19th Hole

Exploring Ireland: Where to golf, drink and stay on the Emerald Isle. Pt. 3. Spanish Point Golf Club, Clare

Published

5 years ago

Dec 18, 2018

In these series of articles, I will be taking you around the Emerald Isle providing you with great golf courses to visit in some of the loveliest spots in Ireland. I’ll also be highlighting the best and most authentic Irish bars in these spots, as well as places to stay, eat and how to get there. Whether you’re taking a golfing holiday to Ireland in 2019 or are interested in doing so sometime in the future, I’ll make sure to let you in on the best places to spend your time.

In Part Two of our Exploring Ireland Series, we focused on the north-west of the island, taking the trip to County Donegal and showcasing the Old Tom Morris Links. Now it’s time for Part Three, and we’re staying along the “Wild Atlantic Way,” and heading down along the coast and into County Clare.

Clare is easily one of the top destinations in Ireland. The county is home to some of the best scenery in the country, with one particular natural wonder drawing well over a million visitors each year. Along with its incredible sights, the county is of course home to some of the top golf courses on the island and is a contender for the best destination in Ireland for traditional music, with a multitude of bars hosting live music sessions each night of the week.

Spanish Point Golf Club, Clare

@RonBWriter

While Trump Doonbeg and the host of next year’s Irish Open, Lahinch Golf Club, often grab all of the headlines for courses in Clare, they aren’t the only options. Diverting away from those well-known spots, my recommendation for a day out on the links in this area is at Spanish Point Golf Club.

Spanish Point is a real hidden gem out west. The track is a nine-hole course that took the title this year for “Best 9 Hole Course in Munster.” The course opened in 1896, and sits right on top of the Spanish Point beach, offering spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

@GolfersGuideIRL

The course itself plays for 18 holes as a par 68 and stretches over 5,000 yards. The course is mostly flat and exposed to the elements, and being right on top of the Atlantic Ocean, there’s an extremely high chance that should you tee it up here then every single facet of your game is going to get tested. Don’t be surprised that if the wind howls you find nine holes more than enough!

@GolfersGuideIRL

The star of Spanish Point is its greens. Wonderfully maintained, vast, and protected by deep classic links-style bunkers, these greens are a joy to putt on. So if you’re not rolling the ball well, it’s more than likely all on you!

Regardless of how you’re playing though, the greens of Spanish Point are a perfect viewing point to take in the breathtaking views on offer.

Eighteen holes around Spanish Point will set you back just over $20 during the week, and a little over $25 on the weekend. Which, in my opinion, is an absolute steal.

Food & Drink – Gus O’Connor’s Pub, Doolin

@mcastellanox

Just like it was difficult to choose only one golf course to showcase in Clare, separating the pubs is not an easy task either. A 30-minute drive from Spanish Point may sound a little inconvenient, but when you get to the small village of Doolin, then you will be thankful that you took the time to get to this little haven.

A small village just north of Spanish Point, Doolin boasts three of the best bars in the county, a “triple-crown” of bars if you will. McGann’s and McDermott’s are definitely worth a visit, but Gus O’Connor’s is an absolute must to while away an evening out west.

@JoshMurrayActor

Open since 1832, Gus O’Connor’s will provide you with an incredibly atmospheric evening. The bar looks tiny from the outside, but there is plenty of room inside. One word of warning, however, is that should you wish to spend a night out here then arrive early, as it fills up fast.

Live music is Doolin’s game, and at Gus O’Connor’s you will find it every night of the week. Sessions begin at 9 pm each evening and go on until late. Some of the best musicians in Ireland play here, and you can expect to hear the great sounds of fiddles, flutes, violins, guitars and bodhrans playing throughout the night.

A few years ago, locals at Gus O’Connor’s were even lucky enough to hear actor John C. Reilly belt out Ireland’s greatest drinking song “The Wild Rover.”

Gus O’Connor’s also serves up a full menu of typical Irish traditional food. Here you will have the perfect opportunity to sample the Irish Classic, Beef and Guinness Stew, which of course needs to be washed down with a pint of the black stuff. Another option worth considering is the Doolin mussels steamed in white wine.

