WEBVTT - Fire Drill 092: From Dublin to Belfast 0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:05.920 Mh you run into the Irish if you like stories, 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:11.319 you know, settle in, buckle up, charge the glass, pour 0:00:11.360 --> 0:00:15.600 a pint and listen. You know, the music, the poems, 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:20.360 the stories, the jokes, the crack as they say, is 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:23.000 it just just does not stop. 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:28.960 That got thoughts in my head. Can't get them. J 0:00:29.600 --> 0:00:33.320 Not the thing what I'm thinking about, not going thoughts 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:37.880 in my head, can't get them, joh, not the thing 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:39.560 what I'm thinking about. 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:50.880 Hello, this is Alan Schipnok back for another Fire Drill podcast. 0:00:50.960 --> 0:00:52.440 This is kind of a fun one. We're going to 0:00:52.479 --> 0:00:57.920 talk all things Ireland. If you go to our distribution partner, 0:00:58.040 --> 0:01:02.600 golf digest dot com, they have two very long travelogues 0:01:03.440 --> 0:01:07.160 that Matt Janella has put together in his Journeys franchise. 0:01:07.840 --> 0:01:10.360 One is around Dublin and one is around Belfast and 0:01:10.760 --> 0:01:13.640 all the golf, the culture of the history will be 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:18.399 to these great cities on the island of Ireland. Matt, 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:20.720 thanks for thanks for being here to talk about all 0:01:20.720 --> 0:01:23.679 this stuff. I know that you're an honorary Irishman and 0:01:23.840 --> 0:01:26.960 you have some roots on the island, and tell us 0:01:27.000 --> 0:01:30.399 about how excited you are that these projects are now 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:31.400 out there in the wild. 0:01:32.840 --> 0:01:34.880 I mean, you know, again, you know what I think 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:38.160 of Ireland, you know what I think of the Irish, 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:41.120 and that goes for you know, quite frankly for me 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:43.720 and the experiences I've had and the friends I've made 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:47.440 in all of my travels to and from the Island 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:52.040 of Ireland, the Republic and Northern Ireland. It's hard for 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:55.440 me to differentiate the two. And I think tonight, for 0:01:55.480 --> 0:01:57.680 the purposes of what we're going to be doing in 0:01:57.760 --> 0:02:01.040 terms of talking about our ranking of our golf courses 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:03.640 on the Island of Ireland, we kind of group them 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:08.720 all together. Obviously, over time and through you know, several 0:02:09.200 --> 0:02:15.880 conversations with many people going from Dublin to Belfast, you 0:02:16.000 --> 0:02:20.239 learn a lot about how and why you know they're 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:25.120 you know, it's very different Northern Ireland, six counties of 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.359 the thirty two counties that make up kind of the 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:30.639 Island of Ireland. You know, you read about and learn 0:02:30.680 --> 0:02:33.840 about Michael Collins and what he did to secure the 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.679 twenty six counties of what is the Republic of Ireland, 0:02:38.000 --> 0:02:42.160 and you learn about sort of how and why there 0:02:42.280 --> 0:02:46.960 is still a very distinct separation. And I think there's 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:53.760 a lot of movement to evolve that relationship between these 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:58.920 two countries, which you know, as driving along, you're not 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:01.400 really you're not really you're not going through any kind 0:03:01.440 --> 0:03:05.400 of checkpoint. You're not you know, showing your passport to 0:03:05.520 --> 0:03:09.079 get from one to the next. But there is a 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:13.520 very distinct difference, you know, you start seeing different flags, 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:20.239 different different representation of you know, the politics between sort 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:26.040 of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. I would 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:29.760 say it's probably somewhat similar to the politics in the 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.760 United States in that, you know, the ten percent on 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:36.080 the far left and ten percent on the far right 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:39.280 are the loudest, and there's an eighty percent in the 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:42.040 