Big drive to attract US golfers to play on Galway courses

Millions of golfers across the US will be tuning into a programme all about golf in Galway and the West of Ireland later this month.

Tourism Ireland invited Matt Ginella from the NBC Golf Channel to come and film here for Ginella’s Journeys, a segment on the Golf Channel show Morning Drive, one of the network’s most popular shows.

During their time here, the crew captured footage in Galway city, around Quay Street and the Spanish Arch. They also filmed, and enjoyed lunch at, Moran’s Oyster Cottage in Kilcolgan.

The episode is due to air on August 23, during The Northern Trust tournament (formerly the Barclays) at Glen Oaks Club on Long Island.

This visit was an opportunity for Tourism Ireland to build on its successful ‘Home of Champions’ campaign, which kicked off earlier this year around the US Masters and includes golf ads on the NBC Golf Channel, as well as online ads on golfchannel.com.

The campaign is geared at reminding golfers across the US about the fantastic golf courses where champions, including Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke, honed and perfected their skills.

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “We were delighted to invite Matt Ginella to come and film in Galway and the West of Ireland, to showcase the world-class golf on offer here to a huge audience of potential American golf holidaymakers.

“Tourism Ireland has an extensive programme of promotions under way this year, to encourage more Americans to consider a golfing vacation on the island of Ireland.

“We are highlighting the 148th Open, which is set to take place at Royal Portrush in 2019. Our message is that the island of Ireland offers American golfers the complete package – with some of the very best golf in the world, stunning scenery and the warmest of welcomes.”