Where To Stay

If you wish to stay in Doolin, then you’ll have plenty of great little hotels and lodges to choose from, with the price of a double room usually ranging from $65-$100 a night. My recommendation is the Doolin View B&B, which is within walking distance of all the bars. For around $85 you’ll get a lovely double room, with a full Irish breakfast included for the next morning to keep you going for the day.

@PhotoTimeGeo

A 15-minute drive from the village of Doolin will take you to that natural wonder I referenced earlier. The Cliffs of Moher are arguably the finest attraction on the entire island. The sea cliffs run for 14 kilometres, and at their highest point, they rise 702 feet above the Atlantic ocean. As impressive as the cliffs are in photographs, to experience them in person is a special event and something that you simply must take the time to do if you’re in Clare.

@irarchaeology

Another great option if you’re in this area is to take the ferry for a day trip to the Aran Islands. Home to 1,200 people whose primary language is Irish. Don’t worry though; they also speak English. The Bronze and Iron Age forts are there to be explored on the island, and the best way to do so is by hiring a bicycle, as the speed limit for cars is 31mph on all roads on the island.

How To Get There

The area is a three-hour drive from Dublin, but just one hour away from Doolin is one of Ireland’s three international airports, Shannon, which provides you with a great location to explore the west coast.

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19th Hole

Vincenzi’s 2024 Valero Texas Open betting preview: Future superstar ready to claim biggest win of his career

Published

5 hours ago

Apr 1, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

As players and fans gear up for the Masters, the PGA Tour stays in Texas following the Houston Open to play the Valero Texas Open.

TPC San Antonio is a 7,494-yard par 72 and features Bermudagrass greens. The main defense of the course is weather. The course can play pretty tough like we saw last year when Corey Conners won at -15 or two years ago when J.J. Spaun won at -13. If the wind stays dormant, expect the winner to be in the 20-under range.

There are 140 golfers in the field this week. The field is absolutely loaded this week, especially considering it’s the week before The Masters. Some notable players in the field include Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama, Tom Kim, Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood, Max Homa, Brian Harman and Matt Fitzpatrick.

Past Winners at TPC San Antonio

2023: Corey Conners (-15)
2022: J.J. Spaun (-13)
2021: Jordan Spieth (-18)
2019: Corey Conners (-20)
2018: Andrew Landry (-17)
2017: Kevin Chappel (-12)
2016: Charley Hoffman (-12)
2015: Jimmy Walker (-11)

In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).

Key Stats For TPC San Antonio

Let’s take a look at five key metrics at TPC San Antonio to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach

Strokes Gained: Approach is the best measure of current form. With plenty on the line this week, golfers will be looking to either punch a ticket to Augusta or round into great form heading into the Masters, so this metric should tell us a pretty good story about where a player is heading to San Antonio.

Total SG: Approach per round Over Past 24 Rounds

Keith Mitchell (+0.92)
Chandler Phillips (+0.76)
Corey Conners (+0.76)
Austin Eckroat (0.72)
Ryan Moore (0.67)

2. Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee

Off-the-Tee is statistically more important at TPC San Antonio than Tour average. Last year, Corey Conners ranked 8th in SG: OTT for the week. Spaun ranked 11th in SG: OTT in 2022. Prior to Jordan Spieth’s victory in 2021, the previous four winners of the Valero Texas Open had ranked eighth, fourth, ninth and fourth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee for the week. Hitting the ball long and straight will be a major factor this week.

SG: OTT per round over past 24 rounds:

Kevin Dougherty (+0.96)
Cameron Champ (+0.95)
Rory McIlroy (+0.88)
Alejandro Tosti (+0.73)
Kevin Yu (+0.70)

3. Strokes Gained: Ball-Striking

Ball-striking combines off-the-tee and approach. Golfers coming into the week striking it well from tee-to-green will be in a great spot to compete this week.

The rough can be penal at times around TPC San Antonio, so driving accuracy is important. At over 7,400 yards, the course isn’t short so the driving distance aspect of this stat will be a factor, as well.

