DUNSANTY, Ireland -- Former British Open champion Bill Rogers once said in his early tournament days, he would always get really nervous before a big match. One day he was so nervous, he didn't want to spit before he began because he didn't know if he could even hit the ground. Well, Bill and I don't have a lot in common on the golf course. He's won the British Open, I've seen it on TV. But I can now relate to his first hole nerves after my recent, 'Writers Cup,' match on the Killen Castle course outside Dublin, the site of the 2011 Solheim Cup Matches. Put a group of hungry American golf writers with a few European fill-ins against an equal number of European golf scribes on the fine par 72 Jack Nicklaus designed golf course just an hour outside Dubin, mixed in the glories and pressures of match play and the unpredictable Irish weather and you've got a fine spring afternoon. While a fine one, but certainly a nervous one as well for writers much more at ease writing about big pressure golf (hello Rory McIlroy), than actually participating That was the case during our Solheim Cup media preview which held for the first time ever in Ireland, September 23-25, 2011 The idea of pitting some American writers, including your truly against our European counterparts with a tour of the expansive facilities and a fine Irish dinner was a fine one, but it gave us just a brief peak of the pressure the world's best golfers face in their biannual matches. We played a standard European fourball, two Americans vs. two Europeans in five separate matches with stableford points added to add to the drama. My partner was Seattle-area journalist Guy Generaux, our U.S. captain retired Seattle legendary columnist Blaine Newnman. I didn't want to let either one of them down. It was blowing about 30 MPH with dark skies overhead when we teed up on the par 4 first hole at Killeen Castle on the plush Jack Nicklaus signature course at Killeen Castle. Like most recent Ryder and Solheim venues, it was not only chosen for the quality of the golf layout, but the large areas to host spectators and TV (Golf Channel will beam every shot in your homes in September), along with hospitality and the ability to host between 35,000 and 50,000 fans ever day. The is the only Dave Pelz golf school in Ireland which will serve as the U.S. team headquarters along with practice groups, along with the huge castle which will host the opening and closing ceremonies with acres of huge trees, sweeping landscapes and manmade lakes and other dangerous parcels of water. I was a bit nervous on the opening hole and skied his first drive into the thick rough to the left of the first fairway and never found his ball, But that's what partners are for as my guy Guy rebounded to win the hole to give us, U.S., an early lead. Your hero, rebounded to par three of the next four holes, shocking even myself, as the Americans took an early 4 and 1 lead. But that's when it got fun. Playing good is nice, playing stress free is even nicer, but protecting a large lead so you're not called American chokers is nerve wracking. But the time we got to the par 5 15th, the lead was down one to one hole and only a few points. But I managed to hit a Seve-Arnie-Phil-like recovery shot from underneath a greenside tree my partner said it only look better as it got closer to the hole. The battle was turned, the match was one and the U.S. took the overall title with a nice Irish crystal trophy to prove it. The dinner was highlighted by former Seve Ballesteros manager and Solheim Cup Chairman Roddy Carr telling stories (the Irish are very good at this) about Seve and the international cup marches. Afterwards it was a victorious team phone, then on the bus for a hotel pub trip. U.S.A., U.S.A., indeed. Come to Ireland for the golf and good times There are plenty of outstanding courses from Ardglass and Royal County Down in the North to Killen Castle, the K Club (home of the 2008 Ryder Cup), Portmarnock and European Club, all in the South. It's fun, challenging, mostly carefree golf, but you if want true pressure golf, than make it over for the Solheim Cup in September where the best of American and European battle for ladies professional golf supremacy. Of better yet, you can ask me and Bill Rogers what real golf match pressure. We know all about it with a fine Irish twist!
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By Art Stricklin
DUNSANTY, Ireland -- Former British Open champion Bill Rogers once said in his early tournament days, he would always get really nervous before a big match. One day he was so nervous, he didn't want to spit before he began because he didn't know if he could even hit the ground.
Well, Bill and I don't have a lot in common on the golf course. He's won the British Open, I've seen it on TV. But I can now relate to his first hole nerves after my recent, 'Writers Cup,' match on the Killen Castle course outside Dublin, the site of the 2011 Solheim Cup Matches.
Put a group of hungry American golf writers with a few European fill-ins against an equal number of European golf scribes on the fine par 72 Jack Nicklaus designed golf course just an hour outside Dubin, mixed in the glories and pressures of match play and the unpredictable Irish weather and you've got a fine spring afternoon.
While a fine one, but certainly a nervous one as well for writers much more at ease writing about big pressure golf (hello Rory McIlroy), than actually participating That was the case during our Solheim Cup media preview which held for the first time ever in Ireland, September 23-25, 2011
The idea of pitting some American writers, including your truly against our European counterparts with a tour of the expansive facilities and a fine Irish dinner was a fine one, but it gave us just a brief peak of the pressure the world's best golfers face in their biannual matches.
We played a standard European fourball, two Americans vs. two Europeans in five separate matches with stableford points added to add to the drama.
My partner was Seattle-area journalist Guy Generaux, our U.S. captain retired Seattle legendary columnist Blaine Newnman. I didn't want to let either one of them down.
It was blowing about 30 MPH with dark skies overhead when we teed up on the par 4 first hole at Killeen Castle on the plush Jack Nicklaus signature course at Killeen Castle.
Like most recent Ryder and Solheim venues, it was not only chosen for the quality of the golf layout, but the large areas to host spectators and TV (Golf Channel will beam every shot in your homes in September), along with hospitality and the ability to host between 35,000 and 50,000 fans ever day.
The is the only Dave Pelz golf school in Ireland which will serve as the U.S. team headquarters along with practice groups, along with the huge castle which will host the opening and closing ceremonies with acres of huge trees, sweeping landscapes and manmade lakes and other dangerous parcels of water.
I was a bit nervous on the opening hole and skied his first drive into the thick rough to the left of the first fairway and never found his ball, But that's what partners are for as my guy Guy rebounded to win the hole to give us, U.S., an early lead.
Your hero, rebounded to par three of the next four holes, shocking even myself, as the Americans took an early 4 and 1 lead. But that's when it got fun. Playing good is nice, playing stress free is even nicer, but protecting a large lead so you're not called American chokers is nerve wracking.
But the time we got to the par 5 15th, the lead was down one to one hole and only a few points. But I managed to hit a Seve-Arnie-Phil-like recovery shot from underneath a greenside tree my partner said it only look better as it got closer to the hole.
The battle was turned, the match was one and the U.S. took the overall title with a nice Irish crystal trophy to prove it.
The dinner was highlighted by former Seve Ballesteros manager and Solheim Cup Chairman Roddy Carr telling stories (the Irish are very good at this) about Seve and the international cup marches. Afterwards it was a victorious team phone, then on the bus for a hotel pub trip. U.S.A., U.S.A., indeed. Come to Ireland for the golf and good times
There are plenty of outstanding courses from Ardglass and Royal County Down in the North to Killen Castle, the K Club (home of the 2008 Ryder Cup), Portmarnock and European Club, all in the South.
It's fun, challenging, mostly carefree golf, but you if want true pressure golf, than make it over for the Solheim Cup in September where the best of American and European battle for ladies professional golf supremacy.
Of better yet, you can ask me and Bill Rogers what real golf match pressure. We know all about it with a fine Irish twist!