Summer 2024 Team USA v Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships Killeen Castle Equipment Reviews Team USA National ChampionshipsGettysburg
June 17th, 2024 Tee it Up, Did you watch the U.S. Open? Bryson DeChambeau and Rory battled it out to the final stroke! It was awesome! The 124th U.S. Open was all that golf is meant to be. Drama, pageantry, pain and agony and finally Victory! We can only hope that The Open Championship in July is just as thrilling. In this issue of The Golfin’ Around Magazine we will tee it up in Ireland! Check out some awesome golf equipment and hopefully entertain you along the way. So sit back, relax, have an Arnold Palmer and enjoy the round. Golfin’ Around that is. Hacker Extraordinaire, Randy Tank Tantlinger Letter from the Publisher Golfin’ Around 2
Content 04 30 08 14 22 18 24 28 2024 Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships Summer 2024 Equipment Reviews Killeen Castle and Golf Resort Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links Seapoint Golf Links The K Club Luttrellstown Castle Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships 2024
2024 Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships I love Ireland! It’s in my DNA. My mother’s family immigrated from Galway Bay to the USA decades ago. I’m a member of the “Ancient Order of Hibernians” as well. I love Ireland and I love golfing in Ireland. I have played all across the Emerald Isle. And every time I leave, I can’t wait to go back again. By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 4
Wanting to share my love of Ireland and create a lasting amateur golf event, I created the Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships! Amateur golfers compete in a Team USA National Championship. National Champion Winners Team USA made it’s home for the week and the seaside hotel just outside of Dublin, the White Sands Hotel. It’s located right on one of Ireland’s best beaches at Portmarnock Bay. Team USA quickly fell in love with their home away from home for the week. What was not to love? You could stroll on the beach to start your day. Or sit on the beach in Five Flights, 1-5, 6-10, 1115, 16-20 and 21+ win a trip to Ireland. 2024 was our inaugural year. Team USA played five of the best courses in and around Dublin. And then we tee’s up against Team Ireland at the wonderful Ardee Golf Club against their members! I highly recommend that an amateur golfer wanting to win a trip to Ireland go visit our website: www.usairelandgolf. com www.whitesands.com
and watch the day fade away into night. I slept with my room windows open to hear the waves pounding on the beach to wake me in the morning as the sun rose across the water. I love the White Sands Hotel. I spent a few mornings and evenings on the beach in front of the hotel smoking a cigar and sipping on white wine. I reflected on each days golf adventure. I looked upon the stars at night and hope my ancestors where proud of the boy from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, USA. Elegant is the word I w ould use to describe The White Sands Hotel. Lovely artwork decorates the halls and rooms. The second floor terrace area resembles a classic Irish dinning room complete with comfortable leather coaches and a baby Grand Piano. Each room was a delight to come back to and rest your head after a long day on the course or site seeing. Big comfortable beds made sleep feel like an old friend. The Oasis Bar became one of the best surprises for the hotel. An authentic local Irish Pub is the Oasis. Grab a pint and go outside on the patio that overlooks the Irish Sea. Or have your dinner out on the patio. The inside of the pub will offer your big Irish breakfast in the morning or your dinner at night. Golfin’ Around 6
Of course, the pub it self is where the real fun is had. Locals from Portmarnock flock to the Oasis nightly for entertainment, music and merriment. All in all The White Sands Hotel in DublinPortmarnock gets Five Stars out of Five Stars! And the best part, the staff is incredibly helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. And chances are you’ll enjoy a drink with one of them at the Oasis Bar! So, now that we were set at the White Sands Hotel it was time to Tee it Up on some of Ireland’s very best courses!
If images of ancient castles and stunning landscapes fill your mind when you think of Ireland, then Killeen Castle should be on your must play list. Jack Nicklaus has designed an incredible parkland course here. It truly is a Five Star experience. Killeen Castle dates back to 1181 and it was the seat of the Plunkett family from 1403 to 1951, when the 12th Earl www.killeencastle.com Killeen Castle and Golf Resort Golfin’ Around 8
of Fingall sold the estate to Sir Victor Sassoon who established a stud farm on the property. Located thirty minutes from Dublin and set in the Irish country side, the Killeen course is a dandy. This magical course unfolds in front of you with the ancient castle standing as a sentinel in the background. Killeen is a spectacular combination of elevated tee shots, well bunked greens and plenty of eye candy. You will need every-club in your bag here. Water comes into play on several holes and must be calculated into your shot making decisions. Over 7,000 trees line the fairways. They create a sense of communing with nature throughout your round.
