Just for references:
We played Lahinch in driving rain and heavy wind, all 18 holes. . The tour bus group behind us quit near darkness when we were on the 18th hole.

total cost using a local PGA tour guide to get us the courses and dates for our trip:
$500 each with caddies. Caddies were not wearing any rain gear, incomplete cortex development (17/18 y/o) but were like bird dogs and could find our balls on less than a minute no matter where it went. We were completely soaked, every piece of clothing, and by the time we changed and got to town, 7:55 pm, there was only one take out pizza place which had food, and it wasn't that great either. starving at breakfast, which was excellent at the golf bed and breakfast.

however, great stories, as I just played 9 here in MA yesterday in exactly the same conditions. . just with a bit of graupple mixed in for good luck. . . was dressed appropriately (from experience) and made better shots than a year ago on the first day of league play in the sun. . .

An Irish/English golf tour is a once/twice in a lifetime vacation (due to cost) but is very worth it just to play any of the links courses in local weather, extremely challenging, unbelievable views, and the people were always very friendly and welcoming. . highly recommend for anyone looking for a golf extravaganza, and we did it because we entered the lottery for Open tickets and won tickets at the standard rate, or got them very cheaply on line a year ahead of time.

we will go again if we hit the lottery. . .

They did.

The majority of private jets flights into Augusta (or any other venue of that sort), are "unscheduled carriers", with a number of people on-board.

Even the Players "Ride Share" their Jet Time.

On one of my first trips to Ireland to play golf, I went in mid-October. Every day, we played in no more than a light-sweater and not a drop of rain ... except Lahinch.

My GF & I got to Lahinch are 9 a.m. and it was nasty, nasty, nasty. They weren't letting anyone out. Pouring rain & swirling winds. We finally went off around 10:30. By 10:31, we were soaked to the bone. Sun came out around 11ish and we played in a light sweater.

My family is from Doolin. Last year my daughter and I spent Xmas in Dublin & Killarney and headed to Doolin for NYE. Drove past Lahinch on the way (yes, I stopped in the pro shop for a new hat). It was 47 degrees, pouring rain & the wind was whipping. There were people on every Tee Box and every Green we could see.

What was amazing about Ireland is that there are so many people in New England from Ireland with family there. We played a Cancer fund raiser there, and played with two medical professionals, one of whom went to Boston College or Boston University for a medical degree, worked in Boston hospitals, and returned to Ireland to raise a family. We flew over with families spending the summer with parents, I never knew Boston and Ireland were so closely settled until that vacation.

However, Irish castles are no match for English castles. . and although we drove everywhere ourselves, we took a beautiful route home, based upon the recommendation of our boarding house owner. I let CoachK drive it, and she refused to talk with me when we got home. Needed a glass of wine, before she muttered a single word. . . driving on single lanes with two way traffic was not a beautiful country side drive home to her, even though we had to stop for sheep and goats . . .

Since 1885, most every Mayor of Boston has been Irish. From 1945-until Tommy Menino in 1993, every Boston Mayor was Irish. The Irish took back the office with Marty Walsh in 2014.

The roads can be tough in Ireland.

Played Pinehurst #2, Not impressed. Could not hit to the pins due to crowned greens. Played Wolf Creek in Mesquite Nevada. Great and picturesque