes golf course. The scale and the dunes and the and the and the position of the holes along the water and and the routing and the drama, the build up to the end. It's it's and they're going to run the green speeds at nine because that's sort of what they do in Ireland because the wind always blows and you have to still have it be playable. So great to be at nine in Ireland for this tom Dok golf course, and to have the land he had and where he's at in his career to do

what he's you know, to do what he did. To me, it's the it's the best case scenario. Expectations were pretty high, to be fair with you know, Sandons Sands say, you know in Tom's Tom's record with with all of the above. So yeah, John and I have been friends and our fans and friends of Tom's for a long time. So it was just a good foot And while on the subject of Tom Doak, Dream Golf, which consists of Bandon, Duons, Sand Valley and Cabot Cape Breton, have created a cool offer.

As you probably know, Bannon just announced that it will host th usj Amateur championships over the next twenty three years, starting with the US Junior Amateur and at sand Valley, Dope is restoring the Lego Golf Club, which many consider one of the greatest courses ever built and by the

pictures I've seen it looks insane anyway. To celebrate, Dream Golf is offering a four day, three nights day in July in which you can either be one of the first to preview the Leado or be on site abandoned for US Junior m enter by September by going to dream golf dot com forward slash giveaway dream golf dot Com forward slash giveaway now for more in St Patrick's and the Casey family back to the round table. I mean, you know, I think about like the New York Skyland.

You feel like it's it's fixed, um, and yet they're always someone's always build the new skyscraper. And how cool is it that you know, they're still finding new links courses in Ireland and two of them, Uh, it's it's exciting. And Rossa Penna already has too too good golf course and they have a beautiful hotel there. And the Casey family are amazing people. Um, the sons uh, Frank and

John basically like the Kaiser boys. So Frank Sr. Casey has been running this hotel and these golf courses, and his two sons are like Michael and Chris Kaiser like they're they're they're super thoughtful, intellectual, humble, uh gracious, classy. You know, guys in their thirties who have been a part of this whole culture for you know, for a

long time, watching their dad do what he does. And now they're you know, their dad is still very much involved, but he they're they're really sort of breaking up the hospitality, the hotel and the golf and it's a it's I will tell you that when you know, I thought naron I Port knew was going to be a nice draw to the north and you see St Patrick's rossa Penna and knowing what we know again about the value and this this, this is going to be the golf course

that with the dok enthusiasts and the gil hands enthusiasts and value enthusiasts and people who have already checked the boxes in the south and the Southwest, who have played all those golf courses, there is going to be a seismic shift to the north and the Northwest for the next ten years, for the foreseeable future because oft and let's not forget the Open at Port Rush kind of put that course and a whole other category all the there's been all this, there's been a movement happening in

our glass has gone from five international golfers to five thousand, you know, over the last you know, five years. I mean there's already been this kind of discovery of the valley. Lifting played really well in the Irish Open. Royal County Down was the first one where where Rory hosted. Rory getting in the Irish Open. It playing well you know, you know happened at the Hinge too with romb bet

that that kind of is all that's all happening. Yeah, well so so this this becomes the ultimate question your your golfer traveling from the US or somewhere else, far far far away, and you only have one week, say you can't through the entire Irish island, So do you go to the north or do you go to the south. What's that answer? Now? The Southwest? You know, to deprive yourself of Lahinch, Trille, Waterville, Vally Bunyan, old Head, you know, dune bag Uh, you know, Dukes. I mean that's that's

that is, that's as good as it gets. That is the supreme beings of Irish golf. But next up is now, I mean it was all I I love the North anyway, Port Rouge, Port Stewart, are Glass, Royal County down there was there's plenty up there, Castle Rock. But now you have more options in the north and the Northwest is now becoming Now the lines are blurred. Now there's a bit of more of a shift and now you can actually make a truly north northwest trip. And like we

didn't even play Royal County down. We didn't play Port Stewart, we didn't do Port Rush, which you know, which is is epic. But my god, that's in the conversation that that holds up And if you're gonna go value, that's

where you go. And if you want to get it in before it gets super popular, yeah, yeah, get it in now before it becomes I mean, I liked what you guys said on top of this podcast is probably an hour and a half ago now that it felt like Ireland two or three decades ago, your experience you just had and um and I think I think that's that's what the Northwest is going to be for a long time. And just a we don't know the geography

that well. I mean, most folks would fly into Dublin and then if you just start going north you're gonna get to Royal County down before anything else. You go up these coasts and then hit Port Rush and just do a loop and you go west and you could you could do it one great circle just in the northern half of the island and could you could cut straight northwest get to Donegal and then donegalz in the middle is right minutes from man in Port New St Patrick's is an hour and a half from Donegal and

then do it that way too. Yeah, and the Belfast too, by the way, you you can go. Uh, you know, there are flights in both and there's actually a flight over to an airport in the northwest out of Dublin that you can connect that gets you into the heart of the Northwest. There is there, and it's only one flight a day. But and I suspect there will be

