The invitation came to play for Team USA in the Team USA v Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships, where American amateurs head across the Atlantic to take on the Irish on their home links. The matches are the brainchild of Randy "Tank" Tantlinger, a former University of Pittsburgh football player who has spent more than 20 years traveling to Ireland, filming his Golfin' Around TV show and organizing golf trips for fans. Spots on the team aren't handed out. Amateurs earn them at Team USA qualifying events back home, and my qualifying round punched a ticket to Team USA 2025 and some of the finest links golf on the planet.
The connection to Randy came through one of my best friends, Brian Weis, who runs GolfTrips.com. Brian made the introduction, then made the trip, which is how the best golf stories usually start.
Ireland was already my favorite place in the world. This would be trip number three, but the first one with golf clubs. The people are the highlight, followed closely by some of the most amazing views anywhere, fresh Guinness, and fish n' chips for dinner every evening. The driving is its own adventure!
Thursday, April 24
The first day was a marathon. Brian and I decided to head to Ireland a few days early to pack in some extra golf. We left Chicago mid-afternoon and landed in Dublin at 6am local time. After securing our rental car, we were off to one of the highest-ranked courses in the world. We arrived at Royal County Down at 9:30am for a noon tee time.
What a course! It is links golf in its purest form, laid out along Dundrum Bay with the Mourne Mountains and Slieve Donard towering over the town of Newcastle. Royal County Down is famous for blind tee shots over massive dunes and "bearded" bunkers, fringed with wild grasses that swallow golf balls whole. It regularly sits at or near the top of the world rankings, and after one round you understand why. The weather was a brisk 60 degrees and windy, the gorse was in full yellow bloom, and we had an amazing round at an iconic golf course.
Friday, April 25
After a good night's sleep, Brian and I headed to one of the hidden gems of northwest Ireland, County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point. The club champion and his wife welcomed us and treated us to warm hospitality. That warm hospitality turned cold and windy once we hit the links.
Rosses Point sits on Ireland's rugged northwest coast, carved by wind, dunes and sea. It offers panoramic views of the Atlantic and the flat-topped Benbulben mountain. The great Harry Colt reshaped the course in the 1920s, and it hosts the West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship every Easter. The stretch of holes running down toward the water on the back nine is as good as anything we played all trip.
We traveled to Ireland to play golf and take in some of the world's most amazing views, and our goal was two rounds a day. So after some Irish coffee, we drove 8km across County Sligo to play another local gem, Strandhill. It's another true links, and it showed its teeth on that cold, windy afternoon. Strandhill sits beneath Knocknarea Mountain, with Queen Maeve's ancient stone cairn on the summit. We battled undulating fairways, strategic bunkers and the wind howling off the Atlantic from the surf beach next door, with dramatic coastal views the whole way. It was a perfect way to wrap up 36 holes for the day.
Saturday, April 26
The next morning, after a traditional Irish breakfast, Brian and I headed north to Enniscrone Golf Links. Although it's still in County Sligo, it was an hour's drive and felt like we were in the Irish wilderness. Enniscrone sits on a peninsula on Killala Bay, and we were in awe of the towering natural dunes, deep bunkers and incredible views of the Atlantic. The original layout is the work of Eddie Hackett, the godfather of Irish links design, and the newer holes routed through the biggest dunes on the property are a pure roller coaster.
The afternoon featured another hidden gem, Carne Golf Links. This was our fifth round in two and a half days, so when we were offered our first chance to take a buggy, it was very welcome for someone who doesn't walk golf on the regular. Carne is a rugged links on the Mullet Peninsula in County Mayo, overlooking Blacksod Bay and the Atlantic. It was the last course Eddie Hackett designed, and he barely moved any dirt, letting the massive dunes dictate every hole. It was the most rugged and natural course we played on the whole adventure, and it feels like golf at the edge of the world.
After a long day of golf, we arrived "home." We checked into Curran Gate Luxury Apartments, our home base for the next several days. Curran Gate is a 5-star luxury apartment complex on Causeway Street in Portrush, Northern Ireland, with stunning views over the North Atlantic, East Strand beach and Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Our host, Deedee, tended to our every need. She was our personal concierge and could arrange golf bookings, private dining, massages and more, which makes Curran Gate a very tailored, upscale base for both leisure travelers and golf enthusiasts.
Its location also makes it a great gateway for exploring the Causeway Coast, including nearby attractions like the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.
Every morning, Deedee hosted us in a villa set up especially for out-of-town travelers. We were met with coffee, mimosas, Bloody Marys, fresh baked goods, omelets, toast and all the fixings. If you plan to stay in the Portrush area, Curran Gate is highly recommended.
Sunday, April 27
At Curran Gate, Brian and I met up with Randy and another one of his qualifiers. It was time for the main event! The team got together for our first round together after breakfast.
After some time to recoup some energy, the afternoon found us at Castlerock Golf Club, near Portrush on Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast. It's a classic links, and its challenging 18-hole Mussenden course is named for the Mussenden Temple on the cliffs above. The course runs alongside the River Bann with scenic views throughout, and it co-hosted a DP World Tour and LPGA event in 2023. Its signature hole is the par-3 "Leg O' Mutton," where a railway line and a burn both come into play. This was our first official practice round on the itinerary as Team USA.
