Gerard's Blog

Jets, Golf & Good Causes

2011-09-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so I have been lucky enough to attend a couple of great events which involved, golf, celebrities and good causes.

At the beginning of July I played in the Celeb/Am day at the Farmfoods British Par 3 Championship

at Nailcote Hall. I was part of the Eurojet team and our celebrity for the tournament was no other than Willie Thorne. Apart from playing golf and winning one of the closest to the pin prizes (I will touch on that again later) I was mainly there to launch our new venture www.jetsetgolf.com! www.jetsetgolf.com is a new concept which brings the expertise of www.chakatravel.com and www.eurojet.eu.com together to create an amazing bespoke luxury golf travel experience. The launch at the event was a resounding success and our aim was to get a lot of chins wagging about www.jetsetgolf.com and we certainly achieved this. The tournament itself was run superbly, the course, even though a par 3 was very challenging so it made for a great days golf and most importantly a great chance to practice the short game. Our 4 ball had superb craic during the round which added to the whole experience.

That night we attended the Gala dinner which was hosted by our celebrity Willie Thorne so we had prime position at the front of the room. The night was absolutely outstanding, excellent food, company and entertainment. Of course the auction at the end contained some brilliant prizes and the pick of the bunch had to be ‘Private Jet for the day’ supplied by www.eurojet.eu.com. Now I will touch on the worthwhile cause that this was all arranged for. ‘Rainbows’ is a hospice for children and young people and they are based in the East Midlands. Rainbows works tirelessly supporting sick children and their families through difficult times so it was a breath of fresh air to see so many celebrities give up their time to attend and support and event like this.

You will remember I briefly touched on winning a closest to the pin prize during the day, well that occurred on the 7th hole on the course. To everyone’s astonishment my expertly guided tee shot landed 2 feet from the pin. Now I have mentioned everyone’s astonishment and that is because they had already been put through the pain of watching my golf for 6 holes! Well, after all the laughs (mostly towards my golf) I was very proud to come away with a brilliant memento from the day and most of all it was presented to me by ‘Mr Charisma’ himself, Larry Laoretti who has been one of the most flamboyant and entertaining golfers to grace a course.

Just over a week later we were (www.chakatravel.com)

one of the sponsors at the Rory McIlroy classic which was hosted at Holywood Golf Club where Rory grew up and mastered his game. This was the second year of the event and it is organised to raise funds for the ever successful junior section at Holywood. This year’s event carried a lot more publicity due to Rory bagging his first major in 2011 so it was great to be involved. Credit goes to Paul Gray the general manager and all his staff for organising a super day and night which was enjoyed by all who attended. A big thanks to Rory also who found time in his hectic schedule to make an appearance and present all the worthy prize winners. I would also like to thank him for signing a couple of autographs without hesitation, top guy and its brilliant to have a Major winner from my home club Holywood.

Finally my buddy Stuart Cameron ran a golf day at Holywood on Tuesday past. This is a yearly event he organises through his ‘Really Teed Off’ society and each year they select a worthwhile cause to donate the money to. I met Stuart at the beginning of the year as he was a new member to Holywood and we hit it off right away. We have enjoyed many rounds of golf and most importantly many beers together to console ourselves after our brutal performances on the course. It is amazing how friendships can be forged through sports and I was extremely happy in supporting this excellent event which raised £1200 for another children’s charity, Spina Bifida & Hydracephalus Society. What also amazes me is the generosity of people in these so called hard times we are living in. My hat goes off to Stuart because it has never been more difficult to get sponsorship and prizes for these events and he did absolutely brilliant. He will hopefully read this and I hope he feels proud of his achievement and gives himself a pat on the back. P.S. Your halo is in the post! 

Well that’s enough from me, once again thank you for listening and I will report back soon.

All the best

G

A Tribute to Uncle Bobby!

2011-06-10T04:19:00.000-07:00

I often sit and wonder what to write in my blogs and if what I am writing will be interesting to the readers and I am sure I am not the only blogger to experience this.
To be honest I write my blog for myself and if anyone takes time out of their busy schedules to read it then that is a big bonus and I thank you for it.
I hope some people take the time to read this one as it has a sentimental value for me.