middle who are much more sensible and kind of just 0:03:42.080 --> 0:03:44.640 want to move on, don't really want to get in, 0:03:45.360 --> 0:03:48.360 you know, they want to kind of evolve out of 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:55.520 the bitterness, the hate, the the pain, you know, I 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:59.840 would say, is one word to describe it. So in 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:04.760 that sense, I you know, you know, Dublin is a 0:04:04.880 --> 0:04:09.000 much it's it's kind of a lighter air to the 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:14.720 city and the environment and the experiences you have I find, 0:04:15.040 --> 0:04:18.760 you know, Belfast, you know, and again I think it's 0:04:18.800 --> 0:04:22.040 come a long way, maybe even since the first time 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:24.240 I've ever sort of went through there. This was the 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:28.039 first time I really immersed myself in the city of 0:04:28.080 --> 0:04:30.680 Belfast and spend a lot of time kind of walking 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:34.480 the streets, going to pubs, and there's a little it's 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:38.680 a little heavier, it's a little darker, it's a little edgier. 0:04:40.080 --> 0:04:43.240 Trying to think of, you know, maybe two cities to 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:46.560 try to compare it to, you know, it's not really 0:04:46.600 --> 0:04:49.919 San Francisco to New York, It's not. It might be 0:04:50.000 --> 0:04:53.960 more like Manhattan to Boston, you know, like we're you know, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.720 Manhattan has a more of a lighter air to it. 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.920 It's a little more of a cultural melting pot, where 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:01.760 Boston's got a little bit of an edge to it, 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:05.240 you know. Uh Like I guess, you know, if I 0:05:05.279 --> 0:05:09.760 were to try to summarize it to an American sort 0:05:09.800 --> 0:05:15.200 of listener. But again, I've I've made so many friends 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:18.479 in both areas and spent you know, a fair amount 0:05:18.520 --> 0:05:22.719 of time listening to where they're at with it, and that, 0:05:22.839 --> 0:05:25.360 to me was one of the one of the best 0:05:25.400 --> 0:05:31.200 experiences about these two particular trips was the real immersion 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:33.520 into the cities. Because a lot of you know, to 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:37.040 the points I make in that Dublin Dublin Travel show 0:05:37.120 --> 0:05:39.120 and also in Belfast. A lot of times people go 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:41.640 into these big cities and then just spoke out and 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:45.240 head to the coast and get those traditional links experiences 0:05:45.400 --> 0:05:48.880 to the Southwest or the north Northwest. And I don't 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:52.159 think they they spend enough time in these what I 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:55.880 would consider like really great cities, you know, in terms 0:05:55.920 --> 0:05:59.680 of the fun and energy and and and food and vibe, 0:05:59.680 --> 0:06:03.440 and you know, the sporting life and culture is very 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:08.400 vibrant and and and you know between rugby and hurling, 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:11.680 mostly in the Republic of Ireland. But that those kind 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:15.640 of things are just it's it's it's fascinating to me 0:06:16.000 --> 0:06:19.640 and and it was a real privilege and it's always 0:06:19.640 --> 0:06:22.080 an honor to get an opportunity to do some of 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.000 this type of storytelling, this kind of long form immersive storytelling. 0:06:27.560 --> 0:06:30.279 Could have done an hour each on each city. Honestly, 0:06:30.320 --> 0:06:32.559 we had enough content to do it, and over time, 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:35.279 I think we'll continue to put it out on our 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:40.719 firepit collective dot com channels or throughout various you know, 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:45.120 social components and digital shorts and even more podcasting. So 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:50.159 the crews that I worked with on these shows and 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:53.039 the editing and all the different people that are a 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:55.680 part of putting this together. As you know, Alan like, 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:58.920 there's a lot of talented people that I work with, 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:02.440 both Ireland Ireland based and that we brought over from 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:05.200 the US, and they all deserve a lot of credit. 