Ponds a plenty guard greens, provide stunning photo ops and challenge both tee shots and fairway shots. A courses pedigree begins with it’s designer. Well the GOAT himself designed the course here on over 350 acres. A life size Jack Nicklaus statue awaits every golfer wanting a picture of both Jack and t he Killeen Castle. The other box to check off on a courses pedigree are the tournaments it has hosted and will host. In 2011 the Solheim Cup series of matches between the professional Golfin’ Around 10
women of Europe and the United States were played here. The home team managed to reduce the deficit (to 8-4) in this series of matches when the European ladies overcame their old golfing adversaries by a margin of 15 points to 13.
The staff at Killeen seems to have one mission. Pamper you! I truly mean it when I say that I felt welcome the second I came onto the grounds. I have played many and well appointed are they. You can choose from the Arlington & Ormonde Lodges, Castletown and Tara Lodges or the Willow and Beaulieu Lodges. When I tell parkland courses in Ireland. Killeen sparkles in both her presentation and her layout. The Lodges are ready and waiting for you now. Elegant Golfin’ Around 12
you that I could live in any of the Lodges and make the Killeen Castle Course my home course forever, I mean it! The incredibly welcoming staff here at Killeen Castle really makes your adventure shine. There’s something magical happening here at Killeen. They are restoring their trademark castle. Soon it will have lavish rooms and dinning. Killeen Castle is near and dear to my heart after only one visit!
I’m certain that GOD himself, being the great fan of golf that he is, above helped craft each and every inch of Jameson Golf Links. This breathtaking golf experience is truly magical. I rate her as one of the Top Five Courses I have every played. And know I have played www.portmarnock.com Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links Golfin’ Around 14
from Scotland to Iceland to Thailand and every inch of Ireland! To begin Jameson Golf Links is ranked the 25th Best Course in all of Ireland. If you have never golfed in Ireland, I must
tell you this is a great honor! Some of the World’s Top Ranked Courses are in Ireland. And yes, if you’re thinking there’s a connection to Jameson Irish Whiskey, you’d be correct. For it was the Jameson family who donated the land many years ago to build golf upon these sandy dunes. Situated on the shoreline of a rugged peninsula, Portmarnock Resort & J ameson Golf Links was only a two minute drive from our accommodations at the White Sands Hotel. The opulent, classy, luxurious resort is a perfect seaside hideaway. “Tucked away in a quiet corner of ‘The Velvet Strand’, one of Ireland’s most stunning stretches of uninterrupted coastline – the historic Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links, once the family home of the Jameson Dynasty awaits. With an award-winning Links Course and Spa, three dining outlets including the historic Jameson Bar, Portmarnock Resort & Jameson Golf Links is the perfect coastal retreat. Golfin’ Around 16
Portmarnock, where the only thing overlooked is the sea.”, their website states. When you stand on the first tee, the starter is quick to point out that the Jameson Family grave yard on the right side of the fairway is OB! For many years the course was known as “Portmarnock golfers stunning vistas if the Irish Sea. “Jameson Golf Links makes full use of the dunes and natural terrain to provide a layout that will please the most ardent of links purists. The elevated tees and greens, blind approaches and doglegs, not to mention the typical links sea breeze, will keep you thinking through every round.” Simply overwhelming was the combination of natural beauty, the layout, the design, the dunes, the bunkering, the green complexes, and the views of the Irish Sea! 18 Holes of Sheer Delight is how I would describe Jameson Golf Links! Golf Links”. In fcat I played back here about ten years ago! However, the time has come to honor the Jameson family. Hence, the newly branded Jameson Golf Links. It’s undergone a renovation led by Jeff Lynch, who built five new green complexes and four new teeing areas. A number of greens and tees have been raised to give
www.kclub.ie The K Club Golfin’ Around 18
The K Club is perhaps the most prestigious golf resort in all of Ireland. It is home to two courses built by “The King” himself, Arnold Palmer. The Palmer North and The Palmer South. In 2006 The Ryder Cup was played here. Opulence, Class, Style and Elegance are just a few of the words on uses to describe the K Club Experience.
