We start the day in Ireland and finish it under the protection of Her Majesty in Northern Ireland. Before we can begin we realise that the day’s start time is, for the first time, unrealistic and we delay it in favour of a steak burger and Guinness. Classic Irish links. The weather forecast predicts showers. “It was pitch black after  9 ,” say two gentlemen in the bar. Sunshine on the 1st tee. On the 2nd tee the heavens take command – an aberration. Pitch black. Mother Nature flexes her muscles and reveals her power. Hail. The temperature drops to 10 degrees. Into a headwind we search feverishly for a shovel to dig shelter in the fairway. Where can we find protection? Our hands go numb with cold. Suddenly the clouds part and there is sunshine again. Exhausted we head for the 3rd green – a par 5. The 4th – a par 4 – is a classic links hole with a range of possibilities. On the 6th – a par 5 – we mistake the courses boundary marker for a sighting marker but finish on a superb green. On the 7th nature’s power once again reveals itself, but LINKS75 ignores the laws of gravity and lands a wedge in the hole – birdie! On the 8th the group in front of us suddenly appears behind us. Have we played through or have they let us pass? The 10th and 11th go by without special notice.

12th, County Louth

On the 12th the course finally takes us in amongst the sand dunes – yippee! A dogleg left and a green in LINKS75 class. The 13th faces straight out into the sea. we stop and take in the view. The 14th tee lies alongside the sea and is a dogleg right. The sky is pitch black and the wind is picking up. We head up towards the expectant green, which is guarded by islands of elephant grass. We sneak past and surprise a defenceless green.

14th, County Louth

The 15th – a par 3 – is a classic links one-shotter with wind at our backs and rain in the air. A gentle chip into the waiting green. The 16th features open landscape, with the hole to the right guarded by a gateway of sand dunes. Five holes of links delight which leaves us wanting more – much more. On the horizon nature again lets loose and we head northwards.