It's all about the golf...

I played golf on Wednesday at Westport, having been invited by Padraic to play with some of his "lads" - Tom Walsh and Gerry Hughes.  Tom splits his time between Dublin and Westport; Gerry retired a few years ago from being the Postmaster in nearby Castlebar.  He worked there for over 50 years.  He currently serves as President of Westport Golf Club.  In most any gift shop in Ireland you will find a number of books, compilations of Irish poetry, curated by Tom, and he has written a fair amount of original stuff, both poems and essays.   Both are good golfers, carrying 15 handicaps.  I was paired with Tom for our match -  2 Euro on the front nine, two on the back, and three for the overall winners.  It was a mighty match with everyone contributing.  Padraic had a birdie on 16, a very difficult, severely uphill, par four.  And I hit a delicate clutch high flopshot on 18 to halve the hole and preserve the match as a tie.  Padraic taunted me, with malevolent intent, to hit this high risk/low percentage shot, certain that I'd scull it into the lake astride the green, assuring his team of victory.  I was reluctant to take the dare until my match partner, the wise and benevolent Tom Walsh, expressed his confidence in my ability to execute this challenging shot.  I dropped it within 18 inches of the pin and was given the putt.  We were both vindicated and put the evil Padraic Duffy in his rightful, and petty, place.  :)  What great fun.  I'm looking forward to seeing Gerry perform his regular gig at McGing's on Saturday night - he plays sax with The Octagon Quartet - a talented jazz group that plays mostly Dixieland.  I've written about them before - the group's frontman, Larry Hingerton (interesting podcast about Larry on Ireland's NPR - RTE1 - Two hundred shaves a day) - introduces the songs in a rich Irish accent, then launches into a very credible mimicry of Satchmo - "I see fields of green..."  As I've said before, you meet the most interesting people here.

But yesterday.  Ah yesterday.  We made the pilgrimage to the Connemara Golf Links south in Ballyconneely.  Always a peak experience, the course is situated between the Atlantic and the Twelve Bens (mountains) of Connemara.  An area of great natural and pristine beauty.  The weather held for us.  It was only as we were getting ready to depart that a heavy mist rolled in from the sea.  Alas, I was not as lucky in the match - Padraic got 2 Euro from me and Marion 4.  Again, it was a close match, decided in the last few holes.  What a blessing to have played here again.  Take a moment to noodle around their website - Connemara Golf Links