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Regal, Elegant, Stylish, Luxurious, Classy all are understatements of the K Club. Since 1832 she has stood on these some 550 acres. You have many choices of accommodations here. The Palmer Lodge, The Straffan Gate Lodge and an array of Five Star Hotel rooms that are lavishly appointed await you at the K Club. When The King designed the The Palmer North and The Palmer South courses he knew he had to create an enduring monument to his legacy. He did not disappoint! These two incredible parkland courses are tests of golf. Ask yourself would the prestigious Ryder Cup have selected and average golf course and resort? Not on your life. If you want to relax and be treated like a King and Queen for a week, you can find no better place than the K Club just outside of Dublin.
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Seapoint Golf Links welcomed Team USA for their first round. It’s located just North of White Sands Hotel in a short car ride. The Irish sea kisses the shoreline and sand dunes here at Seapoint. The mountains of Mourne and Cooley smile down upon the fairways. Here The Irish Open has been played. Links golf here is a splendid tapestry of towering sand dunes, pot bunkers and well manicured fairways. The dunes can be as high as 20ft along the fairways. I was forced to carry up and over these massive dunes after a few of my errant tee shots. Seapoint Golf Links is a must play on any visit to the Dublin region. The comfortable clubhouse overlooks the 18th green and provides panoramic views of the course. “There is not a weak hole on the entire golf course”– Padraig Harrington. That’s great acclaim from one of Ireland’s favorite sons. www.seapointgolflinks.com Seapoint Golf Links
The Luttrellstown Castle estate is located on six hundred acres just twenty minutes outside of Dublin. Breathtaking, awe inspiring are just a few adjectives to describe this rural setting. The www.luttrellstowncastle.com Luttrellstown Castle castle on property stirs the imagination of days long gone. It is available for private functions and weddings. The golf is simply captivating. The award winning clubhouse is simply elegant. The Golfin’ Around 24
parkland course meanders throughout the countryside. The photos can pay homage to the property better than I can. She is set in the rolling and pastoral country side of Ireland. She wont beat you up with unforgiving bunkers and forced carry shots. She is a
gentle lady with whom you can take an uninterrupted stroll through the country with. It requires length off the tee, where the big hitter will flourish. At over 7,000 yards from the back tees, Luttrellstown Castle is very long, with only one of the four par threes under 170 yards and six of the ten par fours over 400 yards. The River Liffey winds its way throughout the property and remains your companion on 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Golfin’ Around 26
www.usairelandgolf.com Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships 2024 So, I’ll tell you out of the gate. Team Ireland took home the Victory Trophy called the “Boo-Yay” in Gaelic this year! What really mattered was the comrade and friendships that were made. An old pal of mine Tom Muldoon from Ardee, ireland has been wanting me to come and see him for a few years. Tom’s a member at Ardee GC and owns a local steakhouse. Tom put together Team Ireland. His home course at Ardee GC is a splendid parkland course. It is lined with an incredible array Golfin’ Around 28
of trees. I mean on an island filled with greenery at every turn, I was in awe at Ardee GC. It was a true test of golf as well. Incredible uphill carries, postage stamp greens, rolling countryside terrain. But it was the Irish lads who made the day so special! They welcomed us with open arms and a healthy appetite for telling jokes and having a few pints of Guinness Beer after the round. We went to Muldoons and Sons Pub in downtown Ardee for our awards dinner and celebration. I tell you the night was filled with mirth and merriment. Laughter and Jokes. Toasts, Hugs and Cheers. Neither Team USA or Team Ireland wanted the day to end. So, Slante to my pal Tom Muldoon and his Irish Mates on a match well played. But, I tell you this, next year Team USA will kick your arse! To be a member of the first ever Team USA vs Team Ireland Amateur Golf Championships was truly an honor! I will get back to Ireland as soon as I can and when I do you can be assured, I will will visit all of these courses and resorts again! For your chance to win a trip to Ireland and play for Team USA log onto www. usairelandgolf.com
Summer 2024 Equipment Reviews Liddle Speaker www.liddlespeaker.com There’s nothing that slows down my backswing than listening to Dean Martin crooning or Jimmy Buffett singing, “I love afternoon golf and Canjun martini’s”! I have found the very best portable-mobile speaker for golf, The Liddle Speaker. Economical and available on line or Walmart! It fits right into the cupholder in the golf cart or it’s magnetic backing allows you to place it on the golf cart. This tiny speaker packs a powerful punch and delivers excellent sound quality. It has a permante home in my golf bag! By Randy Tantlinger Golfin’ Around 30