Monday, April 28
After sleeping in and joining the team for breakfast, I decided to take a walk. Curran Gate overlooks the majestic Royal Portrush, which hosted the Open Championship that July. I walked for several miles along the beach next to the course, even climbing some of the natural dunes to peer in at what we would be playing that afternoon. The vistas were stunning!
In the afternoon, we arrived at Royal Portrush early and had lunch upstairs in their dining room. After lunch, we spent time shopping in the pro shop and using their amazing practice facilities.
It was finally our turn to tee off! The skies were clear, it was 68 degrees and calm, perfect weather to play a championship golf course. We played the Dunluce Links, Harry Colt's masterpiece, named for the ruins of Dunluce Castle just down the coast. We walked in the footsteps of Shane Lowry, who won here in 2019. Then there's Calamity Corner, the par-3 16th played across a deep ravine, and it's every bit as terrifying in person as it looks on TV. Our caddie was fantastic, and so was the round. Royal Portrush. Enough said.
Tuesday, April 29
After breakfast, we checked out of our amazing accommodations in Portrush and headed over to Portstewart Golf Club, also on Northern Ireland's rugged Causeway Coast. Founded in 1894, Portstewart has three 18-hole courses: the famed Strand, the Riverside and the Old Course. The championship Strand Course is set among towering dunes with ocean views. It's considered one of Ireland's top links, and it hosted the 2017 Irish Open, won by Jon Rahm.
The first tee on the Strand is one of the great opening shots in golf. You stand high on the dunes and hit down into a valley, with the beach and the mouth of the River Bann spread out beside you. The front nine winds through some of the biggest dunes in Ireland. The Strand was glorious!
After our round at Portstewart, we checked into Galgorm Resort and Spa. After days of golf, the hot tubs and five-star cuisine were very welcome.
Galgorm is a luxury golf and spa resort in Northern Ireland, set on a historic 220-acre estate along the Rivers Maine and Braid. Its par-72 Castle Course, designed by Simon Gidman, is a championship parkland venue that has hosted the Irish Open, the NI Open and the World Invitational. The resort pairs it with a world-class thermal spa, complete with outdoor hot tubs along the river, and elegant accommodations. Our one-night stay at Galgorm was a highlight of the trip.
Wednesday, April 30
After breakfast, we checked out and headed back toward Dublin.
Using his influence as the owner of GolfTrips.com, Brian arranged a tee time for the two of us at The European Club, Pat Ruddy's privately owned links masterpiece in Brittas Bay, County Wicklow. Ruddy designed the course himself, and it is still run by his family. The European Club is renowned for its bold, natural dunesland routing, the enormous par-3 12th played over the beach, thunderous par-5s and fiercely contoured greens. It is consistently ranked among Ireland's top ten courses and offers a raw, exhilarating links experience that feels both heroic and unforgettable. And unforgettable it was!
Our afternoon tee time was at Ardglass Golf Club, in the scenic fishing village of Ardglass in County Down, Northern Ireland. The clubhouse is a medieval castle and is considered one of the oldest golf clubhouses in the world. Many of the holes run dramatically along rugged cliffs, with breathtaking views of the Irish Sea and the Mourne Mountains from nearly every hole. The opening stretch hugs the cliff edge as the sea crashes on the rocks below. Standing on the first tee, you're looking at what is, in my opinion, one of the top five golf holes in all of Ireland.
When golf was done for the day, we checked in at the White Sands Hotel, a beachfront hotel in the quiet coastal village of Portmarnock, just 10 minutes from Dublin Airport and 20 minutes north of Dublin city center.
Thursday, May 1
The next morning, we headed out to Corballis Links, a public links in Donabate on the north Dublin coast, right next door to The Island. It's known for its natural dunesland layout and classic windswept links character, and it's a fun, walkable course where the short holes are the stars.
It was on a par three at 9am that a well-dressed, well-spoken man, tattooed from head to toe, asked if he could play through because he needed to get to work. As we stood on the tee box and made small talk, he introduced himself as Chopper. Chopper looked a lot like Conor McGregor, so naturally our next question was what he did for work. It turned out Chopper owned one of the largest tattoo parlors in Dublin.
Here's where the story gets a little funny. Two years earlier, my family of five had decided we would all get matching tattoos: an anchor with a cross and our last name, to remind us that we are anchored in our faith and our family. I didn't grow up with tattoos, and frankly, I was a little scared to get one. I was the last holdout in my family who hadn't gotten the family tattoo.
At this point, Brian explained to Chopper that I was too scared to get a tattoo. After some good-natured ribbing, Chopper asked to see a picture of the tattoo I was supposed to get. He looked it over and encouraged me to stop by his parlor the next afternoon. He gave us his business card, and we enjoyed the rest of our round.
Our afternoon round was at Castleknock Golf Club, a mature parkland course in west Dublin, just 8 miles from the city center on the grounds of the Castleknock Hotel. Its tree-lined fairways and soft, receptive greens were so different from what we had been playing. I would call it a breath of fresh air in the middle of a links golf trip.
