Feature1 : Brexit Border ( Kevin )
Lough Erne
Lough Erne feel like you ’ re on top of the world ( the par five 6th ), the par of 72 will stretch your imagination … while the views over the lakes stretch into the distance . You ’ ll be hard pressed to find a favourite because it ’ s rich pickings . The 7th , the 9th , the 10th , the 14th the 16th , and the 17th all spring immediately to mind .
It ’ s not often that you visit a clubhouse bar and hear the distinctive minimalist chords of AC / DC thumping through the speakers . Granted , this was many years ago but it was Lough Erne , a five star golf resort . I wasn ’ t complaining : I grew up a big fan of the Aussie rock band but the vibrations of You Shook Me All Night Long were not part of my usual preround warm up routine . I have played Nick Faldo ’ s creation a few times over the years and at the start of 2020 , before the Covid catastrophe , I was fortunate to experience the resort on a whole new level . It was an overnight stay and our room – luxurious by any measure – had a view over the 18th green , Castle Hume Lough , and the boardwalk across it which led to the 1st tee . The resort was whetting my appetite and , as it turned out , in more ways than one . When was the last time you had food so good you wanted to pick up your plate and lick it ? The Catalina restaurant at Lough Erne Resort boasts Noel McMeel as its head chef and , with numerous awards to his name , the dishes he produces attract people from far and wide . My main course was Noel ’ s ‘ Signature Dish ’ with local pork
Lough Erne prepared in four different ways . I have been fortunate enough to eat here before so my expectations were high … and I was not disappointed . This was every bit as good as I remembered . I ’ d take you through the entire menu – the chocolate delice with caramel ice cream and glazed pecan was beyond incredible – but the purpose of this article lies elsewhere . Suffice to say that the food is exceptional and the dining room ( where breakfast is also served ) is spacious and elegant . The same is true of the course . It is said that across Fermanagh ’ s famous Lakelands there is an island for every day of the year , and you ’ ll see a few as you play between Lower Lough Erne and Castlehume Lough . The resort is a haven for wildlife and ‘ environmentally sensitive ’ areas abound . Through forest , up onto a ridge and down to the water ’ s edge , Lough Erne is every bit as charming as that sounds . And it never disappoints on the golf front , either . There is so much that can be said about this big , spacious course but the variety of holes is one of its key strengths . From staying tight to the edge of one lough ( the famous short par four 10th ) to swaying over the ridge above the hotel , that makes it
When it comes to picking plush resorts with golf courses , spas and acclaimed restaurants you are spoiled for choice along the Border . This invisible line stretches along county borders for 499 kilometres . Lough Erne lies to the north , while Slieve Russell and Farnham Estate are to the south , similarly isolated in peace and quiet . Business comes from both countries ( and overseas , of course ), although the effects of Brexit and Covid are yet to be determined in 2021 . For all the talk of Brexit it is unlikely that anything will change significantly for golfers crossing the Border . And that suits everyone .
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