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:09.920 Jesse Levine and Rex Lint and you know, you know 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:14.000 Jake Muldowney who who did a lot of editing on this. 0:07:15.480 --> 0:07:19.400 Mel McClain uh is a local Irish guy, Cormick Downs 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:26.960 these these you know, Darren Fitzgerald, Kieren fitz Simons, who 0:07:27.160 --> 0:07:29.679 actually I played hard glass with eleven time club champion 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:32.440 car Golf, is very supportive and sort of getting us 0:07:32.480 --> 0:07:36.240 around and facilitating some of the logistics of all of this. 0:07:36.840 --> 0:07:40.640 It is such a complete and total team effort, and 0:07:40.760 --> 0:07:43.640 one person, you know, leads into the next, and all 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:47.680 the different people that lent their time and expertise and perspectives, 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:51.440 it's it's just really it's a it's very special to me. 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:55.280 I do have Irish roots. My great great grandfather. I 0:07:55.400 --> 0:07:59.040 found his old house. We're going to continue to tell 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:05.360 that story in in County Claire. Michael Boland, Francis Boland, 0:08:05.360 --> 0:08:09.320 his son emigrated, uh to San Francisco, and he you know, 0:08:09.400 --> 0:08:11.760 he was my great grandfather and he was the father 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:15.520 of Grandma Mary and my mom, my dad's mom. So 0:08:16.360 --> 0:08:18.720 being able to trace all of that back was part 0:08:18.760 --> 0:08:21.720 of this whole adventure that that I went on. And 0:08:21.760 --> 0:08:24.400 then I spent a month there in July and played 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:26.440 the father daughter and the father son. So it just 0:08:26.560 --> 0:08:30.280 kept going. This has been just a real, real connective 0:08:32.280 --> 0:08:36.760 uh sort of adventure to you know, all things. The 0:08:36.800 --> 0:08:38.120 island of Ireland. 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:40.800 I had people say to me, is not ever coming home? 0:08:41.400 --> 0:08:42.679 I was like, I don't know. 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:49.840 I do think there's a possibility one day that you know, uh, 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:53.640 the Janella crew will take a one way flight to Ireland. 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:57.600 Because you know, the more you're there, the harder it 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:02.840 is to leave. Honestly, there's there's us this cultural warmth 0:09:02.880 --> 0:09:08.839 and pool and and you know connective tissue that the 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:11.880 more you're there, the harder it is to get on 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:14.840 a plane and go home, because it starts feeling a 0:09:14.840 --> 0:09:18.560 lot like home. I mean, Killian o'doubt and Shane Fleming 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:21.240 and Aidan Maloy. I mean, the list goes on and 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:24.960 on of people that you know almost are becoming you know, 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:29.120 brother figures and Owen Lynch and Joe Canning now and 0:09:31.040 --> 0:09:35.760 you know this is this is Noel. Ryan has now 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:38.440 become a new friend. You know, guys that the minute 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:40.839 you mean, come on, let's go, We're getting you want 0:09:40.840 --> 0:09:42.400 to play god, you want to let's go out. You 0:09:42.400 --> 0:09:44.480 can come to my home. Where can I do for you? 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:46.959 Do you need anything? You want to borrow a cart? 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:48.920 Like you know it just like it just keeps coming 0:09:48.960 --> 0:09:51.400 and coming, and uh, it's just beautiful. 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:56.959 Yeah, there is very something very special about that place. 0:09:57.040 --> 0:10:00.959 And you know, obviously some of our listeners want to 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:04.240 talk about about the golf courses. We'll certainly get to that. 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:07.400 But just for those who haven't had a chance to 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:10.640 watch the video, just give them a taste of what's 0:10:10.679 --> 0:10:13.920 in this most recent installment, which really focused on Belfast 0:10:14.000 --> 0:10:17.920 and the North and there one is there one thread 0:10:17.920 --> 0:10:21.280 that runs through this this long form kind of storytelling 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:23.040 that it's particularly special to you. 0:10:24.040 --> 0:10:26.000 So I'm going to pause right there, and we're going 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:28.800 to take a second before answer that question and before 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:32.120 we get into the to the sort of the meat 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:36.160 of this this particular sort of Belfast excursion. And thank 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:39.520 Link Soul for being our sponsor for a lot of 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:42.400 a lot of what we do here at Firepit Collective. 