Tuesday September 24th – En route to Waterville, County Kerry

Boston, Massachusetts is widely considered one of THE worst cities on the planet to drive. I can’t even imagine what outsiders trying to drive in our fine city experience. A street grid that doesn’t make a lick of sense. Shall I say…’over zealous’ drivers repeatedly suggesting we go have relations with ourselves. And there are more single fingers raised to the air than their are after one of our great sports teams wins a championship! Obviously, I don’t take part in any of this ‘over-zealous’ tactics on the roads of Boston. I have been one of our best drivers for over 30 years. I should give a Ted Talk on parallel parking!

What I experienced yesterday driving from my hotel in Killarney to play a round of golf at one of the finest golf courses on the planet was truly terrifying. Words can not even describe the experience. It was 60+ minutes of the most sweat inducing, white-knuckle, terrifying driving experiences of my life. There is not a road in Greater Boston that compares to this. The only thing I can compare this to is the Jamaica Way. But reduce its four lanes to 1 and a half. But have cars and trucks zooming past at full speed. And drive on the left side, and not be able to see oncoming cars until 20-25 feet before they are mirror-to-mirror with you. Then also add some of the most breathtaking landscape and views you’d ever want to look at, but you can’t, because there is a cliff on your left ready to accept your car into the depths of this canyon. Get the picture?

Click HERE to watch a drone video going through the Gap of Dunloe to help you visualize what the landscape looks like…

Oh there are also thousands of sheep along the way. Grazing on the hills…but also in the road. Yes. Think for a second there being a pack of sheep in Storrow Drive, if you will. Same idea.

Much of this 52 kilometer (I have no idea what this is in miles. Still too traumatized to try and convert that. (A 5k road race is 3.2 miles. Get out your calculator, ok?) trip was on a road that had barley enough room for ONE car, let alone two! There were bridges over streams that were wide enough for most cars. Many of the SUV’s we have in the states would not fit over these bridges. In some instances, you have to slam on the breaks if an oncoming car is approaching the bridge too.

It was pure chaos. I just dont know how this is still a thing in Ireland. This road above was one of the roomier parts of the trip. And by roomy, you can clearly see that a moped would still be uncomfortable driving on the other side of the road…but yet oncoming cars, multiple trucks with horse trailers behind were zipping by.

Needless to say, it was a harrowing experience, and I obviously did not go back the same route. I don’t wish this experience on my worst enemy. It was stressful every second of the trip. Not until I pulled into the parking lot at Waterville Golf Links did I blink.

It was a picture perfect day at Waterville. Sun was sneaking in and out of the clouds. The wind was being polite, and we even got some requisite sprinkles that is, pardon, par-for-the-course for golf in Ireland. The caddy that was accompanying our foursome told us that the conditions were a 2/10 in terms of strength of wind and overall playability. We got lucky for sure!

I got paired up with a trio of older guys originally from Massachusetts. I feel like that course was teeming with New Englanders that day. They were all good enough golfers and we had a really nice time. One of the guys had a caddie with him, who was nice enough to give us local tips and read some putts for us.

I can’t imagine there being many more beautiful spots for a golf course than Waterville. Every hole on that course took your breathe away. It was a REALLY enjoyable round. This current trip to Ireland was never intended to be a ‘Golf Trip’ with the boys. But I couldn’t come to Ireland and NOT play one of the many stunning course on the Emerald Isle. I brought a dozen brand new golf balls with me, and I am taking a dozen back with me. I was very happy with the 91 that I shot, and appreciated every step of that wonderful walk.

There was a great plaque on one of the tee boxes toward the end of the road…and I thought it appropos for the quartet of golfers in our group:

If you want to take a proper look at the golf course…click HERE to look at a wonderful drone video of the track.

Tomorrow: Last Day in Killarney and Meeting Some New Friends