Bobby Armstrong passed away on 2nd February 2011 at Scarborough General Hospital Toronto at 78 years of age. Now this may not mean much to anyone reading this blog but he was my Great Uncle Bobby!

Although his years far surpassed mine I looked up to him all my life and that was mainly down to him firstly being and absolute gentleman and secondly for being an outstanding sportsman during his younger years.

‘Uncle Bobby’ was my Nannies brother and he emigrated to Canada in the 1960’s but before that he had left his legacy in Irish League football for all to see. Bobby played for Glenavon FC and he was very proud to wear the Royal Blue Jersey and in fact he made 389 appearances for the Lurgan Blues.

He had many accolades during his successful career and Mournview Park but most notable where, 2 Irish League winners medals, 3 Irish Cup winners medals and he was a big part of the famous double-winning team of the 1956/57 season.

When he immigrated to Canada he continued with his football (or soccer as he became to know it) career and enjoyed the game for what it was and throughout his career he met many great friends.

Last time Bobby was home before he fell ill was in 2002 and I had the pleasure of taking him around Belfast and we both enjoyed plenty of pints of Guinness! I loved hearing the stories about football, his time in Canada and most off all how he loved his family and that is a testament to the man he was, loved talking about all his experiences and of that there where many – Legend!

In May my Aunt Rita (Bobby’s wife), cousin Russ (Bobby’s son) and his girlfriend Nancy made the trip over the Atlantic, first off all to see all the family but secondly to complete one of my Uncle Bobby’s dying wishes – to scatter some of his ashes on Mournview Park.

I had a great time catching up with Aunt Rita and of course Russ and Nancy who I hadn’t seen in over 20 years. We enjoyed reminiscing about ‘Uncle Bobby’ over a few nice bottles of red!

That takes me on to the wonderful day they had at Glenavon Football club on Wednesday 25th May. I must say that Glenavon Football Club handled the whole situation with complete professionalism and the day my family had was outstanding and will forever be etched in their memories, so a special thank to the ‘Lurgan Blues’ from me.

When they arrived at Mournview Park they were firstly shocked as a large group had made it for ‘Uncle Bobby’s’ send off and this really did touch their hearts. There where fans and ex-teammates of Bobby’s and they all loved sharing their memories of this great man.

The club itself displayed the silverware that Bobby played a big part in delivering to the Mournview Park Trophy cabinet. They laid on food and refreshments and it was a superb welcoming and brilliant memories for the family to take away with them.

Uncle Bobby met many great people through his life, most of these where through his sporting experiences and achievements. Through sport we meet some great people and some of these go on to be lifelong friends.

‘I have included some photos of the day at Mournview Park’

RIP Uncle Bobby (A True Legend)

Jan, Feb, March & April......Where did they go?

2011-05-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Following on from my last blog, a lot has happened in that short period of time. The most wanted man in the world has been killed, Liverpool’s record of 18 league titles has been eclipsed, the less said about that the better! (I’m not bitter at all!) and the sports world lost one of its most colourful and loveable characters with the passing of Seve! Severiano Ballesteros was remembered throughout the sports world as an absolute gentleman. He carried himself with dignity, finesse and most memorably played the game of golf like no other! All I can say is, “Thanks for the memories Seve, the standard of golf in heaven has just went up a notch or two!”

Mark and Jen from the office have returned from their trip to Zimbabwe and by all accounts and reports it was superb. Most people are aware of Zimbabwe’s history of unrest and political instability but Mark and Jen have both agreed that the country itself is slowly but surely returning to where it should be.

If anyone is interested in a holiday or safari in Zimbabwe please contact us as Mark and Jen would love to share their experience with you. We will also be featuring some Zimbabwe holidays on our www.chakatravel.com website so please keep an eye out for those appearing soon.

As I am writing this blog I just happened to think about the date, 17th May 2011, my next thought was, “Where did the first 4 ½ months go?”. The start of the year has just whistled by without much notice although one thing I am pleased about is brighter, longer nights. There’s nothing like finishing work and squeezing 9 holes of golf in and still getting home at a reasonable hour! Well that’s my plans this afternoon anyway.

Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog and all (constructive) feedback is greatly welcomed

Until next time.

Best regards

Gerard

Easter, Golf & Zimbabwe

2011-04-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

I thought I would do a short little blog update as there are a few things happening over the next week or so.

First off all I can’t write this blog without mentioning the outstanding weather the UK and Ireland seems to be in for over the Easter break. BBQ season has well and truly landed and I for one have dusted mine of and used it twice in the last two days!

When we are lucky enough to get this great weather we start thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to be able to live & eat outside all the time!’ I for one am a massive fan of the outdoor living so long may this weather continue. Who knows, might even develop a nice tan :)

A lot of golf to be played over the next week and it kicks of today with a mini office challenge at my home club, Holywood! I am at Holywood 3 times over the next 3 days and by my recent form the more golf I can get in the better!

Next week Stuart and I travel down to Greenore in Meath to play in the TGI golf day and from all the reports Greenore is a super trek so I am really looking forward to it!

Finally Mark and Jen from the office are heading off to Zimbabwe next week on a educational visit so keep an eye for a blog and info on what is meant to be a wonderful country.

May I wish everyone a very happy Easter and take it easy on the chocolate eggs :)

Warmest regards

Gerard

Rory and The 2011 Masters

2011-04-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, here is my follow up blog as promised.

Well, the 2011 Masters is over and it delivered everything it promised to!

For 3 days, 54 holes and numerous ups and downs a 21 year old Northern Irish man hailing from Holywood County Down lit up Augusta!

Rory McIlroy played some magnificent golf and handled himself both professionally and admirably at all times.

Unfortunately though most of that is not what will be forged in most people’s memories.

Rory went into the final round with an impressive 4 shot lead but after bogeying the first hole the writing was on the wall. His round deteriorated in front of everyone watching live and it was so hard to watch even the BBC directed their programme coverage elsewhere on the course.

I have heard some ridiculous stories circulating today that the young man bottled it and was never mentally strong enough to cope in the last round. Well, all I have to say on that is it is absolute nonsense!

This young man is just about to turn 22 next month and he has already achieved what most people could only ever dream off. Rory McIlroy was winning titles from a very young age and he will continue to win titles for a very long time.

At nearly 22 we could say he has another 20 years at the highest level so in my calculations that is another 80 majors to compete for!

After unravelling in front of everyone on the Sunday he gave what I thought was a brilliant press conference and showed maturity well beyond his years!

Rory can leave Augusta with his head held high knowing he left a mark on the course to return one day and get that ‘Green Jacket’.

As a fellow member of Holywood County Down where Rory hails from I can categorically state that we are all proud of you Rory and you are an absolute credit to your home club, Northern Ireland and Golf in general.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Charl Schwartzel on what was a magnificent final round and I bet he loved the feeling of slipping that green jacket on.

That’s me for now and please feel free to comment on any of the above.

Warmest regards

Gerard

New Website & The Masters 2011

2011-04-07T04:29:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, I trust you are all well and enjoying the lovely Spring weather that we have been lucky to land upon.

Well, in my last blog I told you guys about the wonderful educational trip I had in South Africa where I was accompanied by our ‘Bandit’ MD Mark Marais 

Since our excellent and informative trip we have been working hard on our www.golfholidaysinsouthafrica website. We have been getting it updated with some new packages and also adding the new hotels and resorts we were lucky enough to visit.

We have also worked hard to personalise the website, telling our customers of our own experiences in South Africa. Our customers will hopefully read our reviews and comments and get a sense of what this wonderful country has to offer!

Having been to South Africa, played many rounds of golf there, visited/stayed at some beautiful hotels & guesthouses I believe we are well equipped and have an excellent depth of knowledge to create any package our customers demand.

The Masters 2011 is upon us and the tension has been building up for what promises to be one of the best tournaments ever.

The traditional fun-filled par 3 competition was won by Englishman Luke Donald after he finished his round early with 5 under par. Now those of you who are aware will know that this is not a good omen, anyone who has won the par 3 competition on the Wednesday has NEVER gone on to win the Masters outright!

Many players have had a quick look at the leader board on the 8th/9th hole of the par 3 and, if they see their name close to the top they would suddenly end up with a double bogey or worse! This is how strong this omen hangs over Augusta!

