The 2016 tour, otherwise known as 'the year that was meant to be Billy's year if he had only managed to turn up', sees a return to the Emerald Isle for the first time since Doonbeg in 2010. We have three days of golf organised, with an optional fourth round on the Wednesday for anyone looking for some extra practice (i.e. Gareth).

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The customary 'international' match will take place on the Thursday at Enniscrone Golf Club. Designed by Eddie Hackett and ranked 11th in Ireland, Enniscrone is stunningly located on a promontory which juts out into Killala Bay at the mouth of the Moy Estuary with Scurmore, one of Ireland's most beautiful beaches, bordering the links.

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Friday's Brown Jackets Open will take place at Strandhill Golf Club, just outside Sligo. Again designed by Eddie Hackett, it is a beautiful links course with stunning views of the surrounding countryside and ocean, with Knocknarae mountain providing the back drop.

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The Brown Jacket Masters will take place on the Saturday at County Sligo Golf Club, also known as 'Rosses Point'. Ranked 7th in Ireland, this is an absolute belter of a course, with many stunning views. It was remodelled by the legendary Harry Colt in 1927 and is a challenging test for any golfer.

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As mentioned above, there is the option for a warm-up round on the Wednesday at Carne Golf Links. Yet another course desinged by Eddie Hackett (and considered by many to be his finest), it is ranked 10th in Ireland and sits in splendid isloation on a peninsula amidst gigantic dunes with far-reaching views across Blacksod Bay. The local pub in Belmullet is called the Lobster Pot - because once you go in, you never come out...

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Everyone is flying into Knock International Airport (except for the US contingent, those permatanned individuals travelling from the south of France and Jono who is coming from Manchester for some extraordinary reason). It's then about 45-50 minutes to Enniscrone (or a little further to Sligo for those arriving on the Friday). Transport from the airport will be organised for those arriving from London on the Thursday morning and Thursday evening. The US team, those from Provence, Jono, DB and I will also have hire cars.

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Thursday night will be spent at the Ocean Sands Hotel in Enniscrone. It's a small village, right on the sea, with everything within walking distance.

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On Friday morning, we will transfer by bus to Strandhill Golf Club. After golf, the bus will take us to the Riverside Hotel in Sligo where we will be staying for both the Friday and Saturday nights. Dinner both nights will be within walking distance of the hotel.

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A bus will take us to Rosses Point on Saturday morning. Soup and sandwiches will be available before we tee off. Then it's back to Sligo after the round for dinner.

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Then it's back home on Sunday. Transport to the Airport on Sunday morning has been organised for those on the 09:50 flight to Stansted and the 11:50 flight to Luton. Everyone else will make their own way to Knock, Dublin and Belfast in hire cars.

 

The tour itinerary is as follows:

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Wednesday 16 September

• Saunders and Sam fly to Knock and hook up with the US team

• Golf at Carne Links

• Accommodation at the Broadhaven Bay Hotel in Belmullet

• Scumbaggio, Kezza and Bazza arrive into Dublin from Nice, hire a car and drive to Enniscrone where they will be staying at the Ocean Sands Hotel

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Thursday 15 September

• Citron, Adolf, Alex, El Mel, Andy and Gilo arrive into Knock where they will be met by Ronan Owens for transfer to Enniscrone Golf Club

• Jono arrives into Knock where he will hire a car and head to Enniscrone Golf Club

• Golf at Enniscrone Golf Club - tee booked from 14:10

• Dinner at Ait Eile at Gilroy's - table booked for 20:30

• Fi and Neil arrive into Knock at 19:25 where they will be met by Ronan Owens for transfer direct to the restaurant

• Accommodation at the Ocean Sands Hotel in Enniscrone

 

Friday 16 September

• Transfer from Ocean Sands Hotel to Strandhill Golf Club, near Sligo, departure time 09:50 (journey time approx. 1 hour)

• Tee booked from 12:10

• Depart Strandhill Golf Colub at 18:00 for transfer to Riverside Hotel in Sligo (journey time approx. 15 minutes)

• Dinner at Hargadon Bros in Sligo - table booked for 20:00 - followed by the draw and auction

• DB arrives into Knock at 19:25 where he will hire a car and head to Sligo

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Saturday 17 September

• Transfer by bus from hotel to County Sligo Golf Club (Rosses Point), departure time 11:05 (journey time approx. 25 minutes)

• Soup and sandwiches from 12:00

• Tee booked from 13:00

• Depart Rosses Point at 19:15 for transfer back to Sligo

• Dinner at Coach Lane in Sligo - table booked for 21:00

• Accommodation at the Riverside Hotel in Sligo

 

Sunday 18 September

• Scumbaggio, Kezza and Bazza depart before dawn for drive back to Dublin

• US team (minus US Dave) drive back to Belfast

• Fi, El Mel, and Alex leave at 07:10 for transfer to Knock

• Saunders, Sam, Citron, US Dave, Adolf, Andy, Gilo and Neil leave at 09:10 for transfer to Knock (bus and hire car)

• Jono flies to Manchester at 16:15

• DB flies to Gatwick at 20:50 - last man in, last man out...