Go green in Ireland

Ireland has been selected as the ‘Golf Destination of the Year’ in the 1999 Hertz International Golf Travel Awards at a ceremony in London recently. With over 350 courses, Ireland has topped the charts as a destination that shows the best quality, variety and accessibility of golf courses and golf accommodation, along with value for money.

Ireland’s massive investment in golf facilities, particularly over the past 10 years, has paid off with the award. The number of overseas visitors going to the Emerald Isle has more than quadrupled, and tourism officials predict further increases in the near future. Ireland has also been selected to host the prestigious Ryder Cup in the year 2005. Of course, some might say that the Irish have an unfair “green” advantage.

The awards also honoured other top golf destinations, with Scotland’s Gleneagles Hotel winning Golf Resort of the Year, California’ s Pebble Beach selected as Worldwide Golf Course of the Year, and Morocco capturing the award for “Emerging Golf Destination of the Year.”