Ireland Golf Vacations & Golf Travel TestimonialsPORTUGAL - October 2008 Dear Patti, We loved the trip! The hotels you had us in were great, our drivers and Margarida were attentive, engaging, and fun to be with, the courses were top notch, the food great , the people friendly, the sights were fun to see, the cities were clean and safe. IRELAND - September 2008 Jerry & Mike, We had a terrific time! Our group of 8 thoroughly enjoyed themselves and just absolutely loved the courses we played. We want you both to know how much we appreciate the time and effort you put into making our trip such a great success. IRELAND - August 2008 Hi Patti, SOUTHWEST IRELAND 19TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR – July 2008 Dear Jo & Jerry, Finally back home in Oz and back to the grindstone – have now caught up with all the ‘bushfires and band-aids’ to get the office back in order. For Jill and myself, I would like to express my grateful thanks for a fantastic week of great golf, and, more importantly, great company. Once again, my sincere thanks for a great time. SOUTH FLORIDA PGA ~ IRELAND PRO-AM – July 2008 Jo & Jerry, I just wanted to let you know how much fun we had during our trip to Ireland with the South Florida PGA. All of my team and I had a blast each and every day. You need to be commended for all your hard work and attention to every detail. Cheers, SCOTLAND – July 2008 Joe, Words cannot describe how great this trip was and how much Johnny and I enjoyed the courses you selected. It was definitely a golfer’s dream trip. We did our best to absorb every memory the excursion had to offer. David Soto IRELAND – June 2008 Brendan, We had a wonderful trip. Our driver, Ned, was simply outstanding. Every detail of the trip was perfectly planned and went smoothly. We are already thinking about another golf trip with Quinlan, possibly to Spain and/or Portugal. R. Cooper IRELAND – June 2008 Hi Brendan, We’re back now and I want to tell you we all had a fantastic time. Everything was perfectly organized and I take my hat off to the fine people at Celtic Golf. It was truly a memorable experience. Our driver, Johnny, was just terrific. He was a true friend and he really exemplified Irish hospitality. I certainly will recommend Celtic Golf to my friends and look forward to being a repeat customer. All the best, Tim Witzel 13th ANNUAL FATHER & SON TOURNAMENT – May 2008 Joe, Brendan, Jerry, I just had to email you and thank you for what was an unbelievable time in Ireland last week. The trip was perfect – we experienced all types of weather from 45 degrees and 30 mph winds to 75 and sunny with no wind. The golf courses were stunning – all 4 are now in my top 10. The accommodations, food, and company were all superb. I met some people with whom I am certain will develop into longtime friends. Again, many thanks to each of you and your company. Bob Fischer WALES – May 2008 Hi Jo, My parents and I just returned from our trip to Wales and had a wonderful time. You were right – it is truly a beautiful place and the people were super friendly. The courses were just grand! Paula Anderson 13th ANNUAL FATHER & SON TOURNAMENT – May 2008 Dear Jerry, We so enjoyed being a part of the Father & Son group. Everything went like clockwork. The Killarney Park staff and food were “amazing”. The courses we tried to play and did finish will remain in our memories for a lifetime. Thank you for all that you and your enthusiastic staff did to make our holiday so wonderful! I was a travel consultant for the last 25 years and I know the effort you put into making things work. We will be sure to recommend your company and hope to join you again. All the best! Anita & Dennis McFadden FRANCE – May 2008 Jo, I just thought I would let you know our trip to France was absolutely beyond our expectations. Our driver, Chantel, was an absolute sweetheart. She foraged through the Pyrenees with our van till we found someone to direct us to a distant cousin of my Dad’s. Once that contact was made, we were off to the races, so to speak. The golf was good and the accommodations were excellent. Thanks again for putting together a great trip. Scott Erreca 13th ANNUAL FATHER & SON TOURNAMENT – May 2008 Dear Jerry, It’s hard to believe it’s been 2 weeks since we have returned from the Emerald Isle, participating in the 13th Annual Father-Son Tournament. The trip was, in a word, awesome. Originally, I was planning on organizing a trip myself, for my Dad and me, celebrating my 40th and his 65th birthdays. We wanted to play Ballybunion, Old Head, Waterville, and Tralee, and we wanted to go Memorial Day week. Then, I came across your web site. It must have been meant to be – the exact courses, the exact week, and you had already done all of the work for us. Even if I could have spent the hours organizing all of the tee times, hotel accommodations, airport transfers, transportation to and from every course, there is no way it would have been as seamless as your tour made it. But much more, the camaraderie of all the other Father-Son pairs made the trip that much more memorable. Your drivers are simply the best. They make the bus rides part of the highlights – their knowledge of Irish culture and history, and even a joke or two are fantastic. The Killarney Park Hotel was in a great central location, with a great staff and restaurant to boot. Moreover, the personal touch you and your staff showed, whether it was the greeting at the airport, the welcome dinner, the personal stories, and countless other details, made us feel that we were part of your family. It was like we were visiting our Irish cousin who happened to be well-connected at all of the best golf courses in Southwest Ireland. I have already recommended your services to many friends, and my Dad and I are already talking about when we can come back. We will definitely be using your services