Dingle was my first time playing in Ireland and playing anywhere overseas. It was my first time playing a true links course. And, it was my first time playing golf with my doppelganger, introduced to me by a long time friend who had played with him in Florida.
Dingle also happens to be the first club that said ‘yes’ to being on Fescue & Dunes.
For those who don’t know Dingle Golf Links, it’s one of Ireland’s up and coming stars. It’s a really good golf course on one of the most beautiful peninsulas in Ireland close to one of the best towns in the country. The club also has a fantastic restaurant with really good seafood, delicious pints of Guinness, and views of the course.
It’s impossible not to be awed by your surroundings. The Three Sisters in the distance that become reference points throughout the course. The nearby Atlantic Ocean and Blasket Islands off in the distance. The utter sense of awe and peace as you stand on the first tee.
There are a few things I’ll not soon forget.
On the first hole, I hit a solid drive about 10 yards shorter than Tom Kennedy, founder of Experience Ireland Golf as well as my doppelganger and a good friend to me and F&D. Being about 80 yards from the green and totally unfamiliar with firm, links golf, I grabbed my trusty 52* wedge and proceeded to thin it well over the green. Tom, a long time links player, grabbed his hybrid and bounced the ball down to about 15 feet. His ball barely left the ground. I knew I was in for something different.
The rest of the round proved equally as challenging. The pot bunkers felt easy to find and hard to get out of. I wished that I had not abandoned my 7 iron chip shot from my caddying days. The fescue grabbed and hid more balls than I care to remember. But, the Guinness was perfect after the round.
The way out of the course takes you through the town of Dingle, a place you should not miss if you are headed to the Southwest of Ireland. And, that day I was introduced to Foxy John’s - hardware store by day, pub by night - a place I have returned to on each of my Ireland trips since, a place I could go to just about any day and be happy.
The headcover I got that day has been in my bag since. I wished that I had grabbed a shirt, too - that had to wait until my next trip there. It was one of the inspirations for Fescue & Dunes. I’m lucky, I’ve made it back to Dingle a few times. I’m also glad I got a shirt on my last visit for those days when I want to remember what it’s like to play there.
Tim Neill first played in Ireland in 2023, and immediately fell in love with links golf. For the last 20 years, he has run digital marketing agencies that build ecommerce sites and execute marketing campaigns primarily on search, social, and display platforms. He has served on the boards of travel golf clubs and currently serves on the board of his home course, Argyle Country Club. A few drops of red wine on a white polo from Portamarnock is one of our inspirations to create the marketplace.