SG: BS per round Over Past 24 Rounds

Keith Mitchell (+1.58)
Corey Conners (+1.24)
Kevin Yu (+1.07)
Akshay Bhatia (+1.02)
Rico Hoey (+0.97)

4. Course History

This statistic will tell us which golfers have thrived throughout their career at the Valero Texas Open.

Strokes Gained: Total per round over past 36 rounds at TPC San Antonio (minimum 8 rounds):

Jordan Spieth (+2.63)
Corey Conners (+2.33)
Charley Hoffman (+1.91)
Brandt Snedeker (+1.83)
Aaron Baddeley (+1.70)

5. Strokes Gained: Short Game

I am valuing off the tee and approach above short game this week, but players will have to have some around-the-green game to compete this week. This stat incorporates both around the green and putting.

Strokes Gained: Short Game per round Over Past 24 Rounds

Aaron Baddeley (+1.47)
Taylor Montgomery (+1.42)
Brendon Todd (+1.17)
Maverick McNealy (+1.12)
Martin Laird (+1.05)

The Valero Texas Open Model Rankings

Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG:BS (20%), SG: OTT (25%), Course History (14%) and SG: SG (14%)

Hideki Matsuyama
Corey Conners
Billy Horschel
Keith Mitchell
Aaron Rai
Doug Ghim
Ludvig Aberg
Byeong Hun An
Akshay Bhatia
Ryan Moore

2024 Valero Texas Open Picks

Ludvig Aberg +1600, (BetRivers)

Expectations were sky high for Ludvig Aberg entering 2024. The Swede is one of the most heralded prospects in golf’s recent history, and for good reason. After sitting atop the rankings in the World Amateur Golf Rankings for a prolonged period, the 24-year-old burst onto the professional scene last year, winning the Omega European Masters in September as well as the RSM Classic in November. He was also a standout in Ryder Cup during Europe’s victory at Marco Simone in Rome.

This season, Aberg has been playing solid golf, but is yet to break through for a victory. He finished 2nd in the weather-shortened 54-hole event at Pebble Beach and in his most recent start finished in 8th place while gaining 6.6 strokes on approach, which was his best iron week of the year.

Aberg’s game seems to be rounding into form just in time for the Masters, and he should be well-suited for a tough test at TPC San Antonio. The former Texas Tech standout is a great wind player and knows what it takes to play good golf in the state of Texas. The plurality of approach shots on the course come from 150-200 yards, and Ludvig leads the field in proximity from that yardage range in his past 24 rounds.

Aberg’s ability to hit it long and straight will be a major advantage this week, and I expect the future superstar to get his biggest PGA Tour win to date in San Antonio.

Billy Horschel +4500 (FanDuel)

Billy Horschel is rounding into peak form and looks incredibly dangerous heading into this week’s Valero Texas Open. The 37-year-old finished 9th at the Valspar Championship and backed it up with a tied for 7th place finish at last week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open. At Memorial Park, Horschel gained strokes across the board in all major stat categories.

Billy has three top-5 finishes at TPC San Antonio including a 3rd in 2013 and 2014, and a 4th in 2016. The former Florida Gator hasn’t played the event since 2019 but has a perfect skill set and game to win at the course.

When in contention, Horschel is one of the best closers on Tour and already has plenty of big wins in his career including victories at Murifield Village and Wentworth. He also took down Scottie Scheffler at the Dell Matchplay event Austin Country Club in Texas.

When Horschel is in form, he’s a fierce competitor who can go toe-to-toe with the best players on Tour on a Sunday.

K.H. Lee +150000 (FanDuel)

K.H. Lee’s yeah has been up and down, but he’s shown flashes in the past month or so of what’s made him successful on the PGA Tour thus far. Lee finished in a tie for 4th at the Cognizant Classic and for 9th at the Valspar Championship. He then finished in a tie for 31st at last week’s Texas Children’s Houston Open.