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:46.920 As you know, I've been really dear friends with John 0:10:46.960 --> 0:10:49.760 Ashworth for you know better part of almost twenty years 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:54.439 now and just always have loved and appreciated that relationship 0:10:54.559 --> 0:10:59.120 and admired his you know, his commitment to the good 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:03.400 stuff in life and golf and literally linking soul. So 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:05.600 you know, he's come over to Ireland with me quite 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:09.480 a bit. We've played in the father Son So all 0:11:09.520 --> 0:11:12.360 of the apparel on and off the golf course, especially 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:15.200 in Ireland, by the way, it's those hoodies and some 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:20.079 of the outerwear is very very cherished on all those 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:22.200 trips over to Ireland and the rain geal by the way. 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:25.120 So thanks to linksoul and go to link soul dot 0:11:25.200 --> 0:11:27.360 com and use Firepit twenty five for twenty five percent 0:11:27.400 --> 0:11:30.720 off your next purchase purchase on link soul dot com. 0:11:31.080 --> 0:11:34.520 And then also Dormy Workshop, you know again that golf 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:37.400 family business based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where all they 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:41.360 do is make quality leather headcovers and accessories. The Bishop 0:11:41.400 --> 0:11:43.800 Brothers I met at the PGA Merchandise Show almost ten 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:47.480 years ago promoting their product and everything that they do 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:50.000 ever since. Go to Dormy Workshop dot com use promo 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:53.720 code fire Pit fifteen for fifteen percent off your next purchase, 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:56.640 or as you know on the pit shop at Firepit 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:59.959 Collective dot com, get one of the Dormy Firepit head 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:03.640 covers or matching stash bags. So got to pay the 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:06.160 bills and those guys do a lot to support us, 0:12:06.160 --> 0:12:09.440 So want to thank both Links and Army Workshop. Back 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:13.440 to your question in terms of the thread of what 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:17.640 this travel show is specific to Belfast, it's really about 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.360 sort of hunkering down in the center of that city 0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:25.640 and yes, spoking out to some of these golf experiences 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:30.280 and excursions, but they're all they're all sort of within 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:33.480 an hour and a half drive, and they're all very 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:36.520 capable of coming back home to the city. So in 0:12:36.559 --> 0:12:40.360 both these these Dublin and Belfast, it was all about 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:45.480 kind of instead of doing that raucous road and travel 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:49.440 and driving and playing and then moving on and you know, 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:53.000 sort of never really unpacking because you're always sort of 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:56.240 packing and going to the next spot. It was really 0:12:56.360 --> 0:12:59.160 nice and refreshing, given where I am in my life 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:01.719 and what we know, what we like to do, and 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:05.200 sort of the level of you know, dining experiences and 0:13:05.400 --> 0:13:07.440 some of the some of the off course excursions that 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.320 are that are offered in both Dublin and Belfast. This 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:14.120 was just really really nice to stay and sort of 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:16.800 play in one place for five and six days at 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:20.400 a time. So that was kind of the thread of 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:22.680 both of these travel travelogus. 