Friday, May 2
The next morning, Randy set us up to play Jameson Golf Links at Portmarnock Resort, just down the beach from our hotel. The land has serious golf history. In the 1850s, John Jameson of the whiskey family built his own private course here, and several members of the Jameson family are buried in the old graveyard beside the first hole. The modern course, originally a Bernhard Langer design, was renovated and rebranded as Jameson Golf Links in 2023, with new greens and tees raised up on the dunes. The back nine now looks out over the Velvet Strand beach, the Dublin skyline and the island of Ireland's Eye. With its dramatic dunes, deep revetted pot bunkers and fast greens, it has quickly become one of the most exciting links experiences near Dublin.
With no afternoon round scheduled, Brian and I jumped in our rental car and headed into Dublin city center. After a great lunch of fish and chips and three pints of Guinness, it was decided that we would go check out Chopper's tattoo parlor. To our surprise, they were ready for us. Long story short, I got the family crest tattoo on my golf trip to Ireland at Chopper's tattoo parlor.
Saturday, May 3
Our morning round was at The Island Golf Club, a historic championship links founded in 1890 in Donabate, County Dublin. It sits on a dramatic peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides and features some of the steepest coastal dunes in the country. For decades, members reached the course by rowing across the estuary from Malahide, and the club still feels wonderfully tucked away from the world. Renowned for its rugged terrain and narrow fairways, it is often hailed as one of Ireland's most underrated hidden gems.
Our afternoon round had us ready for the main event: USA versus Ireland. Killeen Castle Golf Club is a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole championship parkland course in Dunsany, County Meath. It's set within a 600-acre walled estate surrounding the historic 12th-century Killeen Castle, and its dramatic, boldly contoured layout features sweeping elevation changes, plenty of water hazards and large undulating greens. It hosted the 2011 Solheim Cup and has earned a reputation as one of Ireland's most prestigious and visually spectacular modern courses. Europe won that Solheim Cup here, so we had a little score to settle.
Randy had us ready to go with a passionate, patriotic speech. In a close battle, Team USA pulled it out and beat the Irish team for the second year in a row.
Sunday, May 4
Our final day found us leaving the hotel at 3:30am for a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Old Head. The course doesn't really belong on a Northern Ireland trip, but the weather was perfect and we decided to take advantage.
We had the first tee time of the morning. It was a pristine, crystal-clear morning with light winds and bright sunshine. Old Head sits on a diamond-shaped headland jutting into the Atlantic near Kinsale, with cliffs dropping more than 200 feet straight into the ocean and a lighthouse standing guard at the tip. Nine holes play along the cliff edges, and this course may have some of the most amazing views I have ever seen in my life. Apparently we were fortunate, because the fog and weather are often so bad you can't even see the green from the tee box. Old Head was absolutely worth the three-and-a-half-hour drive.
We were off the course by 11am and decided to try to squeeze in one more round before it was time to go home. A phone call was made to Portmarnock, a private course near Dublin. In a conversation with the starter, we learned that Portmarnock is going to push hard to host an Open Championship in the near future.
Once we were on the course, we could see why. Portmarnock Golf Club is a legendary championship links in the seaside town of Portmarnock. It's widely regarded as one of the world's finest true links and is consistently ranked among Ireland's top three courses. It hosted the very first Irish Open in 1927, numerous Irish Opens since, and the 1991 Walker Cup. Its classic, undulating layout demands precision through penal rough, deep bunkers and ever-present coastal winds, and there isn't a gimmick or blind shot on the property. Everything is right in front of you, and it's still brutally hard.
What a way to complete our trip! Seventeen different courses in 11 days, truly playing across Ireland. Fine golf was played, pints of Guinness were consumed, Team USA took the victory, and I finally got the family tattoo. It was a trip of a lifetime.
Want to Play for Team USA?
You don't need to be a scratch golfer to wear the red, white and blue. The Team USA Amateur Golf Championships are open to amateurs of all skill levels, and no USGA GHIN handicap is required. Scoring is stroke play, gross score, using the Modified Peoria system, which keeps the playing field fair for everyone.
The 2027 season, the sixth for Team USA Golf Events, runs February 20-28, 2027, in Clay County in Northeast Florida. There are two tournaments to choose from, and you can play one or both:
- The individual championship
- A two-man partner championship
Top finishers earn a spot on Team USA and a trip to St. Andrews or Ireland. It's hard to think of a better reason to take a spring break in February.
Randy is also bringing golfers to Dublin in August 2027, ahead of the Pitt vs. Wisconsin Aer Lingus college football game. Golfers can play Jameson Golf Links on August 26 and Corballis Links on August 27, with transportation from downtown Dublin included. Randy recommends the White Sands Hotel, the same beachfront spot we called home.
For details on qualifiers, the Florida championships and the Ireland and Scotland trips, visit www.teamusagolfevents.com and www.usairelandgolf.com.
A big thank you to Randy Tantlinger of Golfin' Around and Brian Weis of GolfTrips.com.