So the question is, can Luke Donald (who has been in superb form) break the hoodoo and win both tournaments?

The par 3 is great to watch especially for the relaxed family atmosphere it creates and it’s not unfamiliar to see caddies, no bigger than the clubs they are carrying walking on this wonderful course.

It was great to see Ian Poulters mum caddying for her famous son, a nice touch if I don’t say so myself!

Now that we are on Mr Poulter, has he finally stoked the fire in Tiger Woods that we have all been waiting for? His pre tournament comment saying that ‘Tiger’ would likely NOT finish in the top 5 at the Masters was picked up quick by the media and it made headline stories on the Augusta coverage.

At Tigers press conference, he was asked what he thought about Poulters comment and he sarcastically replied, “Isn’t Poulter always right!”

All that aside this promises to be a truly memorable 4 days at Augusta and I for one will be following it avidly on Sky Sports (well, if Mrs Watson allows me of course!)

I will follow up this blog with a short one next week on the trials and tribulations of what the weekend brings.

Anyways, bye for now and I hope you have enjoyed reading.

Warmest regards

Gerard

First V1 Lesson

2011-03-02T04:16:00.000-08:00

Well I have finally decided to dedicate myself to the game of golf full time. I have hung up my football boots and am concentrating on getting my handicap down!

Due to this I have employed my club Pro Stevie Crooks to turn me into a golfer.

So last week I went for my first V1 video lesson with Stevie and to be honest I was pleasantly suprised!

My lesson lasted 30 mins and when I had returned home Stevie had sent me my swing with his comentary pointing out my faults together with the good points.

This was excellent because when I visited the driving range a few days later I loaded up the video on my phone and I could watch and listen on where I needed to improve.

I cannot recommend this highly enough especially if you are looking improve your golf game.

If anyone wants more info then drop me an email on gerard@link2ireland.com.

Best regards

Gerard

South Africa Trip

2011-02-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

Hi again and thank you for taking the time to look at my blog.

As you know from my previous post I was heading off to South Africa to view hotels and play some of the courses we offer on our www.golfholidaysinsouthafrica.com website.

I have just returned from an excellent and very informative trip where I was accompanied by our MD Mark Marais. South Africa is truly blessed with an array of excellent accommodation, golf courses and wonderful things to see and do. We thoroughly enjoyed staying at as well as visiting some outstanding hotels, resorts and guest houses. And of course purely in the interests of research we also played some spectacular golf courses….

We were met at Johannesburg airport by the excellent Tamara, our representative out there and we were in good hands for the start of our trip. We travelled up north to the Limpopo region where we stayed and played at Zebula Resort, it was bizarre experience in the sweltering heat finding a zebra between my ball and the hole having left an icy Ireland under 24 hours earlier. That evening we enjoyed a ‘few’ sundowners and I tried biltong and as promised by Mark it was the perfect accompaniment to cold lager! The following day we travelled onto the new Euphoria resort and played their excellent golf course, Mark taught me a few phrases in the local lingo including ‘in die kak’ which unfortunately I was to use on numerous occasions due to a rusty swing!

Another fantastic sunny morning found us about to enjoy the truly unique experience of playing the incredible Extreme 19th Par 3 hole. at Legends Resort. The day started with us being met at the club house and then driven to a nearby field, a short time later our next form of transportation arrived...a helicopter!! After jumping on board we were whisked in exhilarating fashion up to the top of a mountain and led to the tee box precariously perched on the edge of a 400 meter cliff face. A driver is the only club required up there! After taking in the magnificent scenery you then try compose yourself to drive 6 balls from the edge of the mountain to the green around 600 meters away. My radar was definitely affected by the situation and all I can say is that there are probably a few dazed baboons wandering around the national park that surrounds the green. After all your balls are launched the helicopter returns to transport you to the green so that you can finish out the hole! A truly memorable experience and one which I will never forget!