0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:25.400 Yeah, I mean, I don't I'm not sure if people 0:13:25.480 --> 0:13:28.720 understand how great the golf is just on the outskirts, 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:32.520 especially of Dublin. I mean, you don't have to go 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:36.360 far to play world class courses. And you and I 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:40.920 have done some serious barnstorming, and those trips are fun, 0:13:41.000 --> 0:13:43.400 but they're also exhausting. You're in a different bed every night, 0:13:43.960 --> 0:13:46.880 and you're packing unpacking the car constantly. It's like a 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:49.440 Rubik's cube to make it all and sometimes you just 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:51.280 have to do it if you really want to see 0:13:51.559 --> 0:13:54.240 some of these places. But the idea of having a 0:13:54.240 --> 0:13:57.120 home base and if you have like you know, I know, 0:13:57.200 --> 0:13:59.920 Katie was over there with you and bendto for part 0:13:59.920 --> 0:14:02.320 of it, like they can do cool things in the 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:04.160 city and they can explore and then you can get 0:14:04.160 --> 0:14:08.559 together for dinner like that, that does sound very civilized. 0:14:09.360 --> 0:14:12.840 Is exactly. It would be a good word to describe 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:16.920 the whole experience. And again, I think couples or groups 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:19.960 of guys that you know, maybe only want to play 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:23.040 eighteen in a day, and don't you know again navigating 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:25.720 the roads on the other side of the car and 0:14:25.760 --> 0:14:26.640 the other side. 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:26.880 Of the road. 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:32.440 That takes a level of commitment and focus. You know 0:14:32.480 --> 0:14:35.000 that that not a lot of people I think are 0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:37.840 prepared to do or sort of you know, in a 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:40.720 space to do after having a few pints againness or 0:14:40.720 --> 0:14:42.760 what you know, it just kind of it just kind 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:46.880 of frees you up to you know, take on an 0:14:46.920 --> 0:14:50.360 Ireland adventure in a much different way. And both are 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:53.680 amazing and again we've we've been lucky enough to do 0:14:54.720 --> 0:14:58.240 both now. But uh, you know, a little music at night, 0:14:58.520 --> 0:15:01.080 you know, hunker down, kind of stumb back to your hotel. 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:02.480 There's something to be said for that. 0:15:03.640 --> 0:15:10.800 Yeah. Absolutely, So you've met a lot of characters you 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:14.880 name dropped a few of them already. But the Irish 0:15:14.880 --> 0:15:19.040 are great talkers, are great storytellers. The crack, as they say, 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:23.200 never quit. Maybe this would be a time to introduce 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:26.880 a couple of voices. Any favorite characters that you want 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.200 to you want to bring into this podcast for a listener. 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:32.240 Well, you know you talked about the golf in Dublin, 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:34.400 and in Dublin we kind of have have talked about this, 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:37.960 but you know, Royal count I mean sorry, Royal Dublin 0:15:38.160 --> 0:15:42.400 and Port Marnick and the island. You know, some of 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:45.400 the some of the courses I got to play while 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:49.320 in Dublin were amazing. And you're right, you know, and 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:52.080 and uh you got Port Marnick links that's going through 0:15:52.080 --> 0:15:55.800 some transitional stuff here and only getting better. And uh 0:15:56.280 --> 0:16:00.320 so there there's there's Dublin is is low. So did 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:04.080 you go up to Belfast? And again you're you're not 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:09.120 a far drive away from you know, Port Stewart, Port Rush, 0:16:09.640 --> 0:16:14.320 Royal County Down ard Glass. You know, you know you 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:18.000 can get around Royal Belfast for that matter, you can 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:22.760 get around and go to some pretty incredible golf experiences 0:16:23.120 --> 0:16:26.960 without too much driving. And then again have experiences like 0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:31.960 Titanic Belfast in Belfast proper. So at Royal County Down. 0:16:33.480 --> 0:16:37.080 It's the first course I play in this travelogue. Kevan 0:16:37.960 --> 0:16:41.720 k e v A and Kevan Whitson is you know, 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:43.840 essentially the director of golf there and has been there 0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:47.720 for over thirty years, and you'll see in the show 0:16:47.720 --> 0:16:49.800 he kind of sees us off. On the first tee. 0:16:50.520 --> 0:16:53.280 We had the most incredible day. You know, got a 0:16:53.320 --> 0:16:56.560 little bit of rain and again when you rock up 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:59.720 at somebody's places, you can get you know, torrential downpours. 