again, but, this time, we will probably have to take our wives with us. We know that they will be equally impressed by everything your company has to offer. Thanks for such a memorable trip. Appreciatively, Dave Schoenfeld SCOTLAND – October 2007 Joe, I wanted to write back to let you know our trip last week to Scotland was amazing. Everyone in my group had the time of their life. The golf, the pubs, the country were all top notch. We even had the pleasure of hitting the Old Course ballot on the 1st day. We were very lucky about the weather, too, while we were there. It only rained the day we played Carnoustie, but, fortunately, the wind wasn’t there, so the wetness was not a big deal. When you sent your last email stating that John Bryan was your #1 driver in Scotland, I was thinking you probably say that about all your drivers. Well, I was completely wrong about that one. John couldn’t have been a better driver, tour guide, and friend. He made us feel so comfortable and relaxed while we were there for the week. I couldn’t have asked for a better guy. All of his recommendations on restaurants and pubs were right on. You are very lucky to have such a wonderful person who is very passionate about his job. Lastly, I want to thank you again for putting together such a wonderful trip. My friends and I really hope that one day we will get to head back and play some of the other courses that we missed out on. I appreciate all that you did for me to make my 40th birthday trip a memorable one. Dave Wildes IRELAND – September 2007 Patti, Just wanted you to know that we had a spectacular trip to Ireland last week. The weather couldn’t have been better. Someone told us that it rains in Ireland!! We were so lucky with sunny days and warm weather the entire trip. I also want you to know that all of our accommodations were wonderful, especially the 19th Lodge at Ballybunion. Mary and James were so pleasant and friendly. Their accommodations were clearly outstanding! Everything from the hospitality, to the sheets and showers, and the breakfast were the best. However, the most memorable part of our trip, in addition to the wonderful golf courses we played, was our driver and guide, John Keane. We could not have had anyone better!! He attended to our every wish and was a true professional and a gentleman. He was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of Ireland, and interacted with us as though we were old friends. He made every step of our trip a joy! Thanks to you at Quinlan for the arrangements, accommodations, and itinerary. You are a class organization!! This was truly a vacation we will never forget. Cindy & Don Venema SCOTLAND – September 2007 Hi Joe, We would like to forward the highest praise to our driver. We found David to be a complete gentleman who helped to make our visit to Scotland as relaxed and enjoyable as possible. Please mention to him that we will always be impressed with the delicate way that he navigated the car through a herd of cows without using the horn. As I said previously, a true gentleman! Best regards, Rob & Ginny Baker IRELAND – July 2007 Dear Sirs: It is with full satisfaction that I write to thank you for planning our golfing vacation to Ireland last month, which myself and my brothers arranged to celebrate our father’s 70th birthday. Thank you for providing us with your best driver, Derry O’Keeffe. He smoothed the way and greased the skids in innumerable ways during our trip – Ballybunion and Lahinch foremost in our minds. He secured us the best caddies, planted us in the best pubs, and made sure the Guinness was cold. The highlight of our trip occurred when we were passing through a small town in Tipperary, when Derry learned our grandmother had emigrated to the U.S. from there. Thanks to Derry, I saw the church where my grandmother had been baptized and stood before the nearby grave of her great-grandfather (my ancestor), who had died in 1836. Although it seems we no longer have any living relations in Ireland, my family now certainly feels like we do in your man, Derry O’Keeffe. Although every other hotel on our trip was a five-star hotel, the 19th Lodge was our favorite. Mary and James Beasley made our stay at the 19th Lodge most hospitable. We enjoyed overlooking the fairway of the 2nd hole at Ballybunion, but it didn’t help us play it the next day. It looked narrow, and it was narrow! As Americans, we were thrilled that Mary and James had met our current President George Bush (as evidenced by the fine photograph in the TV room); as my brother Evan (who is a Major in the U.S. Army) remarked, he has never before had his eggs cooked by a lady who had met his commander-in-chief. Meeting James and Mary, and their lovely family, was another high point of our trip. Thanks again, Jerry & Brendan. You have our family’s highest recommendation. Best regards, Foster Wollen IRELAND & SCOTLAND – May 2007 Dear Jerry, Having just returned from our pilgrimage to Ireland and Scotland, Anna and I would like to thank you most sincerely for having arranged this truly wondrous golfing trip for us. The flawless planning and execution thereof was remarkable, and even the weather with one or two exceptions, was really surprisingly benign. Accommodations were generally excellent. The Killarney Park Hotel was most comfortable and pleasant – excellent cuisine and staff. As far as the golf courses were concerned, the selections you made were unbeatable. We were very graciously received at every clubhouse, and we were most pleasantly surprised by the quality of the visitors’ locker rooms! The starters everywhere were friendly and professional, as were the caddies. Doonbeg was a total delight, and we loved the tranquility of the bucolic countryside with the cows adjoining the fairways – to say nothing of the greenskeeper’s sheepdog who scours the gorse for lost balls and deposits them on