The rest of the day was spent playing the superb 18-hole course, followed by the fantastic 10-hole par 3 Tribute course. This is another great experience, the holes are all replicas of the worlds best par 3’s including the 12th at Augusta, the Postage Stamp and the 17th at Sawgrass. From the course we went straight out into the reserve and whilst enjoying a few cold beers we saw lion and rhino as well as plenty of other game, the perfect end to an unbelievable day, and definitely one I’d recommend to all.

After our time in Limpopo we caught the flight from Jo'burg to George in the Cape where we began our journey along the Garden Route. Our first port of call was the luxurious Simola resort at Knysna with it’s huge rooms, top quality service and a manicured golf course with picturesque views. World class Pezula was next, rated by many as the best resort in South Africa and one I’ll remember for a long time as Mark drained a long putt on the last to stay in the game only for me to sink a 12-footer and claim the bragging rights!

We visited a lot of different hotels and guest houses in Plettenberg and Knysna and I soon understood why Mark had said guest houses in SA are more like boutique hotels, with friendly owners always ready to share their knowledge. Next was Fancourt with its three world class courses, the Links is spectacular but one I’d only recommend to low handicappers (or golfing masochists!), the Montagu would be better for all comers and the Outeniqua suits those wanting a fair but not to tough game. All of these immaculately maintained courses and are only available to residents of the resort.

We visited George Golf Club which was in as good a condition as any course I have been to and one I will definitely make sure is in my itinerary next time I’m in SA. From here we drove west to the Western Cape Arabella, I would like to mention at this stage that Scott and I took the money from Mark and Adam at Arabella let’s just say they were not happy campers! The memorable finishing holes on both nines are as good as it gets!

We spent the next few days in the stunning Winelands and in Cape Town, what a magnificent part of the world. Cosmopolitan Cape Town is one of the great cities with so much to see and do. We made sure we got full value for money by being amongst the last people to leave an Irish bar on Long Street on our final evening!

The famous Garden Route and Western Cape are awash with super accommodation and magnificent golf courses so you will be well and truly spoilt for choice! All in all this was a superb trip and my customers will certainly benefit from my experiences out in South Africa. Seeing is believing and I have been extremely lucky to experience this wonderful country at its best.

In this newsletter I have included a couple of our most popular South African packages so that you can have an idea of the excellent trips we can put together for you.

If anyone would like to discuss South Africa or are interested in a trip out there please contact me on gerard@link2ireland.com or 0044 2890232112.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Warmest regards,

Gerard

2011 & South Africa

2011-01-14T02:43:00.000-08:00

Hi all and may I take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy and Prosperous 2011. Well, where do I start, as far as any outdoor sport goes it was a complete white out from mid December. A lot of sports fell foul to the extreme weather we experienced and this in turn caused difficulty for clubs in relation to income. Every golf club in particular has felt the pinch because if the course is closed they don't have the foot fall resulting in no money passing through. As I am writing this it seems that the extreme weather has disappeared for the time being so it is important we get to the golf clubs and support them in this difficult time. On a lighter note I am off to South Africa on 25Th January with work. I have been appointed manager of our www.golfholidaysinsouthafrica.com product and there are a number of great resorts I am looking forward to visiting. One resort in particular has got me very excited, The Legends Golf and Safari Resort - www.legendsgolfsafari.com. We will playing the course there and we will also be playing their world famous 'Extreme 19th Hole'(see image above) which is not for the faint hearted I am led to believe. I will let you all know how I got on when I return. If anyone is currently thinking about getting away on holiday then don't be afraid to give our office a call and we will get that perfect destination for you. 02890 232112. Warmest regards

Madeira

2010-11-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

I hope everyone is doing well and settling into the cold, wet winter ;-)

I have recently returned from a 5 day educational trip to Madeira which is our latest product.

I must say that I travelled out to Madeira with some misconceptions and the main one was the age group of the tourists I would encounter whilst out there.

Madeira has always had the tag of being home to silver surfers (not my quote) in other words older clientele.

As soon as I arrived these misconceptions were blown out of the water. The beauty and the scenery is the first thing to strike you about Madeira. The towns and cities are literally etched into the side of the mountain that is Madeira.

Some of the hills and Levada walks are a stern test for a sprightly 31 year old like me not to mention our older generation.

There where young families, honeymooners, older couples and groups and all these visitors just mingled and did what they where there to do....ENJOY THEMSELVES!

