Dungannon

Visiting Dungannon Golf Club ranks as one of the nicest experiences we’ve had at any golf course in Ireland even though we didn’t get to really play the course. Everyone was just so friendly and welcoming and generally helpful.

As we arrived we bumped into a couple of ladies and started our story. They were chatty and interested and then the Lady Captain joined us for a moment before heading into a meeting (which looked like it had already started!). There were a lot of other ladies around and judging by the chat we gathered that there a some matches going on - every so often someone would come in and say so and so beat such and such thus provoking general comments amongst the ladies along the lines of ‘well that’s no surprise’ or ‘well I didn’t see that coming’. The ladies and the Lady Captain said there’d be no problem parking in the car park but not long after the Lady Captain disappeared into the meeting the Secretary, Sean Hughes, came out to confirm that we could stay overnight and not only that but we’d be playing the course the following day with his compliments.
Well we were pretty much gobsmacked. In all our years we’ve have so many friendly welcomes and the occasional free pint of Guinness, but no one has offered us a free round of golf before. We continue to be amazed by people and long may it continue!

Before long the ladies all gathered together for something to eat and so we ordered up a couple of pints at the bar where had a bit of banter with the lady serving before sitting down. Carol then got us a couple of cards from the shop and then Harry, the President, also came over to say hello! We’ve never had such a reception and our thanks to Sean and the many ladies who chatted to us.

So we woke up the next morning, my birthday (!), to rain. And it just rained and rained. After such a warm welcome yesterday it was such an anti-climax. It rained so hard that we came off after 9 holes and we only persevered that far so we could play the Darren Clarke hole, the 9th. We were so focussed on staying dry, which was impossible, that I genuinely can’t remember much about the course - so no review this time, it wouldn’t be fair.

Our thanks again to everyone we met at Dungannon - we’ll go back some time when it’s dry and finish what we started.

Visit the Dungannon web site.

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