0:16:59.760 --> 0:17:04.040 I mean, you know, it's Ireland, it happens. But we 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.720 had kind of one of the most spectacular day. The 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:10.800 base of the Mountains of Morn you know, the skies cleared. 0:17:11.080 --> 0:17:13.040 We had a little bit of rain, but then you 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:16.879 with that, you get rainbows when the sun comes out. 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:20.960 The rain had hit pretty hard right before we teed off, 0:17:21.760 --> 0:17:24.160 so it kind of chased a lot of a lot 0:17:24.160 --> 0:17:26.840 of other golfers away. So it was almost like we 0:17:26.840 --> 0:17:29.080 had the course to ourselves. And I was out there 0:17:29.119 --> 0:17:32.320 with a guy named Stephen Burns, a long time you 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:35.199 know caddy out there from in that area, lives in 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:37.880 that area, and he and I had just like this 0:17:38.080 --> 0:17:41.520 spiritual walk around Royal County down. He couldn't have been 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:45.479 couldn't have been nicer. You know, you have that, you 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:48.159 have that one on one experience with a caddy. You know, 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:50.720 even the crew kind of left us alone for you 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:53.159 know about you know, eight to ten holes. You know, 0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:55.040 they were with us for the start, they were with 0:17:55.119 --> 0:17:58.320 us for the finish. So you know, we just had 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:02.840 a really incredible experience. And that golf course in that 0:18:02.960 --> 0:18:05.760 kind of weather, when the wind kind of lays down 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:09.119 and Royal County down, is as vulnerable as it gets, 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:12.800 because I'm not sure that it's ever really vulnerable. You know, 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:15.480 I had a good tempo going, I played, you know, 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:18.640 played way better than sort of what I normally do, 0:18:19.600 --> 0:18:22.240 and it just just felt you know, eighteenth old Rainbow. 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.119 We had whiskey at the turn, on the shot on 0:18:25.160 --> 0:18:30.000 the tenth te It just it was great. And Kevin 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:32.920 sort of talks about one thing that didn't make the 0:18:32.960 --> 0:18:35.480 show that kind of got edited out that we'll play 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:38.040 for you now, is you know what the impact of 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:41.399 what the Irish Open was in twenty fifteen when Rory 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:45.520 kind of reinserted himself into you know, what would have 0:18:45.600 --> 0:18:48.439 been the host of the Irish Open when the Irish 0:18:48.480 --> 0:18:51.720 Open was you know, struggling a bit, you know and 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:56.040 trying to find its way, and I think Rory, you know, 0:18:56.080 --> 0:18:58.600 put it put it on its back, put it on 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:03.800 his back and you'll hear him talk about sort of 0:19:03.880 --> 0:19:06.520 what that the impact that had on Of course, that 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:10.000 was already you know, well respected and well received by 0:19:10.000 --> 0:19:12.120 the people who would making the journey, but it brought 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:13.000 a lot more eyeballs. 0:19:14.680 --> 0:19:17.280 Rody was a terrific host of that tournament. He put 0:19:17.320 --> 0:19:20.400 his heart and soul and to that event. We didn't 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:22.360 have the kindest weather that way, but it was an 0:19:22.359 --> 0:19:24.520 opportunity to get the very best players in the world 0:19:24.600 --> 0:19:27.199 to come here and see the place, and the pictures 0:19:27.200 --> 0:19:29.240 were being there und the world, so it was the 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:33.359 reaction to the golf course and to the tournament was fantastic. 