the fairway for his master. Doonbeg was, in every way, quite extraordinary – a totally satisfying, comfortable, and beautifully run complex. On our last day golfing, we were paired with two Greek gentlemen from Cyprus who were non-golfers until two years ago, when one of them built a golf resort on that island and they decided it might be well for them to learn something about the sport, and hence their visit to Scotland. Honestly, we had a ball throughout our trip and once again thank you and your associates for this splendid outing. We have already praised your organization to a number of our golfing pals. Yours sincerely, Bill & Anna Mann PORTUGAL – September 2006 Jo, I just wanted to take a minute and tell you how wonderful our trip to Portugal was. We are the group of fourteen in the Violette golf party. Our guide, Helena, was absolutely fantastic... everyone loved her. She was so attentive to every detail, and such a pleasure to be around. We could not have asked for a better person. She gave us a great deal of knowledge about the country and its history – every hour was taken care of. We have been on past Jerry Quinlan trips and they had all been fantastic. This lived up to that great reputation. Sincerely, Tommye Anne Violette IRELAND – August 2006 Joe, Just wanted to drop a note of thanks for the wonderful trip. The arrangements were fantastic, the accommodations were outstanding, and our driver was so good, he felt like part of the family by the end of the trip. I just wanted to say thanks for your efforts, and the great job you do. With the golf and moving around, it would have been easy to have a hitch somewhere – but that was not the case, as the pre-arrangements were perfect. Your organization is the best. This is my second trip with Jerry Quinlan’s Celtic Golf, and if I live long enough and am prosperous enough, it will not be my last. Thanks again for such an enjoyable time in a wonderful country. Chip Herndon IRELAND – July 2006 Dear Patti, We wanted to pass along our sincere thanks to you and all the people at Celtic Golf who made our trip to Ireland so special. Our trip went off without a hitch and everything was first class, especially John Keane, our driver and guide, who made the trip so very special. He charmed our wives and impressed us all with his knowledge of Ireland and its history. He went out of his way to make sure the girls were able to do all the things they wished, while getting the golfers to and from the golf courses on time. His choices for restaurants were excellent. We would highly recommend Celtic Golf to anyone wanting the ultimate Ireland golf vacation. We miss John already and we look forward to returning to Ireland in the near future. Sam Lindsay SCOTLAND – July 2006 Joe, Just wanted to thank you for a fabulous trip. No wonder you guys have been successful for so many years. Everything flowed beautifully. Rusacks was a hit. Channings is also a really nice hotel. My son and two friends have a memory for life. Thanks again for a first class performance. Art Ryder SCOTLAND – July 2006 Joe, We had a wonderful time in Scotland, and I want to thank you for doing such a great job. The accommodations were wonderful and the golf courses were fun to play. Steve got a hole-in-one on the St. Andrews course and we all saw it! That was exciting. We all got to play the Old Course, which completed the trip. Our driver, Arthur, was great, and he really took good care of us. Thanks again, Gail Lastinger IRELAND – July 2006 Jerry, I just returned from the trip of a lifetime. Everything from start to finish exceeded all my expectations. The schedule – starting with the K-Club, followed by Portmarnock, Lahinch, Ballybunion, Waterville, Tralee, and finishing at Old Head – was the perfect layout. Each day and each course had something new to add to the entire Irish experience. I wouldn’t change a thing other than to add another day or two. The entire trip was incredible. Extra special kudos to Johnny Whelan – you are fortunate to have such a colleague. From the moment he first met us, we felt like we were with family. I can’t imagine a better way to tour the countryside than listening to John’s knowledge of the local history, only to be followed by his enticing description, hole-by-hole, of the ensuing Mecca which awaited us around the next breathtaking corner. All the while, everything was taken care of in first-class fashion. Thanks again for making everything so special. All the best! Sean Collins SCOTLAND – June 2006 Joe, The trip that you organized for us in Scotland was truly the “trip of a lifetime”, and, believe me, we have had many wonderful trips during the years. The hotel accommodations were first class, the food (and beverages) were wonderful, and the golf experience could not have been better – with the exception of a downpour at Turnberry; however, we waited a couple of hours and completed our round – what else should we expect? For us, the best money we spent was to have the car and drivers for the entire trip. The two drivers that we had were wonderful, accommodating, and true gentlemen. My wife, whose heritage is part Scottish, is a real history buff, as am I, and this was a dream come true, especially for her. We saw battlefields, ruins, churches, castles, etc., and the experience was enhanced by the historical knowledge of our drivers. All of this without the hassle of trying to find out where to go and what to see. Our introduction to golf in Scotland came on the first day when we played Royal Dornoch. We had a 4:30 tee time. Coming up the 16th fairway, the sun was setting and we could hear bagpipes playing in the distance in the town square. Welcome to Scotland – does it get much better than this? We both want to thank you for organizing the trip, and we will highly recommend you to anyone who is planning a similar excursion. Best regards, Ross Creber | ||