Shot Scope ZR www.shotscope.com The Shot Scope PRO ZR is a gamechanging laser rangefinder, that provides golfers with fast and accurate distances on any golf course, with a 1500 yard distance range. Enhanced Target-lock & Rapid-fire detection: Our fastest-firing rangefinder to date, the PRO ZR features enhanced Rapidfire detection and Target-lock vibration, which rivals any rangefinder on the market! Dura Shield Hardshell Design: The PRO ZR can handle harsh conditions giving you confidence you can tackle any course at any time. Built To Perform Whenever You Play: When lighting fails you, the PRO ZR won’t! Toggle between Red / Black dual optics to get an easily readable measurement regardless of the light conditions. Combined with an ultra-clear LCD display and x6 magnification, you will have clarity on-course for every round of golf you play. Features Enhanced Target-lock vibration, a Premium rubber anti-slip grip, x6 Magnification, Accurate to 1 yard, IPX5 waterproof rating and conforms to Rules of Golf. Replaceable CR2 battery. SuperStroke Putter Grips www.superstrokeusa.com It seems that every week on the PGA Tour every time a pro wins he’s playing SuperStroke Putter Grips! Look, putting is not easy. For every golfer on the planet, there’s a unique different putting style. From Dead-Solid perfect to the Yipes, golfers have a tapestry of putting styles. But, the one constant, the one single thing you can do to improve your game is to invest in a SuperStroke Putter Grip! The thickness of the grip, the contour and texture all combine to “Put You in Charge!” of your putts! Why, do you think all the Pro’s are using and winning with SuperStroke? Simple, because they are the very best. Don’t hesitate, order your today and start scoring and start beating your buddies every single match!
Sun Mountain Rolls Out First-of-its-Kind Adjustable Three-Wheel Golf Push Cart www.sunmountain.com Missoula, Montana – Sun Mountain continues to be the innovator of the golf push cart market with the introduction of the new Ridgeline3 three-wheel push cart. Unique to Ridgeline3 is a patent-pending adjustable upper bag bracket that slides up and down to accommodate different size golf bags, from junior to adult. Importantly, Ridgeline3 is easy and intuitive to fold and unfold in two simple steps. Convenience features will be appreciated like an accessory tray and an assortment of add-on accessories. Retail price on Ridgeline3 is $349.99. For the retailer nearest you, visit www.sunmountain. com or call 800227-9224. “We’re seeing a lot more push cart usage across all age groups,” said Sun Mountain President and Chief Brand Officer, Grant Knudson. “Ridgeline3 offers a push cart that accommodates all of the different sizes and shapes of golf bags. So, it can grow with the junior golfer, be used by multiple members of the same household, and make a great addition to a course’s rental fleet.” Uniquely, Ridgeline3 features patent-pending Vertical Fit Technology that allows the upper bag bracket to slide up and down to accommodate different height golf bags, from junior to adult. The adjustable strap on the upper bag bracket allows further custom fitting for a range of golf bag shapes and sizes from stand bags to cart bags. Golfin’ Around 32
The Matchplay Stand Bag outmatches expectations with more than its good looks, offering unmatched performance with a 7.5”, 4-way top with an ergonomic, comfort-grip handle for picking up the bag, full-length box dividers to keep clubs from getting tangled, nine pockets including velour-lined valuables pocket, velour-lined rangefinder pocket with magnetic closure, dual hydration pouches, roomy clothing pocket and multiple accessory pockets. Matchplay features a single-strap shoulder strap with dense foam padding for comfort and is easy to adjust for a custom fit. Additional details of the Matchplay Stand Bag include Sun Mountain standards such as a lift-assist handle built into lower spine pocket, top-mounted leg mechanism for added stability, lightweight, high-tensile aluminum legs with triangular non-slip foot pads, patented roller bottom leg mechanism, dual pen holders, umbrella holder, towel ring and accessory loops, leg-lock system, and a matching rainhood. The coordinating Matchplay Duffel Bag features three pockets including a shoe compartment along with a carry handle and removable shoulder strap with quick release buckles. Sun Mountain has been a pioneer in the golf industry for 40 years, revolutionizing golf bags, golf outerwear and golf carts. Sun Mountain’s many innovations, including the first lightweight golf bag and modern stand bag, have made it the top golf bag company in North America. Within golf outerwear, Sun Mountain redefined golf-specific performance first with the windshirt, then fleece, and again with its four-way stretch, waterproof, and breathable rainwear. The Sun Mountain Speed Cart® golf push cart transformed walking carts and created an entirely new category of golf products. Sun Mountain’s “Ahead of Time Design” motto drives the company to continually design and refine golf equipment. For the Sun Mountain retailer nearest you call 800-227-9224 or visit www.sunmountain.com.