0:19:33.840 --> 0:19:36.240 You can make a case that Royal County Down or 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:38.960 Royal Port Rush is the best golf course in the world, 0:19:39.000 --> 0:19:41.400 and I would buy it either way. I mean, I'm 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:45.919 a humongous fan of Port Rush. To me is just 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:50.840 one of the most awesome experiences on the planet. And 0:19:50.880 --> 0:19:52.720 there's a lot of people who prefer Royal County Down. 0:19:52.880 --> 0:19:55.480 So that's how good the golf is in the North, 0:19:55.920 --> 0:19:59.040 let alone all these other cult classics and hidden gems. 0:19:59.119 --> 0:20:01.399 But I mean, as a one to two punch, does 0:20:01.480 --> 0:20:04.080 not get better than the County Down and Port Rushes. 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:09.320 It really doesn't no and again and you'll see the 0:20:09.480 --> 0:20:12.679 visuals of in this episode of Royal County Down and 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:16.480 then you know again we we did the Manning Brothers 0:20:16.640 --> 0:20:19.480 Ultimate Buddies Trip podcast and if you haven't listened to that, 0:20:19.520 --> 0:20:22.480 I highly recommend it because the last place they go 0:20:22.560 --> 0:20:26.240 up and play is Royal County Down and the sleeve 0:20:26.240 --> 0:20:29.359 Donnered Hotel there is now you know, a marine and 0:20:29.440 --> 0:20:32.600 lawn property and some of the guys on that trip 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:36.600 or you know owners now the new owners of sleeve 0:20:36.640 --> 0:20:39.960 Donnered and that you know, Eric Church one of the 0:20:40.000 --> 0:20:42.680 great you know, one of the greatest names and voices 0:20:42.760 --> 0:20:46.280 in country music in the US in Nashville, you know, 0:20:46.800 --> 0:20:49.760 being at Sleeved honored and in that you know, the 0:20:49.840 --> 0:20:52.159 Mountains of Morn inspired him to write a song that 0:20:52.280 --> 0:20:56.760 ultimately he released on our podcast. But it's it's it's 0:20:56.800 --> 0:20:59.640 that's the kind of that's the visuals that that that 0:20:59.760 --> 0:21:05.320 kind kind of you know, and and the soulful stir 0:21:05.920 --> 0:21:08.399 that happens when you go to a place like that 0:21:08.600 --> 0:21:12.840 and have that kind of experience. So that's Royal County Down. 0:21:13.359 --> 0:21:16.439 The other the other course, we played next Door to 0:21:16.520 --> 0:21:18.239 Port Rush and we'll get to our list here at 0:21:18.240 --> 0:21:20.879 the end of this podcast of our top ten you 0:21:20.880 --> 0:21:24.119 know on the island of Ireland. But you know, go 0:21:24.280 --> 0:21:28.440 back to the US Open at Aaron Hills and I'm 0:21:28.480 --> 0:21:30.720 on the Putting Green and I'm sort of wrapping out 0:21:30.760 --> 0:21:35.160 with Brooks and Ricky Elliott. His Ricky Elliott from Northern Ireland, 0:21:36.280 --> 0:21:39.640 from Port Stewart and where you know, I had sort 0:21:39.640 --> 0:21:42.560 of recently done something on Portsey. Oh, I saw you 0:21:42.560 --> 0:21:44.480 did somebody? What do you think ports? He goes, you 0:21:44.720 --> 0:21:46.000 know who you got to find? You got to find 0:21:46.000 --> 0:21:49.800 Dez Giffen. Dez Giffen is a math teacher, essentially a 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:55.280 teacher in the area. Taught me Graham McDowell. He went 0:21:55.320 --> 0:21:58.800 out and designed that front nine of Port Stewart for 0:21:58.840 --> 0:22:02.200 a couple of pints of beer. I was like, what 0:22:02.040 --> 0:22:04.159 what are you talking about? I mean, you know you 0:22:04.280 --> 0:22:05.879 know that. Have you played Port Stewart? 0:22:06.040 --> 0:22:07.560 Oh? Yeah, that front nine is epic. 0:22:08.600 --> 0:22:12.040 It's just like, I mean, you know that punches you 0:22:12.160 --> 0:22:14.560 in the teeth, right, I mean you're you're like, wait 0:22:14.640 --> 0:22:18.119 what you know right off the that first tea box 0:22:18.160 --> 0:22:20.400 and down by you know, it's amazing, just the left 0:22:20.400 --> 0:22:23.280 of Harry Shack and done done a variety of things 0:22:23.280 --> 0:22:26.679 on it. But I, over the years of trying to 0:22:26.720 --> 0:22:29.760 track down Dez Giffing, I kept missing him, like he 0:22:29.800 --> 0:22:33.280 wasn't in town, or I wasn't available when he was available, 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:35.639 and I, you know, this went on for years of 0:22:35.680 --> 0:22:38.119 like I gotta find Dez Giffrin, I got to find given. 0:22:38.200 --> 0:22:41.600 So on this particular trip, we finally got ahold of 0:22:41.680 --> 0:22:43.560 him and I said, Dez, all I want to do 0:22:43.600 --> 0:22:45.960 is sit down and talk to you and play this 0:22:46.080 --> 0:22:49.320 golf course with you. And we made it happen. And 0:22:49.480 --> 0:22:53.600 uh and you'll see that, you know that interview and 0:22:53.800 --> 0:22:59.440 hear that story about you know, how they ultimately got 0:22:59.480 --> 0:23:02.440 the land. You know, they looked at it after Royal 0:23:02.480 --> 0:23:06.040 Port Rush hosted the Open in nineteen fifty one, the 0:23:06.080 --> 0:23:09.280 membership of Port Stewart looked at these dunes land, which 0:23:09.359 --> 0:23:12.000 is just really extreme. It's like carn right, I mean 0:23:12.520 --> 0:23:15.879 the kind of dunesland where you're like, what the big 0:23:17.000 --> 0:23:20.040 and humbling, and they looked at it and deemed it 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:23.080 was not suitable for golf. They thought it was just 0:23:23.080 --> 0:23:26.080 almost too much. And you think about nineteen fifties, you're 0:23:26.080 --> 0:23:30.439