CARR GOLF FLORIDA SWING
After two action-packed weeks on the road, I’ve returned home to New York with some time to dwell and reflect on a wonderful trip.
After plotting our route, setting up catchups with Carr Golf’s friends along the way, Dan Robertson and I landed into Palm Beach International to begin our Florida Swing,
First stop, a half hour south to Adios Golf Club. We were lucky enough to experience all the fun that this great club has to offer, steered around by playing partner and Assistant Pro, Ryan McDonald. From there we headed north, to spend the following day at the newly renovated Jupiter Hills Golf Club, which was a real treat, followed by a wonderful dinner at Evo Italian in Jupiter with some big names in the golfing world, including Tom Fazio (pictured below). My arm was twisted after dinner to get the guitar and sing a few songs, which led to a great singalong, reminding me of the craic we are used to in Ireland, in pre-Covid times!
On Tuesday we hit Old Palm Golf Club, a real treat where many PGA and LPGA Tour Pros live, play and practice when they’re not playing tour events. Our hosts were great fun and look forward to welcoming them to Ireland next year.
Finally, Old Marsh, a tough Pete Dye course with water on what feels like both sides of every hole. Our last course in Jupiter before heading north to Vero Beach.
Quail Valley in Vero Beach is one of my favorite places on earth. The course, accommodation, facilities, restaurants, and most importantly, the people are all glorious. Kevin, Don and the amazing team at Quail Valley went all in to take great care of us for the 4 days we were there. They even made sure that we had two beautiful sunsets for the backdrop for my concerts at Quail Valley’s River Club and The Pointe!
I know the Carr Golf team can’t wait to get over to Quail Valley, and having spent some time with the Quail Valley members, it’s clear to see that once Ireland opens its doors they all want to get over ASAP.
The next stop was Lake Nona, in Orlando, where G-Mac whizzed past us in his golf cart as we pulled in the gate! We were hosted by Clear Golf’s Garry Singer and MLB World Series Winner with the Yankees, David Wells. It was such a fun day at a spectacular course, full of Tour Pros on the range, short game areas and the course. Really cool vibe there and can’t wait to get back!
I also got to catch up and play a quick 18 with a friend from New Jersey, Ryan Mason, who’s travelling with Carr Golf to Scotland in 2022. It was great to chat with him and his family about their upcoming trip.
Last stop in Florida was Jacksonville, where I was hosted by Carr Golf Father & Son Invitational winners Billy and Will McGriff at Pablo Creek. Another amazing place with incredible facilities, fun people and a great hang.
Later that evening I hit the road up to Charleston, South Carolina to play in The Azalea Invitational against leading amateur players from across the world. The old Seth Raynor designed Country Club of Charleston was a tough opposition in the lashing rain. Despite jibes of a ‘home advantage’ in such conditions, unfortunately I didn’t take home any silverware. As I joked with the lads, “Just because we play in the rain, it doesn’t mean I like it!” I did manage to make many new friends and get a lot of people talking and thinking about their next golf trip to Ireland and Scotland.
Before heading back to the airport on Sunday, I called in to catch up with the Darby’s, another great Father & Son duo and long-time friends of the Carr Golf Fraternity.
It was a fantastic trip, I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with old friends and making a few new ones. In the golf world, WB Yates quote is very appropriate, “There are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met yet.”
I don’t think I’d ever get bored of talking about golf in Ireland, which is great because if these past two weeks are anything to go by, I’ll be doing a lot of it going forward!
It looks like it’ll be 2022 before we’ll be able to entertain and enjoy the same craic in Ireland as I had on this Florida Swing, but when we can…it will be one almighty party!
Stephen Walsh