AHEAD www.aheadusashop.com AHEAD makes the very best in golf apparel. They are the standard of excellence and the standard barer for quality and innovation in golf. If Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer trust their brands to AHEAD, this tells you everything. AHEAD is the official head wear for the 2024 US Open and the new TGL Golf League too. This means they are doing something right day in and day out. AHEAD Golf Shirts and Jackets are made from the softest fabric I have ever worn! Comfort, Style and Class is what you’ll be wearing with AHEAD! Cleveland Golf never, ever, ever fails to awe me. They are one of the most innovative and creative companies out there making clubs. Every single club of theirs I have ever played as left me feeling like I could play in the next U.S. Open! Their latest wedge offering may leave you breathless. If you need help with your wedge play, then go buy a Cleveland CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge today! From the second you take the club away from the ball you feel in total control. The wide soul allows for the perfect balance of Bounce, Control and Forgiveness. The Cavity Back is the real force to be reckoned with here. Let’s face it, a wedge shot is changeling, difficult and gets in your head. Whether you’re playing from a bunker or a downhill lie that elevated above the green from six ft away, wedge play is scary. The Cleveland Golf CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge www.us.dunlopsports.com Cleveland Golf CBX 4 ZipCore Wedge makes you feel like you are in control and command of your game! And here’s the real treat, who doesn’t love creating SPIN! SPIN makes you feel like a real golfer! You know, a PRO! CBX 4 generates more spin than a blender! “The New CBX 4 ZipCore Wedges bring premium versatility and elite forgiveness together in a highly refined, sharp-looking design that blends perfectly in the bag with modern cavity back or hollow Iron sets. And now, these CBX series Wedges get all of Cleveland Golf’s latest tour caliber technologies to create our finest cavity back Wedge yet. Golfin’ Around 34
The CBX 4 Zipcore wedges feature the same Zipcore technology found in some of the best Cleveland wedges that include the impressive RTX6 wedges. This allows for a heavier steel in the hosel to be replaced with a lightweight but strong vibration dampening material. The weight saved from the heel is then redistributed across the toe and higher on the face allowing 7.8 percent more MOI than in previous generations and optimum CG placement.”
The Golfin’ Around Television Show! Join us every Sunday Morning at 9:30 am on MASN Sports TV. Golfin’ Around is proud to be on the flagship station of both the Baltimore Oriels and the Washington Nationals MLB Baseball Teams! We take you Golfin’ Around Scotland, Ireland, Gettysburg, Florida, The Carribbean and Beyond every season! Join host Randy Tantlinger as he explores golf courses, resorts, the latest equipment and tournaments too! From Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, John Daly, Tom Watson, Gary Player, Zack Johnson Lawrence Taylor and Chevy Chase, Randy has interviewed golfers around the globe! The Golfin’ Around Radio Hour!Who says you can’t laugh, have fun and listen to Golf on the Radio? The Golfin’ Around Radio Hour is broadcast Saturdays on Fox Sports Radio PittsburghWheeling. The region reaches 2 Million HH’s. And is the 30th Largest Radio Market in the Country. And listen anytime on Iheart Radio PODCAST Network 52 weeks a year! Hosted by Randy Tantlinger, he keeps it fun and entertaining each and every week! You never know what he’s going to say next. If you don’t laugh, we will give you your money back! Golfin’ Around 36
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