Millions of American golfers to see Ireland on the ‘small screen’

Millions of golfers across the US will be tuning into a programme all about golf in 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. The crew captured footage at Lahinch Golf Club, the Cliffs of Moher, Ashford Castle, County Sligo Golf Club, Ballyliffin Golf Club, as well as in Galway city around Quay Street and the Spanish Arch. The episode is due to air on 23 August, during The Northern Trust tournament (formerly the Barclays) at Glen Oaks Club on Long Island.

This visit is an excellent 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 – reminding golfers across the US about our fantastic golf courses where our 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 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.”