Most of Lee’s success lately has come from his around the green game and putting. He ranks 19th in his past 24 rounds in Strokes Gained: Short Game. However, Lee has gained strokes off the tee and ball striking in each of his past seven rounds. There seem to be clear signs that his game is starting to come around.

Lee has played TPC San Antonio well in the past. In 2019 he finished T14 and in 2021 he finished T21 before missing the cut in 2022.

The South Korean has already won twice in the state of Texas at the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2021 and 2022. the 32-year-old is a high ceiling player who has the capability of winning a PGA Tour event if he gets into contention on Sunday.

Charley Hoffman +20000 (FanDuel)

Charley Hoffman turned back the clocks earlier this season at one of his favorite courses at TPC Scottsdale. The veteran will now head to a course that he’s had even more success at, TPC San Antonio. Since 2006, Charley has twelve (!) top-15 finishes at the course, including a win in 2016. His recent history is excellent as well. He had back-to-back runner up finishes in 2019 and 2020. Hoffman ranks 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Total at the course and is third in Strokes Gained: Total per round in his past 36 rounds here.

Since his playoff loss at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Hoffman’s play has understandably dropped off. I believe that the fact he was able to even contend this season shows that he is still worth a bet at a course he’s had so much success at in the past. Despite being 47 years old, Hoffman has still gained strokes on the field in driving distance in four of his past five starts and isn’t a short hitter by any means.

Hoffman missed the cut in his latest start at the Valspar, but his approach numbers were strong once again as he gained 3.2 strokes on approach in his two rounds. If he can get the irons dialed in at TPC San Antonio, his familiarity with the course can get him into contention for the second time this season.

Ryan Moore +22000 (FanDuel)

After struggling with a back injury over the last few years, Ryan Moore is finally rounding back into the form that made him one of the most reliable iron players on Tour over the course of his career.

Moore finished in a tie for 5th at the Valspar Championship and backed it up with a solid performance last week at Memorial Park, where he finished 31st at the Texas Children’s Houston Open on a course that really shouldn’t suit his game all that well. He ranked 8th in the field for the week in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, the 43-year-old ranks

Moore has played well throughout his career at TPC San Antonio. He finished 7th in 2018 and 3rd in 2019 before his back injuries started to derail his career. Now that he seems to be healthy, he has the capability of contending at one of his most successful Tour stops over the years.

Last week the course may have been a bit long for Moore, but TPC San Antonio is the type of course that Moore will be able to pick apart with his short to mid-irons and get back in the winner’s circle after almost eight years without a win on Tour.

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19th Hole

Bryson DeChambeau plays round with ‘rolled back’ 2009 golf ball…with interesting results

Published

5 hours ago

Apr 1, 2024

Matt Vincenzi

On Friday, Bryson DeChambeau released a video of him playing with a “rolled back” golf ball on his YouTube Channel.

In the video, Bryson plays nine holes at Dallas National with a Nike One Tour, which is a golf ball that was released in 2009, and the round provides some great insight as to what the difference with an older golf ball truly is.

As expected, the former U.S. Open winner was not thrilled with the performance of the “rolled back” ball.

After a slight pull on the second hole, Bryson says, “Normally hit on the heel with my other golf ball would not miss that far left. With my other golf ball that would have flown dead straight. That ball started left and went left. There is definitely something to say with the golf ball compression.”

On the 3rd hole, which is a downhill par 3, Bryson said the ball was “flying weird”.

“I’m going to play a 160-yard shot here. This thing is probably only going to go like 150 so I’m playing this thing 20 yards downwind.”

“Oh, that ball is flying so weird.”

Throughout the round, he compares the 2009 ball with a new Titleist Pro V 1 left dash.

“I hit that first ball perfectly, right on the screws. The left dash, I actually thinned it pretty poorly. It had 5 mph more ball speed and less spin and flew that much farther.”

The launch monitor continues to document the differences in the golf ball throughout the round.

In conclusion, DeChambeau said: “Everything I saw today, from my perspective, I personally wouldn’t want it.”

Whether you’re for or against a golf ball “rollback”, the full video is certainly worth checking out.