I played golf whilst there at Palheiro GC and Santo da Serra GC. Both courses where absolutely spectacular. Trust me and I am proof of this, if your game is not going as planned the scenery and beuaty of the courses will ease the blow and take you to that calm place that all us golfers need to go to sometimes :-)

The accommodation and service is some of the best I have seen and I have travelled all over the world.

One of my favourite parts of any holiday is the food and drink and Madeira surpassed all my expectations of this. As its an island you can imagine how fresh and plentiful the seafood is. My personal favourite being the local dish, 'Black Scabbard' although it is one ugly fish when its just been pulled from the sea!

Please have a look at our website www.chakatravel.com for some great offers for Madeira or contact me and I would be happy to discuss this wonderful island with you.

All the best for now.

Gerard

Belfast International Basketball Classic

2010-10-13T01:06:00.000-07:00

Well people, we have had a really busy few months and I am sorry for neglecting the blog but I promise to give you regular updates as we have some exciting stuff happening.
In August Link2Ireland helped in the organising of the first Belfast International Basketball Classic (See image) which was hosted at the Odyssey Arena Belfast. The tournament featured Australian Number 1 team the Melbourne Tigers and US College Powerhouse the Pittsburgh Panthers. The round up was completed by the English National Team and the USNI Sport Irish Allstar Team.
The tournament itself was a great success and it help raise the profile for Link2Ireland as a competent and professional ground handling company.
Quote from Melbourne Tigers Camp -
"From the moment we arrived in Belfast nothing was left to chance, from our transport, accommodation and restaurants we were taking care of to the highest quality. We want to thank USNI Sport and Link2Ireland for their expertise and professionalism.

As you can see it was a great success and something we want to build on in the near future.

All the best for now but keep an eye out for our regular updates.

All the best.

Gerard

Carton House

2010-06-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, Mrs Watson and myself took a trip down to Carton House, Maynooth at the weekend for our wedding anniversary. First off all let me tell you that the property itself is outstanding. The long drive up to the residence is something to savour, cutting through the golf course and taking in the spectacular scenery. The service provided by all staff at the hotel was second to none and we both agreed on this. I played the O'Meara course on Sunday morning and it was fantastic. Especially the finishing four holes when the water comes into play, truly breathtaking. I will definitley return to play the Montgomerie at some stage. Mrs Watson went for some Spa treatments and by all accounts they were brilliant, (she seemed nice and relaxed to me!) We will both return to Carton House and take some friends with us so that they can experience the excellent level of service we became accustomed to during our stay. The photo above is off the Tryconnell Tower which sits proudly beside the 10th hole on the O'Meara Course.

2010-06-16T01:40:00.000-07:00

Hi guys we kicked off the office challenge in style yesterday with Scrabo being the first of four courses. Scrabo is an excellent course and a stern test of Golf! Thankfully we had a beautiful day and very little wind. Mark and Phil came out victorious on this occasion but we still have 3 rounds to go. Check out the photos we have posted up. The first photo is a view from the 16th green with the Mourne Mountains in the distance. The 2nd photo is of the 1st fairway with Scrabo Tower in view.

Royal County Down

2010-05-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a visit to Royal County Down Golf Club. Unfortunately on this occasion we did not get any golf in but we were able to meet with the Pro Kevan Whitson and the new Secretary David Wilson. They really do run a tight ship there and the place has a welcoming feel about it which wasn't always the case. I would like to thank both Kevan and David for their hospitality and we promise to take you up on your offer to return soon for a round! The picture above is a view of the 10th hole from the Visitors Lounge.

Great Weather

2010-05-24T03:21:00.000-07:00

Well people, we were well and truly blessed with wonderful weather over the weekend. Temperatures recorded in Belfast where actually higher than those in Rome, Ibiza and Florida! Long may it continue say's me. We had such long cold winter so some well deserved sunshine and warmth would definitley be welcomed.

Hello Everyone

2010-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Link2Ireland has finally launched its own Blog. We will be reguluary updating it with useful information on golf courses and places to visit. Keep an eye out for our insider tips on courses we have played. Happy reading :-)