more of those flights, you know. I would bet you know all my four oh and k that three years from now, assuming you know, everything clears up with COVID, that there will be a lot more flights going in and out of the airport in the Northwest. They're they're not gonna be big planes, but I think there'll be more flights. Before we get to final thoughts and favorite moments, we'd like to thank part Points for their support. Part Points is the app that allows you to change the

way you score this crazy game. Choose to play from a hundred yards A part is worth a hundred points. Bertie double that it's especially great for kids, beginners, family golf, and buddy strips. Looking for an alternate format that is conducive to side bets. Download the app now and go make park. Do anyone have a favorite moment? What do you got cold other than winning? I mean we didn't even I feel like we need to spin off podcasts for everything. Like, you know, the goats at le Hine

was hilarious. Matt didn't believe they were there. Did we find them? Maybe you'll have to see market Nolan and his mom at let Hite grabbing beer as he lives. Literally, you know, you go Klondike and uh and what is it? Del Klondike and del Klondike On the fourth Marcus lives right behind the green. He runs into the house grabs beers for us. You know, we get a refresh in between two template holes. That's pretty ridiculous. But um, you know, the whole part of the Father's Son is is the

the Irish mass priest comes in. You have the Irish mass that there's the whole Irish mass hole out at Waterville and the twelfth whole part through where there's a huge pit. Hundreds of years ago. You know, having mass was punishable by death at the time. They would go out there have mass in the pits so nobody could see him. I mean Waterville is built out on the you know, this peninsula is the golf course. That's it.

That's all that's on the peninsula. But anyway, we had it out at Marty's House UM this year and it was a sort of a uh memorial service for a couple of the guys that have been a part of the tournament UM in the past and again rolling into the father's son without knowing a whole lot about it, to experience Irish mass there and to to experience the emotions that were a part of that and you know, celebrate the um the lives of some of the guys

that have lived that tournament over the years. It was heavy, It was heavy, and it was it was eye opening UM and uh really enjoyable as well. M but you out fair moment. Castle Rock played as a crew part of the thing and I went home. I stuck one close, stuck one close, two for one. That's right. That eight favorite moment. First hole on one cot you covered Matt's bird, I think as well out a yeah, if I'm not taken,

I did that drivable far forward. Appreciate that. I appreciated that I was out of the hole, Thank you very much. How about you, Maddie man. I you know, for me, it's I mean, I I eagled my last hole, the eighteenth hold of the father's son of Waterville down wind some some I had nine iron into the green and uh and made the putt, which was my golf highlight

by far. And but it's it's all about I mean, our glass is kind of the goat Hill Park of Ireland, you know, of of Northern Ireland, and it's it's um the people there, you know, become become friendly with the several years ago they made me an honorary member, you know. Uh they presented it to me at the p J Merchandise Show. I you I didn't know what, you know,

It's like, I don't even know what that. That's amazing honor like the you know, the oldest clubhouse in the world fourteen oh six or something and uh yeah, our Glass and uh so this was my first time back there. Paul Vaughan, the pro um Fit see is kind of the eleven time club champion, was our host and uh we had we went lobstering. I met up with the the three brothers who owned the Dire Wolves, or were used as the Dire Wolves. Uh. And um got you know,

become friendly with them. We met up with them, We had drinks in the pub with them, We played the golf course the next morning, and uh and we we sang songs until two in the morning. The whole Art Glass thing, to me is is my super spiritual I think there's some there's magic in the land and the and there's certainly magic in the in the people and the community there, and uh, it's cool. It's a really

cool thing. And so being able to go back there that was, you know, of all the things, I got ten favorite things, twenty favorite things, thirty favorite things, and thirty favorite people that we met. But heart Glass is kind of the one for me, My heart love. This is a fun journey. I mean, I don't know if it made my fomo worst or better, but it's it's great to hear the stories and it's it's fun to think about. There's bitterness in your tone from the beginning. No,

I'm supportive. I'm supportive, but anyway, think thanks for filling us all in. I mean, yeah, I think the decision between between the Ireland and Scotland is much harder than it's ever been, especially when you're adding these two new courses and and Port Russias Star Turn and all of it. So it's if it's that, I mean, it's definitely a

win win, but it's it's certainly something about Ireland. I mean, the people and the culture is so inviting and anyway, this is great stuff that was well said Alan, like, it's never been more of a closer fight between Scotland and Ireland. And at the end of the day, if you really you know, on the plenty of the golf stacks up, the golf can go, you know, one for one,

you can go back and forth. But at the end of the day, what happens off course in Ireland and Northern Ireland is unlike anything else really in the world. The people and the warmth and the only thing they take seriously over there is making sure that you have a good time. You're very good at it. I'm all done, open Si